Legal issue

Resolution of the International Conference
“Indigenous peoples’ traditional natural resource use in Kamchatka and the environment: problems and solutions”

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy,
27 September – 4 October 2002

We, the participants of the international conference “Indigenous peoples’ traditional natural resource use in Kamchatka and the environment: problems and solutions”, understanding the importance of solving the environmental problems of Kamchatka, expressing our anxiety about the state of the environment of Kamchatka and the Koryak Autonomous Okrug, emphasize a necessity to take urgent measures to solve problems relating to the environmental protection of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, and considering that the development of a partnership – co-operation aimed at the preservation of the environment – is an excellent foundation for collaboration and attaining the optimal results, appeal to:

1. To the President of the Russian Federation with the following demands:

to guarantee the constitutional rights of citizens to a favourable environment;
to guarantee the constitutional rights of indigenous peoples to protection of their native environment and traditional way of living;
to strengthen the enforcement of the rights of indigenous peoples in the Northern regions;
to establish a federal independent state body to execute environmental legislation and legislation regarding the rights of the indigenous peoples.

2. To the Government of the Russian Federation:

in connection with including the Kamchadals into the Common List of indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation to add to the Resolution No. 22 of the Government of the Russian Federation of 11 January, 1993 “The List of residence territories of the indigenous peoples of the North” the rayons of Sobolevsky, Elizovo, Ust-Kamchatka and Ust-Bolsheretsky of the Kamchatka Oblast;
to speed up taking a decision on determining a unified form of nationality in documents proving the identity of a citizen of the Russian Federation for those who belong to the indigenous peoples of the North of the Russian Federation;
to speed up adoption of normative and legal acts which are essential for realization of the federal law “On Traditional Subsistence Territories of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation”.

3. To the Assembly of People’s Deputies of Kamchatka Oblast and the Duma of Koryak Autonomous Okrug:

to hold deputies’ hearings on the issue of “Indigenous peoples’ traditional natural resource use in Kamchatka and the environment: problems and solutions” with the participation of Associations of the Indigenous Peoples of the North and public environmental organizations;
to put the legislation of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug in compliance with the federal legislation currently in force and with international international standards concerning the rights of the indigenous peoples of the North to use natural resources and wildlife;
to develop normative and legal grounds relating to the protection of traditional indigenous territories of the North against the import of alcoholic beverages;
to guarantee by legislative order the right of the indigenous peoples of the North to participate in decision-making relating to natural resource management and environmental protection of the area of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug.

4. To the Administration of Kamchatka Oblast, Koryak Autonomous Okrug, regional municipal authorities:

to formulate and establish programs for the registration and conservation of indigenous peoples’ sacred and ritual sites and corresponding archeological sites, together with the indigenous peoples and centers for the protection and use of historical and cultural monuments, and to include them in the budgets of such subjects of the Russian Federation;
to assure the participation of public organizations of indigenous peoples in decision-making relating to the natural resource management and environmental protection on the area of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug on the basis of partnership;
to prohibit the use of lands for industrial and economic projects without consultation of the indigenous peoples of the North and assessment of its impact on traditional natural resource use in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation;
to strengthen a control over rational and sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection during the realization of industrial and economic projects;
to plan and organize Territories of Traditional Land Use in accordance with appeals of the communities of the indigenous peoples of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug.

5. To the heads of organizations and industrial enterprises developing natural resources of Kamchatka with proposals:

to take into account international experience in cooperating with indigenous peoples organizations on developing programs of industrial development of the natural resources of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug;
to apply advanced environmentally sound technologies;
to adhere strictly to the legislation of the Russian Federation and international norms concerning environmental protection and natural resources use;
to hold public hearings with ethno-ecological expertise when working out projects developing natural resources in Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug;
to provide information about new projects and possible consequences of their realization and to let representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North take part in developing these projects.

6. To the heads of the associations of indigenous peoples of the North in Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug with demands:

to submit for consideration at local meetings the prohibition of the import and sale of alcoholic beverages in the territories of traditional residence of the indigenous peoples of the North in Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug;
to develope strategic programs for the preservation of indigenous peoples’ traditional enviroment;
to come forward in the council of peoples’ deputies of Kamchatka Oblast, in the Duma of Koryak Autonomous Okrug, with a legislation initiative to put the legislation of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug and municipal bodies in compliance with the Federal legislation currently in force;
to develop bills “On a plenipotentiary of the indigenous peoples of the North in Kamchatka Oblast” and “On a plenipotentiary of the indigenous peoples of the North in Koryak Autonomous Okrug” and submit them for consideration to the Council of peoples’ deputies of Kamchatka Oblast and Duma of Koryak Autonomous Okrug.

