Documents of the VI Congress

RESOLUTION OF THE 6TH CONGRESS

OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE NORTH, SIBERIA AND FAR EAST OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

April 24, 2009г., Moscow

The 6th Congress of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation (hereinafter referred to as the Congress) representing 40 peoples of the Russian Federation declared that its main objective is the preservation and development of their traditional lifestyles as an inseparable component of the ethno-cultural diversity of the peoples of Russia.

The Congress points out that the federal authorities have been engaged in legislative activities aimed at ensuring sustainable socio-economic and ethno-cultural development of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation.

The Congress welcomes the approval by the Government of the Russian Federation of the Concept of the Sustainable Development of the Indigenous Peoples of the World, Siberia and the Far East, hereinafter referred to as the Concept, which promotes the creation of the prerequisite conditions and stimuli for the sustainable development of the indigenous people both with the support by the state and through mobilization of the internal resources of the peoples themselves.

The Congress supports the interaction of the federal authorities and NGOs of the indigenous peoples in preparing the Concept and the draft Plan of Measures for its implementation in 2009 – 2011.

The Congress approves of some work by the federal authorities of a number of entities of the Russian Federation in solving the important problems of socio-economic and ethno-cultural development of indigenous peoples in refining the regional legislation aimed at the protection of the rights of indigenous peoples.

The Congress welcomes the establishment of the National Organizing Committee for conducting the Second International Decade of the Indigenous Peoples of the World declared by the UN General Assembly, which started implementing the set of urgent measures for the preparation and conducting the Second International Decade of the Indigenous Peoples of the World.

The Congress also welcomes the adoption by the General UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which declared a wide set of individual and collective rights, including the right to the conservation and development of their cultural peculiarity and a specific identity, the rights to education and participation in the economic and social life of the society in which indigenous peoples live.

The Congress supports the intention of the Russian and foreign nongovernmental organizations to promote the conservation and development of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East and calls upon the strengthening of their interaction with the federal authorities.

The Congress calls upon the leaders of the UN members countries to use wider the experience of the Russian Federation and to contribute actively to the Second International Decade of the Indigenous Peoples of the World.

At the same time, the Congress pays attention to the fact that until recently there remain some unsolved problems preventing the sustainable development of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation and their successful adaptation to present-day conditions, including:

• Ineffective management in integrated approach to the problems of sustainable development of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation ;

• The absence of effective mechanisms of involvement of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation in developing and making decisions regarding the socio-economic and cultural development, protection of the traditional environment, traditional lifestyle, traditional economy and occupations on the principle of voluntary, prior and informed agreement by the indigenous peoples as proclaimed by the UN Declaration on the Indigenous Rights ;

• Imperfect legislation, lacking a number of norms guaranteeing the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East some specific rights in conformity with the Constitution of the Russian Federation;

• Impossibility of the implementation of the right to use lands of various categories and other natural resources required for the leading and conservation of the traditional lifestyle, economy and occupations of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation in connection with their distribution on the basis of competitions and tenders.

In order to ensure the legal rights and interests of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, the Congress believes that the following problems should be solved:

1. The refinement of the legislation regarding the protection of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East, including the rights to long-term use of lands of various categories, the use of natural resources required to maintain the traditional lifestyle, traditional economy and occupations serving as a basis for their sustainable development;

2. Ensuring the protection of the native environment, traditional lifestyle and traditional subsistence economies of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East, including the development and adoption of the federal laws : «On the Amendments to the Federal Law «On Traditional Subsistence Areas of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation» with the retaining of the status of the traditional subsistence territories as protected areas, «On the Protection of the Native Environment, Traditional Lifestyle and Traditional Subsistence of the Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Federation»;

3. Approval of the method for assessment and redemption of the damage to the native environment and traditional lifestyle caused by the detrimental impact of the industrial use of natural resources and removal of lands for state and municipal use at the sites of traditional life and traditional subsistence of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

4. Incorporation of enactments establishing the rights of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East into a special legal institution;

