Development of Project Centre for Indigenous Peoples - TGK Consult/RAIPON

Fact Finding Mission I 1999
Fact Finding Mission II 2000
DEPA Seed support 2001
RAIPON Youth Conference
DEPA 2002-2003

Project context: brief description of the project and its background.

JUNE 2003

Development of the Project Centre for Indigenous Peoples should be seen as a continuation of the work described in the Final Report for Seed Assistance to the Center for Indigenous Peoples by TGK Consult, December 2001.

The project work aims to facilitate preparation and up-start of RAIPON-projects. TGK Consult has mainly supported RAIPON by developing projects together with new partner organisations. A joint project with IWGIA was an important outcome. The project contains support for democracy building and legal lobbying and is funded by Danish MoFA. In many way the involvement of RAIPON in the project developed together with IWGIA provides the possibilities for RAIPON project activity that has been the main goal for Seed Assistance to C.I.P.

Links: RAIPON . IWGIA . Danish MoFA.

TGK Consult finalised its own project in Nenetsky Autonomous Okrug in October 2002 on capacity building and the use of media, funded by MoFA. A new youth project in St.Petersburg obtained funding through the Nordic Council of Ministers. A new project in co-operation with UNEP-Grid Arendal was started by RAIPON.

TGK Consult has assisted RAIPON at meetings in Copenhagen and organised a fundraising trip to the EU system in January, working with the C.I.P. assistant Daria Kudriashova. Follow-up and lobbying carried out in Spring. Finally, TGK Consult took part in and contributed to the donor conference in April.

Danish Support to Indigenous Peoples of Russia
- working in practice

by Thomas Køhler, TGK Consult, Denmark

At the International Conference Indigenous Peoples within Civil Society in Russia, Gorbachev Foundation, Moscow, March 30 – April 2, 2003

Overall approach

The Danish Support to Indigenous Peoples of Russia can be seen as an example of the relations between civil society and the state and an attempt to implement in real life the theoretical rational of the structure of an international organization – in this case the Arctic Council.

The Arctic Council consists of the eight states of the Arctic - Russia, USA, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Finland - and has the indigenous peoples’ organizations (NGOs) as Permanent Participants.

State representatives and Permanent Participants sit around the same table. They don’t have the same status, neither in theory nor in practice. The states have the decision making power, they fund the activities, the sign the Ministerial Declarations. The Permanent Participants can make suggestions and comment on initiatives of the states. In this way, the Arctic Council is an image of the roles of the State and the Civil Society. The two sides have different roles, but work together in the same forum. RAIPON is one of the Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council, and at home it is an NGO. Today it is natural for states as well as NGO’s to use international contacts to develop and learn.

Indigenous peoples of Russia – and their interest organisation, a player in the Civil Society

The vast expanse of the Russian Federation, from the Kola Peninsula in the northwest to the Chukotka Peninsula in the northeast and Primorye in the east, has long been inhabited by the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia, and Far East. The territory our peoples traditionally inhabited makes up more than one-half of the entire territory of the Russian FederationThe indigenous peoples were the first to settle these bleak territories with harsh climatic conditions, and the names they gave to many of the geographical areas endure in present-day Russia. The subsistance area of the indigenous peoples comprises roughly 60 % of the overall territory of the Russian Federation.

It has been recognized on an international level that by their careful treatment of nature indigenous peoples have preserved about 20 percent of the most valuable, in terms of biodiversity, lands and natural resources for the rest of mankind.

The total population of about 200,000, from 40 ethnic groups, is now united in the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON). The peoples belong to several language families residing in various Republics, Regions (Krai, Oblasts), Autonomous Regions (Okrugs), and Districts (Raions) in the Federation.

Many of the peoples traditionally had a nomadic existence, hunting, fishing, reindeer herding, harvesting wild plants, raising stock, and reaping the bounties of the sea to maintain their families and communities. Today the majority has adopted a settled way of life, continuing traditional occupations and engaging in gardening, livestock breeding, animal farming, and other types of economic activity.

The Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON)

The Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) was formed by the first Congress of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and Far East, held in Moscow from 20 to 23 March 1990. This congress was supported by Mr Gorbachev who was present himself.

RAIPON is a non-government organization formed on territorial and territorial-ethnic principles and comprising of 34 regional ethnic associations of indigenous peoples of the North. Its main purpose is to protect the interests and lawful rights of the peoples it represents, including their right to land, natural resources, and self-government in accordance with international standards and Russian legislation, and their right to resolve their own social and economic problems. RAIPON also provides assistance in cultural development and education, promotes international exchange and co-operation, and organizes humanitarian aid.