7. To the participants of the agreement on establishing the “Network of Indigenous Peoples’ Public Organizations of Kamchatka for Solving Environmental Problems” in the area of Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug, to plan:

actions to draw the public attention to the pollution of settlements with garbage because of the absence of approved dumps;
research projects on the consequences of extractive industries in Kamchatka;
projects on investigating and preventing poaching;
projects supporting the development of indigenous peoples’ private enterprises in the fields of traditional economic activities, handicrafts and ethno-tourism, including educational and organizational support and assistance in seeking financial support;
to improve the exchange of information, provide juridical consultations, and search for financial support including the investigation of opportunities offered by current and new international projects in Kamchatka.

Appendix

The conference was jointly held by:

Ethno-Ecological Information Center “Lach” of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation (RAIPON)
Information Center “Aboriginal of Kamchatka”
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation (RAIPON)
Kamchatka Regional Association of Public Unions of Indigenous Peoples of the North
Kamchatka League of Independent Experts and the Legal Center “Rodnik”

with the participation of:

Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Bystrinskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Milkovskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Sobolevskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Ust-Kamchatskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Elizovskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Karaginskiy Rayon, Koryak Autonomous Okrug
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Olutorskiy Rayon, Koryak Autonomous Okrug
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Viluchinsk, Kamchatka Oblast
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Kluchiy, Kamchatka Oblast
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Palana village, Koryak Autonomous Okrug
Council of Itelmens of Kamchatka “Tkhsanom”
Union of Kamchadals of Koryak Autonomous Okrug
Corporation of Tribal Communities of Indigenous Peoples of Elizovskiy Rayon (Kamchatka Oblast)
Public Movement on Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Kamchatka “Aboriginal” (Elizovskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast)
Union of Communities “Yayar” (Elizovskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast)
Community of Itelmens “Tarya” (Viluchinsk, Kamchatka Oblast)
Tribal Community “Pimchakh” (Sosnovka village, Elizovskiy Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast)
Tribal Community “Yako” (Elizovo, Elizovsky Rayon, Kamchatka Oblast)
Tribal Community “Kavral” (Kovran village, Tigilskiy Rayon, Koryak Autonomous Okrug)
National Industry “Veyemlen” Ltd (Lesnaya village, Tigilskiy Rayon, Koryak Autonomous Okrug)
National Industry Fishing Kolhoz “Rybak” (Ivashka village, Karaginskiy Rayon, Koryak Autonomous Okrug)
International Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs
TGK Consult (Denmark)
Institute “Open Society” of Soros’ Foundation (Moscow)
Kamchatka Regional Division of Political Party “Union of Right Forces”

Participants of the conference recognized the importance of establishing a “Network of Indigenous Peoples’ Public Organizations of Kamchatka for Solving Environmental Problems”, to build up a dialogue between environmental organizations, indigenous peoples’ organizations and government agencies for fruitful and efficient co-operation in solving environmental problems and problems relating to indigenous peoples’ traditional use of natural resources in Kamchatka.

Appeal
to the participants of the “Network of Indigenous Peoples’ Public Organizations of Kamchatka for Solving Environmental Problems”

N.N. Zaporotskaya, chairman of Ethno-Ecological Information Center “Lach” (MNU EE IC “Lach”)
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, 24 October 2002

Dear participants of the Network!

MNU EE IC “Lach” congratulates you with the start-up of the Network. We hope for fruitful work of all the organizations of our Network. We all understand that the state of the environment in Kamchatka depends only on us. We are receptive to your constructive proposals to solve ethno-ecological problems of Kamchatka.

At the international conference “Indigenous peoples’ traditional natural resource use in Kamchatka and the environment: problems and solutions” we, the participants of the Network, agreed on the necessity of indigenous peoples to take part in solving the ethno-ecological problems of the Kamchatka Oblast and the Koryak Autonomous Okrug, and define aims and goals of the Network.

Being the coordinating organization of the Network, MNU EE IC “Lach” has prepared and sent Appeals to the President of the Russian Federation, to the Government of the Russian Federation, to the Assembly of People’s Deputies of the Kamchatka Oblast and the Duma of the Koryak Autonomous Okrug, to the Administration of the Kamchantka Oblast, the Koryak Autonomous Okrug, to regional municipal authorities, to the heads of organizations and industrial enterprises developing natural resources of Kamchatka, to the heads of the Associations of indigenous peoples of the North in the Kamchatka Oblast and the Koryak Autonomous Okrug, according to the Resolution that has been passed.

We appeal to you with the request to plan:

actions to draw the public attention to the pollution of settlements with garbage because of the absence of approved dumps;
research projects on the consequences of extractive industries in Kamchatka;
projects on investigating and preventing poaching;
projects supporting the development of indigenous peoples’ private enterprises in the fields of traditional economic activities, handicrafts and ethno-tourism, including educational and organizational support and assistance in seeking financial support;
to improve the exchange of information, provide juridical consultations, and search for financial support including the investigation of opportunities offered by current and new international projects in Kamchatka.