5. Solution to the problems of socio-economic development of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East and elimination of unemployment among them on the basis of governmental support by introducing state orders for traditional subsistence products of indigenous peoples, organization of high-level processing and marketing of the products of reindeer herding, fishing, sea fisheries, hunting, gathering and development of crafts;

6. Development of the social infrastructure facilities, medical, educational, cultural, social, transport and other facilities in the areas of the traditional life and traditional subsistence activities of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East, taking into account their traditional lifestyles and culture;

7. Augmentation of the social protection of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East ;

8. Taking measures to render healthier the demographic situation among the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East ;

9. Settlement of the issues of guaranteed representation of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East in legal (representative) authorities of the entities of the Russian Federation and the representative authorities of the local administration; including the candidate lists of thye political parties and election in the state authorities and inclusion onto the lists of candidates from political parties of for election to the regional representative (legislative) state authorities of representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East to ensure representation of the above-mentioned peoples in the government bodies of the Russian Federation;

10. Establishment of an institution of the authorized representatives of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East on the federal and regional levels ;

11. Establishment of a special division for protection of the rights and socio-economic development of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East under a federal executive authority;

12. Development of the mechanism of contribution by indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East to the development and implementation of enactments and state decisions regarding the protection of their native environment, socio-economic and cultural development, including the preparation and implementation of the plan for measures of under the Concept; preparation and implementation of the measures under the state support of economic and social development of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East through allocations from the budget of subsidies to the budgets of the entities of the Russian Federation;

13. Development and implementation of the measures of state support of economic development of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East under conditions of the world economic crisis ;

14. Augmentation of the role of territorial public self-administration by the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East where they have been traditionally residing.

15. Increase in the effectiveness of measures for the development of the cultures of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East due to their vulnerability in the face of modern industrial impact on the environment.

The Congress calls upon the President of the Russian Federation, Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, legislative authorities (representative) and executive authorities of the entities of the Russian Federation, the international governmental and nongovernmental organizations to take the necessary measures to fulfill the above objectives.

RECOMMENDATIONS

of the VI Congress of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation

April 24th 2009, Moscow

VI Congress of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation (hereafter called Congress) representing in the fully authorized way 40 indigenous ethnoses of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation (hereafter called indigenous people) having heard the reports and accounts from delegates to and participants in the Congress on the existing socio-economic status of indigenous people calls upon the President of Russian Federation, State Duma of the Russian Federation, the Government of Russian Federation, regional legislative and executive authorities of Russian Federation, international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, business and industrial companies and indigenous people organizations to take necessary measures for implementation of the following recommendations:

The President of Russian Federation

• To authorise federal executive authorities:

• To introduce amendments to the legislation on land in Russian Federation in the parts related to execution of indigenous people right for gratuitous use of different categories of land as well as of natural resources in the areas traditionally inhabited by indigenous people and used for traditional economic activities;

• To introduce changes to the legislation on subsoil resources and the use of subsoil resources in Russian Federation in the parts related to secured execution of indigenous people rights for conservation of traditional environment and traditional life style during development of subsoil resources in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities by indigenous people, following the principles of free precautionary and conscious choice and consent of these indigenous people and also the rights for compensation of damage made to traditional environment of indigenous people making it impossible to continue traditional economic activities;

- To carry out integrated assessment of environmental, economic and social impacts from the implementation of state programmes for development of oil and gas deposits and development of hydro-energy complex in the areas of the North, Siberia and the Far East and adjacent shelf on the traditional environment and traditional life style of indigenous people;

- To secure implementation of provisions of the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples Rights during further improvement of legislation in Russian Federation.

