Russian Foreign Ministry report sheds light on rights of indigenous peoples in certain countries

Indigenous peoples at present are facing such problems as gradual loss of traditional livelihoods resulting from the previous assimilation policy, the issues of respect of their rights to the lands they have traditionally occupied and their natural resources etc. These issues demand solutions, including on the part of the international community.

The United Nations (UN) estimates the indigenous population at 476 million persons, who live in some 90 countries, representing more than 6% of the worlds' population. 

The UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted on September 13, 2007, by resolution 61/295 of the UN General Assembly, stipulates that indigenous peoples and individuals have the right to belong to an indigenous community or nation, in accordance with the traditions and customs of the community or nation concerned (Article 9). Indigenous peoples have the right to determine their own identity or membership in accordance with their customs and traditions. This does not impair the right of indigenous individuals to obtain citizenship of the States, in which they live (Article 33).

Indigenous people are present on all continents from the Arctic to the Pacific: Eurasia, Africa, Australia and the Americas. Their races, cultures, language groups, religions and levels of social, economic and cultural development differ. As a consequence, they have different needs, interests, aspirations and demands.

In Russia, about 200 nationalities speaking 270 languages have lived for centuries in peace and harmony next to each other, with about five dozen representing the indigenous peoples. We cherish the unique diversity of customs, traditions, languages and consider them our common priceless legacy. 

Recently, the United States, Canada and their allies have been increasing their activity on international universal fora, in regional formats and in the media, trying to shift the focus of attention from the pressing problems of the indigenous peoples of North America, the Western states of the Arctic region, as well as Australia, New Zealand and Japan, to the alleged “infringement of the rights of indigenous peoples” in Russia and in a number of large developing countries.

At the same time, all the said states have at some periods of their history pursued the policy of assimilation and discrimination of their indigenous populations, which has left a legacy of socio-political and cultural problems. 

Indigenous peoples at present are facing such problems as gradual loss of traditional livelihoods resulting from the previous assimilation policy, the issues of respect of their rights to the lands they have traditionally occupied and their natural resources, the degradation of the environment due to industrial development of territories and some States' militarist activities abroad, high unemployment rates, and the indigenous communities' dependence on public subsidies.

These negative developments mostly affect the Arctic countries, where the mentioned problems remain acute and, hence, demand solutions, including on the part of the international community. 

The Russian Foreign Ministry has released a report on the indigenous peoples’ rights situation in certain countries, dedicated to the analysis of the situation in six Arctic Council member states – Denmark, Canada, Norway, the USA, Finland, Sweden, as well as in Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

We invite the IOL readership to familiarise itself with the document.

https://mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/reports/1971294/

The Embassy of Russia in South Africa