06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Law permits indigenous ethnic communities to create self-governing bodies, however this right was undermined in Republic of Adygea; ethnic groups in Siberia and the North continued to work actively to preserve their cultures; principal problems of indigenous people remained distribution of necessary supplies and services ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 19995]

"The law provides for support of indigenous ethnic communities; it permits them to create self-governing bodies, and allows them to seek compensation if economic development threatens their lands. In some regions local communities organized to study and make recommendations regarding the preservation of indigenous cultures. Groups such as the Buryats in Siberia and ethnic groups of the North (including the Enver, Tafarli, Chukchi, and others) continued to work actively to preserve and defend their cultures as well as the economic resources of their regions. Most affirmed that they received the same treatment as ethnic Russians, although some groups believed they were not represented or were underrepresented in regional governments. The principal problems of indigenous people remained the distribution of necessary supplies and services, particularly in the winter for those who lived in the far north, and claims to profits from exploitation of natural resources. However, support for the self-government of indigenous ethnic communities was undermined in one region recently as the federal government made an attempt early in the year to remove the Republic of Adygea's autonomy. One of many such ethnic territories, the Republic of Adygea was created in 1991 as a homeland for the Adyghs, a group indigenous to the Northwest Caucasus. The move was thwarted, however, due to opposition within Adygea and among the region's other territories, given the prospect that even administrative changes could lead to widespread violence."

Document(s): Open document

03.06.2005 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Continuing marginalization of the indigenous people of the north ("Honouring of obligations and commitments by the Russian Federation [Doc. 10568]") [#32710],  [ID 11416]

"421. Assessing the first Russian report submitted according to the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the Advisory Committee noted with deep regret that ensuring full and effective equality has been particularly difficult with respect to persons belonging to many of the numerically small indigenous peoples of the north, who continue to face wide-ranging problems in economic, social, political and cultural life to the extent that the situation is not compatible with Article 4 of the Framework Convention. The Advisory Committee noted that the continuing marginalisation of these minorities has contributed to the deeply disconcerting health situation amongst them. Furthermore, the generally low educational level amongst the group concerned, coupled with the decline in their access to their traditional means of livelihood have led to disproportionately high unemployment.

422. We also refer to the Motion for Resolution tabled with the Assembly in October 2004, on the Situation of Fenno-Ugric and Samoyed peoples, which expresses great concern over the fact that the population of the Fenno-Ugric and Samoyed people has diminished considerably over the past few years and the use of their languages had been narrowed in the Russian Federation. According to the federal census data from 2002, the total number of the Fenno-Ugric population has decreased dramatically since the 1989 census, from 3, 3 millions to 2, 7 millions. The number of people speaking Uralic languages has decreased to less than 2 millions.

423. On 22 February 2005, a group of American, British, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, and Hungarian politicians and public figures appealed to the Russian authorities to stop infringing upon political and cultural rights of the Maris, a 600 thousand strong nation. They urged the Russian government to immediately stop the rising tide of discrimination and persecution of Mari nation in the Republic of Mari El, and to initiate an investigation into the assault on prominent Mari leader Mr. Vladimir Kozlov who was beaten nearly to death earlier that month. The concern over the reports of repression targeting opposition figures, journalists, and indigenous officials in Russia's constituent Mari El Republic was also expressed by the European Commission in March 2005.

424. We would like to reiterate the Advisory Committee's opinion that the Russian authorities should give increasing attention to their situation, including by taking more effective measures to ensure the implementation of the new legislation concerning their rights."

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