• To recommend to the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoys in federal districts to carry out, jointly with indigenous people organizations, annual monitoring of violations of indigenous people rights;

• To recommend to the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy in North-Western Federal District that a consultative experts council on indigenous peoples issues is established and includes authorised representatives of indigenous people;

• To introduce for ratification by the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation Convention № 169 of the International Labour Organization “On Indigenous and Tribal Peoples” signed in 1989;

Federal Assembly of Russian Federation

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to the Federal Law "On the Guarantees of Indigenous Peoples Right in Russian Federation" to authorise the Government of Russian Federation to develop and approve methodology for assessment of damage to traditional environment and traditional life-style of indigenous people caused by economic activities of individuals and organizations, and for the procedures to assign the citizens of Russian Federation to certain indigenous ethnoses of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Laws “On conservation of traditional environment, traditional life style and traditional land use of indigenous peoples of Russian Federation” and “On introduction of amendments to certain legislative acts of Russian Federation linked to adoption of the Federal Law “On conservation of traditional environment, traditional life style and traditional land use of indigenous peoples of Russian Federation”;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to the Federal Law "On the Traditional Land-Use Territories of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation” and to certain legislative acts of Russian Federation” as concerns applications and appeals from indigenous people, their unions or authorized IP representatives for designation of traditional land-use territories of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation as well as management and control of their gazettment, functioning and protection;

• To introduce amendments to the Federal Law “On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources” as concerns priority access rights for indigenous people to the fishing plots and to aquatic biological resources (such as signing the agreements on the use of fishing areas with individuals that belong to indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation or their communities and family enterprises without the tenders for the rights to use fishing areas; providing exempt mechanisms in terms of timing and areas for harvesting of aquatic biological resources, sex and age ratios and total amounts of aquatic biological resources to be harvested; allocation of exclusive indigenous peoples rights for harvesting of certain types of aquatic biological resources, specifics of marine mammals harvesting etc.);

• To introduce amendments to the Tax Code of Russian Federation as concerns the use of terminology in compliance with the Federal Law “On General Principles for Set Up And Operations of Indigenous Communities And Community Enterprises of Indigenous Peoples of The North, Siberia And The Far East of Russian Federation" and the Federal Law “On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources”, as well as for provision of tax exemptions and preferences to indigenous communities and community enterprises carrying out traditional land use;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On Game-Hunting” as concerns secured priority access of indigenous peoples, their communities and other types of indigenous organizations to the game-hunting areas and game resources;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On Marine Mammals Harvesting by Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation";

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On the Northern Reindeer Herding”;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to some legislative acts of Russian Federation” (to the Water Code, Forest Code and Land Codes of Russia, and to the Federal Laws “On the turnover of agricultural lands” and “On specially protected natural areas”) as concerns introduction of regulatory mechanisms for implementation of priority rights of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russia to use renewable natural resources and the areas (aquatories) where they can be harvested;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to the Forest Code of Russian Federation and to certain legislative acts of Russian Federation” as concerns specifics of forest management and the use of forest resources in the areas traditionally inhabited and used economically by indigenous people;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to the Federal Law “On Subsoil Resources” as concerns specifics of subsoil resource development in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities by indigenous people to secure full implementation of their rights for conservation of traditional environment and traditional life style, following the principle of free precautionary and conscious choice and consent of these indigenous people, and also the rights for compensation of damage made to traditional environment and traditional economies of indigenous people;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On introduction of amendments to certain legislative acts of Russian Federation” as concerns regulation of payments for the lands of different categories in the areas traditionally inhabited and of traditional economic activities of indigenous people;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to the Federal Law “On Environmental Impact Assessment” in terms of obligatory assessments of overall acceptability of planned industrial or other developments in order to prevent unfavourable impacts from these activities on the natural environment, traditional land-use and traditional life-style, economic activities and harvesting practices of indigenous people and related social, economic and other consequences of those development projects that are subject to EIAs;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to the Federal Law "On the Main Guarantees of Voting Rights and the Rights for Referenda to the citizens of Russian Federation” and to the Federal Law “On the general principles of organization of legislative (representative) and executive governing bodies in the regions of Russian Federation” as concerns additional guarantees of electoral rights for the indigenous citizens, including the quotas for representation of indigenous people in legislative (representative) authorities in those regions of Russian Federation where indigenous people live;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to Article 16 of the Law of Russian Federation “On Education” and to Article 11 of the Federal Law “On Higher and Post-Graduate Professional Education” to provide for quotas in target education groups for representatives of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation;