The Congress of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and Far East, RAIPON's highest level of decision making, is held every four years. Between congresses, the Co-ordination Council, comprising the Association's President (elected by a vote at the Congress), vice-presidents, and the presidents of the regional and ethnic associations, assumes administrative duties. The Co-ordination Council convenes at least twice each year to discuss matters of common interest and to co-ordinate joint activities. The President represents the Association nationally and internationally and directs its day-to-day operations.

The Association and its regional and ethnic organizations work with federal and regional government bodies and municipalities on issues related to development and fulfillment of State programmes for economic and social development. The groups are also working with the Federal Assembly and Government of the Russian Federation preparing legislation guaranteeing the rights of indigenous peoples, their way of life, and economic development.

RAIPON is a Permanent Participant of the Arctic Council and the Barents Council and participation in the activities of the Arctic Council and the Permanent Committee of Parliamentarians of Arctic Countries. It has ECOSOC consultative status, representatives of the regional and ethnic associations regularly participate in sessions of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Peoples. The Association maintains warm fraternal relations with other indigenous peoples organizations such as the Inuit Circumpolar Conference, the Saami Council and the Aleut International Association and actively collaborates with several organizations on international projects.

Its current president it S.N. Haruchi, Chairman of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Duma.

Links: Arctic Council .

Actual Socio-Economic Situation

At present, 40 indigenous numerically small peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East inhabit Russia totaling about 200,000. This population is spread across vast expanses of land mostly void of transportation and communication structures. The indigenous population of the North, in its majority, preserves a special traditional lifestyle. The average income (earnings in money) of Northern peoples is two-three times lower than the average Russian, the amount of their pensions equals a quarter of minimum income, the morbidity rate of indigenous peoples of the North is 1.5 times higher and the average life expectancy is 25 years shorter than in Russia on the average. According to Mikhail Kasyanov (Chairman of the Russian Government) the situation now well underway reflects the insufficient efficiency of the actual system of state support to the North.

Despite the fact that by now a certain federal-level normative and legal basis has been established for the development of juridical relations aimed at guaranteeing legal rights of indigenous peoples of the North, - according to the Premier, - regional legislation frequently outstrips the federal one in handling such issues. The Yamalo-Nenets and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Areas, as well as the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) have made much headway especially in this respect. Mikhail Kasyanov also notes that the educational system of indigenous peoples and their involvement in actual sectors of economy deserve special attention.

An effective policy for the systematic state support of indigenous peoples of the North does not exist. The existing 3rd Federal Programme on socio-economic development exists but is not effective enough. There is not enough funds in it (in 2000 is was 81,7 million Rubel) and bad practice in the spending, not enough monitoring and indigenous participation in the implementation of the programme.

Environmental Situation

Indigenous peoples are affected by industrial expansion, be it the oil, fishing or the timber industry

Two recent exemples from the Nenets Okrug:

Letter to President Putin was send from Nenet NGO 'Yasayey' on 14.10.2002.

On September 10, 2002, we participated in a flight made by the commission for land plot allocations on behalf of JSC "Archangelskgeoldobycha". The purpose of this flight was to find new sites for the construction of prospecting wells. During the flight we also passed over sites belonging to other companies and were horrified by what we saw.

We had the impression that many companies, in particular Russian companies, were executing this assimilation on the territory of the Nenets Okrug on the level of the 70's during the Soviet era. There are numerous examples of up-to-date technology in order to assimilate oil deposits in the Nenets Okrug. An example of such companies using contemporary technology is Ardalinskoye (Kompaniya Polyarnoye Siyaniye) and the Haryaginskoye deposit (Total Fina Elf), etc.

These companies do not follow the ecological standards and violate working requirements under Arctic conditions when assimilating oil deposits. An example of such companies are the Kalmytskaya oil company, "PechoraNeft", ZAO "Lukoil-Sever", Danao - Engineering, ZAO "Severgeoldobycha", etc. These companies represent a minority. Acute circumstances where there is no control whatsoever are in the south-eastern part of the Nenets Okrug. There are spillages periodically of oil and destruction of the soil-cultivation layers in the tundra during the summer season. All these factors inflict irreparable losses to the Arctic nature.