• To develop and adopt Federal Law “On amendments to Article 12 of the Law of Russian Federation “On Education” as concerns inclusion of nomad schools into the list of educational bodies;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On Amendments to the Law of Russian Federation “On Education” and to the Federal Law “On the general principles of organization of legislative (representative) and executive governing bodies in the regions of Russian Federation” in the parts providing for authorised rights and responsibilities of state government authorities in the regions of Russian Federation to develop within the existing system of education the conditions for conservation and development of indigenous peoples languages and for teaching of mother tongue indigenous languages as part of obligatory school curricula;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On amendments to the Federal Law “On additional guarantees of social support for orphans and for children left without parental care” to assign provisions for social support during the study period to students and undergraduates from indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

• To develop and adopt the Federal Law “On the Sea of Okhotsk”;

• According to Paragraph 2 Article 5 of the Federal Constitutional Law “On designation within Russian Federation of the new administrative region of Russian Federation as a result of merging of Krasnoyarsky krai, Taimyr (Dolgano-Nenets) Autonomous Region and Evenk Autonomous Region” – to develop and adopt the Federal Law “On the Status of Taimyr (Dolgano-Nenets) Autonomous Region and Evenk Autonomous Region as part of Krasnoyarsky Krai” to provide for retaining the status of autonomous regions for these two administrative subregions;

• To support adoption of the Federal Law № 429576-4 “On amendments to the Federal Law “On retirement pensions in Russian Federation” in the part that provides for definition of baseline portion of retirement pensions taking into account regional coefficients for those people who live in the areas with severe climate conditions though not belonging to the areas of Extreme North and the areas assigned to this category.

The Government of Russian Federation

1. To develop and approve regulatory legal acts of the Government of Russian Federation:

• "On the measures of state support to traditional economic activities of indigenous people” to provide for the state government order for the products of traditional land use and traditional economy of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

• "On the strategy of relationships between indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East with industrial companies operating in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities of these people”;

• “On the land planning and land management of reindeer pastures in different zones of reindeer herding”;

• "On the methods to assess the loss imposed as a result of damage to traditional environment and traditional life style of indigenous people as a result of economic activities by organisations and individuals";

• “On the procedure and regulations for documental proof of the indigenous people status for the citizens of Russian Federation identifying themselves as indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East”;

• "On the increase and subdivision of quotas for (harvesting) of aquatic biological resources into two types: quotas to support traditional life-style and subsistence of indigenous people, and quotas to carry out traditional economic activities”;

• “On prophylactic medical examination of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East to prevent social diseases, reduction of child mortality, and mortality from alcoholism, traumatism and suicides in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economies of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation”;

• "On the special rule on funding for small-size schools, boarding schools and preschool educational institutions in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation”;

• “On re-training and re-education of persons that belong to indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation who are disengaged from traditional economic activities”;

• “On conservation and development of traditional knowledge, and cultural and spiritual heritage of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation”;

• “On the promotion of folk crafts and traditional products of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East at the Russian and international markets”;

• “On employment of people that belong to indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation”;

• “On the standard regulation on the nomadic comprehensive school";

• “On the measures of state governmental support to the target training and re-training of professionals from indigenous people of the North, and for provision of text-books and methodology materials for the system of primary, secondary and higher education taking into account modern technologies to learn languages and to study cultures of indigenous people”;

• “On support to small and medium-size businesses and entrepreneurship by indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation” (in the part that provides for support to increase efficiency of traditional activities, including development of the financial system to support loans, credits and leasing);

• "On the measures to secure implementation of obligations by Russian Federation that are provided for by the International Whaling Convention”;

2. To amend the Statement of the Government of Russian Federation № 713 from 17 June 1995 “On the approval of rules for registration and signing out of the citizens of Russian Federation to record them at the temporary living/presence and permanent living address within the Russian Federation and on the list of officials responsible for registration" to provide for registration of citizens who live in the areas outside legally recognized communities and follow nomadic of half-nomadic life style;

3. To authorize the Ministry of Regional Development of Russian Federation to continue together with the Association of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation and regional and ethnic indigenous people organizations the work needed to improve and define more specifically the List of Areas Traditionally Inhabited and Used for Traditional Economic Activities of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation that outlines the area governed by legislation on indigenous people rights;