" In May 2001, there was a Roundtable discussion between the indigenous peoples of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the oil industry, Naryan Mar. Representatives of 14 oil companies were present when the regional branch of RAIPON in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug “Yasavey” carried out the first meeting of this kind in Russia between the indigenous people and the oil industry. The initiative had been taken by the newly elected president of “Yasavey” Vlad Peskov. Representatives of the administration, politicians and the press were present as well. The Moscow office of RAIPON was represented by Anatoly Mikhailov, from the lawyer’s union “Rodnik” Leila Zeilanova took part, and from Denmark Thomas Koehler, was present as an observer. The discussions quickly lead to the conclusion that both the oil industry and the indigenous peoples would be interested in an open dialogue. As reflected in the Resolution of the Roundtable, the oil companies urged “Yasavey” to make use of their right to take legislative initiatives and to carry out control with the regional budget. The oil companies also agreed on the need to create a fund for indigenous peoples in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, but whether this would mean that the oil companies should pay extra money - besides the taxes they already pay – remained unclear. The parties agreed to create a working group to follow up on the meeting and to meet again next year." So you do see both a tendency to seperation as well as a tendency to co-operation.

Serious problems are occurring in several regions, and RAIPON is far from being able to address the problems efficiently or as in the NAO everywhere.

Legal Situation

IP are recognized in the 1993 Russian constitution art. 69, The Russian Federation recognizes the rights of indigenous numerically small peoples in accordance with universally recognized principles and standards of international law and international agreements of the Russian Federation.

There are three federal laws on Indigenous Peoples at present, both recently adopted after long discussion where RAIPON was participating. and not yet implemented.

On the guarantees of the rights of indigenous numerically small peoples of the Russian Federation adopted in 1999. The Official list of indigenous numerically small peoples of the Russian Federation was adopted in 2000. It contains 45 peoples, excludes the Northern Caucasian peoples, and limited the size at 50 000 individuals per people as a maximum.
On general principles of organising communities of indigenous numerically small peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of June 2000.
On Territories of Traditional Use of Natural Resources (Traditional Subsistence Territories) of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation , signed on 07.05.2001.

Amendments to the state laws are being discussed. A new state committee RF Government's Council on Problems of the Extreme North and Arctic chaired by Mr. Kozak.

The amendments aim at taking away from the law its mayor element, the recognition of a specific indigenous right to traditional use land that is a new legal category going beyond the existing legal categories of land ownership or land tenure. RAIPON is very concerned about this negative development.

RAIPON demands

Inside the Russian Federation:

The elaboration, on the Governmental level, of a systemic approach to legislative guaranteeing of interests of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation and the qualified, involving scientists and the public, monitoring of its practical realization;

Hand in hand with the above, the consideration of the question pertaining to implementation process of the Federal Law On Territories of Traditional Use of Natural Resources (Traditional Subsistence Territories) of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation by the Council as a matter of priority is of vital interest to us;

The regular analysis of realizing the Federal goal-oriented program of Economic and Social Development of Indigenous Peoples of the North up to 2011 with a possible inclusion of justified corrections should become a direction of overriding importance;

The analysis and generalization of experience gained by executive power offices of the Federation's subjects in securing the development of economy and culture of indigenous peoples of the North for further introduction into all-Russia's practice. legal implementation of the indigenous peoples' right to permanent (termless) use of land with the aim of traditional economic activity on the gratuitous basis in the areas of their traditional habitation RF government should help to create a public climate in favour of Indigenous peoples to prevent and reduce discrimination.

The EU would be a natural partner in supporting a stakeholder of the Civil Society of Russia.

DEMANDS ON A EUROPEAN UNION LEVEL:

regular consultation of Russian indigenous peoples in the development of the Northern Dimension action plan, for instance a plan conference in Brussels with Russian Indigenous peoples to discuss with the EU their needs in 2003.
a mention of Indigenous peoples in the TACIS legal base, action programmes and budget line
adopting a priority to projects favouring Indigenous peoples in all TACIS programmes
EU should be proactive in following developments in Russia on indigenous peoples' issues and take a clear stand in favour of IP rights to traditional land use and systematic state support.
EU should monitor and legally oblige EU companies to apply at least the same ecological standards to Russia as inside the EU
EU should aim at importing only Forest Stewardship Council certified timber from Russia and help to set up sustainable forest management schemes in Russia
EU should monitor more actively and refuse all import of illegally cut wood from the Russian Federation
As the existing policy is not effective and the situations of the IP in Russia is rapidly deteriorating, EU should consider setting up a special TACIS-program for the indigenous peoples in Russia. There should be a network of contact points office in Russia, based in indigenous communities, that give structured support to grass-roots indigenous communities in the field of socio-economic development, training in human rights and in management of projects and organisations. It could engage in capacity-building training and distribute flexible
small grants. It should co-orperate with existing Russian support programs.