4. To authorize the Ministry of Agriculture of Russian Federation to assist in setting up and development of management institutions for reindeer herding by indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation, and to take measures to support the leading role of Russian in Global Association of Reindeer Herders;

5. To authorize the Ministry of Education of Russian Federation to facilitate and ensure development of the Institute of the Northern Peoples as the center for ethno-linguistic and ethno-cultural education and research that ensures targeted training and re-training of professionals among indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East; development of integrated plan to provide workbooks and methodological materials for the system of primary, secondary and higher education taking into account the modern techniques of leaning languages and culture of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

6. To ask the Russian Academy of Sciences to consider the possibilities to restore the Institute of the Issues of Indigenous People of the North in Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and to give it the legal status of an independent legal body that would be able to carry out integrated fundamental and applied research on the issues of socio-economic and cultural development of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

7. To authorize the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to develop a “Set of Measures for Conservation of Marine Biological Resources in the Kamchatka Fishing Areas during Development of Oil Deposits at the Continental Shelf of Russian Federation”, that includes the development of the Federal Law “On the Sea of Okhotsk”, which provides for the priority to secure wise use of aquatic biological resources and for the integrated management plan of the natural resources in the Sea of Okhotsk, allocation and legal designation of the areas important for fisheries at the West Kamchatka shelf (to secure zoning of the Sea of Okhotsk) where the works for excavation of carbohydrates will be banned completely;

8. To secure successful implementation of the Concept for Sustainable Development of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation – to consider the opportunity to set up in the Government of Russian Federation a Coordinating Body to monitor implementation of the Concept workplan and to assign the Association of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East within the Coordinating bodies as the plenipotentiary representative of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation.

State governing authorities in the administrative regions of Russian Federation where indigenous people live:

• According to the provisions of the federal legislations and to the norms of international law and international agreements signed by Russian Federation – to involve authorized indigenous people representatives in the process of development of laws and other regulatory acts of regional legislation that touch upon the interests of indigenous people;

• In the processes to improve regional legislation on indigenous people life style to apply wider the provisions of the UN Declaration on Indigenous Peoples Right;

• To adopt regulatory legal acts to secure traditional environment and traditional life style of indigenous people, - in the regions where it has not yet been done;

• To carry out an inventory of sites traditionally inhabited by indigenous people and used for traditional economic activities of indigenous people as well as assessment of natural resources, and also to compile the registers of cultural heritage objects acknowledged by these people;

• To assess cultural, environmental and social impacts in the process of decision making on the issues of natural resource development in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities of indigenous people taking into account the consequences of the proposed development work and in compliance with the principle of free-will precautionary and informed consent of indigenous people;

• To carry out referenda when the system of territorial set up of the local self-governance is subject to reforms in the areas, traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities of indigenous people;

• To develop a mechanism that would provide for implementation of indigenous people rights for participation in the preparations of programmes for economic development of the regions, in the process of ethnological assessments related to the projects for industrial development in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities of indigenous people;

• To develop legal regulatory acts on conservation of indigenous people sacred sites;

• To intensify cultural education and advocacy work for full acknowledgement of the value of cultural and natural heritage of indigenous people, and the value of their traditional knowledge and practices of land-use and of the use of natural resources.

Non-governmental organisations

• To support information sharing with indigenous people organizations, and to disseminate through press and media information of their life, cultures and current challenges, as well as on the projects targeted to solve existing problems;

• To assist indigenous people in development and implementation of Russian and international charity projects aimed to develop culture, health care, education, self-governance, environmental protection and nature conservation, and to improve their socio-economic status;

• To support development of modern communication networks to save indigenous peoples’ languages, cultures and traditional forms of using nature, to facilitate exchange of experience with other indigenous people of the Arctic region, to help promote the value and importance of their traditional cultures;

• To assist indigenous people in defending their rights.

International organizations:

• To address the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples Issues, all the UN structures, Council of Europe, European Union, and the Arctic Council to provide further support to implementation of joint projects for sustainable development of indigenous people.

Industrial companies and private business sector:

• To follow the principle of free-will, precautionary and informed consent of indigenous people and other international standards in the field of human rights and main freedoms of indigenous people during planning and execution of economic activities in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities by indigenous people.

Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation

• To improve ideology, strategy and tactics of the Association to meet the challenges of socio-economic and cultural development of indigenous people;

• To continue coordination of activities carried out by all non-governmental indigenous people organizations;

• To develop a Concept to set up the Parliament of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

• To intensify activities for dissemination of Association work experience in the field of information sharing and legal education of indigenous people;

• To develop the strategy of relationships between indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East with industrial companies operating in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities of these people;

• To initiate development of programmes for conservation and development of native languages and cultures, traditional forms of economic activities, education and health care for indigenous people;

• To improve the mechanisms for interaction between Association and the state authorities at the federal and regional levels and with the local municipality authorities to defend and secure enforcement of indigenous people rights;

• To continue jointly with the Ministry of Regional Development of Russian Federation and regional and ethnic indigenous people organizations the work to improve and define more specifically the List of Areas Traditionally Inhabited and Used for Traditional Economic Activities of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation;

• To make known and widely publicize through press and media, including discussions in the UN, the Arctic Council and other international and intergovernmental organizations the cases and facts on violations of indigenous people rights;

• To expand the network of information centers in the areas traditionally inhabited and used for traditional economic activities by indigenous people;

• To develop proposals for training of indigenous people representatives as management and governing staff;

• To improve interaction of Association with Russian and international non-governmental organizations in order to seek support to the projects on organizational development and capacity building in organizations and communities of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russian Federation;

• To initiate the work for collation of information on the objects of cultural and natural heritage of indigenous people using the traditional knowledge of indigenous people themselves;

• To work out the Association Policy on Youth, to introduce the position of Vice-President for the Youth Policy, to carry out trainings for young indigenous people, and to improve interaction with state authorities to stimulate young indigenous people to come back to their traditional areas after graduation and/or training received;

• To declare 2010 as the Year of Indigenous People Youth;

• To assist in preparation and running of the Youth Congress of Indigenous People of the North, Siberia and the Far East;

• To develop feasible Action Plans based on proposals from the Congress delegates.

Address to the Government of the Russian Federation by the delegates of the 6th Congress of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation regarding the construction of the Evenk Hydropower Station

The delegates of the 6th Congress of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation heard the addresses by the delegates of the Congress representing the indigenous peoples of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and also an address to the Government of the Russian Federation by the delegates of the 3rd Congress of the Evenks of Russia (March 11-15, Yakutsk), and address of February 20, 2009 by the Evenk Public Movement for the Support and Promotion of the Development of the Indigenous Peoples of the North Nyeramni (Walking Forward) and the Evenk Association of the Indigenous Peoples of the North Arun (Revival) оn the need to ban the construction of the Evenk Hydropower Station.

Among the major hazards of the construction the following were mentioned:

- high probability of the destruction of the native areas of traditional subsistence of seven thousand Evenk – Ile - an indigenous people of the Russian Federation, and also the flooding of several villages, including the Tura village, the monuments of culture, and sacral sites, which would actually imply the destruction of the northwestern Evenks as a people ;

- flooding of about 1 million of hectares of larch forests virtually unaffected by human activities, which are of extreme importance to the conservation of the native environment, and traditional subsistence practices : reindeer herding, hunting and fisheries;

- contamination of huge resource of drinking water of the region as flooding may involve the radioactive brine chamber of at least a single of the three subterranean nuclear explosions in the floodplain of the Nizhnya Tunguska River in the 1970s ;

- as a consequence, there may be some fatal changes in the climate for a huge region.

Unfortunately, until today there has been no reliable information available for the Evenkia population as to the possible consequences of such a large-scale project as the construction of the hydroelectric power station.

«Ousting the people from the only ecological niche acceptable for life implies intrusion and destruction of the lifestyle, of the economic basis, actually the extinction of the Evenks living there and conducting their traditional subsistence lifestyle » - says the address of the Evenk representatives.

The Congress deems it necessary to conduct integrated studies of all ecological, social, social and economic consequences of the construction of the Evenk Hydropower Station and to perform special ethnological assessment of the impact of the Evenk Hydropower Station impact on the environment and the traditional lifestyle of the indigenous peoples living in the zone of the Project impact. The Congress also believes necessary a public discussion of the findings of the assessment of the project and in case the above detrimental effects are confirmed, a decision should be made to ban the construction of the Evenk Hydropower Station and its exclusion from the Master Plan for the Disposition of the Energy Industry Facilities until the Year 2020.

On behalf of the delegates of the 6th Congress of the Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation

President of the Association S.N. Kharyuchi

Option letter by the delegates of the VI Congress of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation

President of the Russian Federation Dmitri Anatolievich Medvediev

Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

Dear Dmitry Anatolievich!

Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich!

The delegates to the VI Congress of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Russian Far East, held April 23-24 in Moscow are turning to you because of the catastrophic situation in Kamchatka province regarding the organization and conduct of the tender over the fishing grounds for traditional fisheries of Indigenous Peoples.

The Association of indigenous small-numbered indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russia, and organizations of indigenous peoples of Kamchatka have repeatedly appealed to authorities to make the necessary changes to the register of fishing sites, which in its present form deliberately ignores the specifics of the localities assigned, has no scientific justification. Most of the areas in which indigenous peoples of Kamchatka have for centuries fished in their traditional ways protected the spawning grounds of the pacific salmon, have been transferred into the register of sites for commercial fishing and have been divided up between commercial entities.

For the fishing as a part of the traditional way of life and traditional economic activities of indigenous peoples, sites have been assigned which are not suitable for this purpose, are located far from their traditional places of residence, and which make it impossible to use traditional fishing methods. Thus, federal laws have been breeched as well as international principles and legislative norms which stipulate that indigenous peoples enjoy preferential access to biological resources and have the first right to fishing sites and, ultimately, have access to traditional food.

Today in Kamchatka a tender is being held which will bring fishing sites under the control of the successful bidders for a period of 20 years. This creates the danger that indigenous peoples will never been able to return to their traditional fishing grounds on their rivers. Additionally, the Commission which oversees catch of anadromous fish species in Kamchatka Krai in 2009 set the limit of production to 100% of the expected permissible maximum for some rivers in the area traditionally inhabited by indigenous Peoples of Kamchatka. The commission set particularly ruinous conditions for fishing on the river Kovran, the location of the only settlements where the Itelmen indigenous people constitute the majority.

Thus, the Indigenous Peoples of Kamchatka, for whom fishing is not just a traditional way of nature use but the sole source of livelihood, have been put into a situation where they are deprived of the last piece of bread as a result of uninformed decisions by the authorities of Kamchatka Krai. Nearly 20 thousand indigenous inhabitants of Kamchatka are losing the opportunity to engage in traditional fishing, which is the basis of their existence. Furthermore, the permission of industrial fishing in the spawning rivers and in areas traditionally inhabited by indigenous peoples and of drift-net fishing will inevitably lead to depletion of fish stocks in Kamchatka, that is, to the destruction of traditional territory of indigenous people.

This comes at a time when the state is taking major decisions such as the recent approval of the Concept of Sustainable Development of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East and while, according to the greeting address from the President of the Russian Federation to the VI Congress of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East «the State is taking all steps necessary to preserve the traditional way of life of Indigenous Peoples to address the challenges in the field of socio-economic tasks lying ahead ».

Any continued denial of access of indigenous people of Kamchatka to their traditional fishing grounds may not only aggravate social instability in the region, but also lead either to illegal fishing, or to mass starvation among the indigenous inhabitants of Kamchatka.

Dear Dmitry Anatolievich!

We ask you to urgently intervene and take steps to ensure the constitutional rights of indigenous peoples of Kamchatka Krai to the protection of their native environment and traditional way of life!

Yours sincerely,

SN Kharyuchi

President of the Association

RAIPON