Project Work

No NGO – let alone projects carried out by this NGO and its foreign partners - can solve the problems of indigenous peoples. However, the projects can play an important role in supporting the organization

strengthening its position toward other stakeholders in society, the state, the industry, the press etc.
strengthening it from within, building capacity supporting its initiatives in practice

Denmark has been giving concrete support to RAIPON for five years now. In Denmark both the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (DEPA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can sponsor projects in support of the indigenous peoples of Russia. The actual projects are written and prepared by consultants or NGOs.

RAIPON has created a Project Centre to implement the policy of the indigenous peoples as formulated by the RAIPON, its Coordination Council and supreme body – the Congress of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East in Russia. RAIPON, as a national umbrella organization sees its mission in protecting rights of indigenous peoples for sustainable development, spiritual and cultural survival, connected with their environmentally sound lifestyle in the traditional land use areas.

With the establishment of the Project Center for Indigenous Peoples (CIP) during phase 1 (January 2001-March 2003) RAIPON has created

Institutional framework for the CIP activity, including
- Coordination of the projects, launched by RAIPON;
- Elaboration of new projects and fundraising;
- Search for donors and partner matching service;
- Assistance to project proposal writing for regional and ethnic associations;
- Trainings on leadership development, improvement of professional skills of the office staff on project coordination;
- Assistance in strategic planning for RAIPON and its regional chapters;
- Database on projects and relevant project ideas;
Information Centers in the regions with the following functions:
1. Organizing and carrying out regional and local monitoring;
2. Monitoring of the natural and social environment, demographic and health situation among indigenous peoples;
3. Traditional knowledge documentation;
4. Continuous communication and application of IT;
5. Raising public awareness on indigenous peoples and their problems;
6. Disseminating relevant legal and project information.
  An example of such an information center is the Kamchatka Information Centre with offices in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and three communities, started in y. 2000.

During the next phase (April 2003 – March 2004) these activities are to be continued and expanded to new regions and project initiatives. To support CIP, ensure its sustainability and promote further project oriented activities in the regions of the Russian North for solution of regional and local problems through direct involvement and participation of indigenous peoples is the project aim and principal idea.

Problems

The indigenous peoples constitute a minority in most regions where they traditionally live. Their native lands are extremely rich in mineral and energy sources, but scarcely populated and poor in renewable resources. Industrial interests most often come before environmental protection. RAIPON has worked actively to formulate a policy to protect indigenous interests and worked to lobby legislation on federal level. The indigenous peoples lack education to use existing possibilities, let alone to fight for their rights.

Therefore the goal of the Project Center for Indigenous Peoples is to implement model projects with training and capacity building for the indigenous organizations and communities to be able work independently and professionally both on political, social and environmental issues.

Earlier communication and discussions with the regional representatives have revealed the following problems at the local and regional level:

No expertize in the orientation at the project activity;
Poor skills in project elaboration, management and implementation;
No understanding of the project coordination importance;
Problem solution strategy is lacking;
Lack of strategic priorities for the indigenous peoples’ movement or activity;
Little information or knowledge about existing initiatives;
Communication and dissemination of information are limited;
Lack of funds and/or skills for organizational activity;
Poor communication with the indigenous communities;
Lack of information consistency and analysis
Need in modern and comprehensive informational support for various activities.

Stakeholders

Main stakeholders in the project are 34 regional RAIPON chapters in 28 federal regions representing over 700 indigenous communities and ethnic settlements. Additionally project relies on cooperation with regional administrations, local population, grassroots and other NGOs. Important actors are international partners – primarily TGK Consult, ScanAgri, IWGIA, UNEP-GRID-Arendal, Inuit Cicumpolar Conference et al. Principal donor organizations include DEPA (DANCEA), Danish MoFA, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, UNEP, WHO, Global Environmental Facility, Nordic Council of Ministers, Trust for Mutual Understanding (USA), John and Catherine McArthur Foundation, and others.

Initiatives

Since 1999 in cooperation with other partners RAIPON has endorsed or took part in several initiatives, funded by DEPA as international projects:

Establishment of Information Centre in Kamchatka (partner -TGK Consult)
Small grants and mini-projects in Primorsky Kray, Evenkia, Nenetsky AO (partner - TGK Consult)
Youth conference on sustainable development in Moscow (partner - TGK Consult)
Persistent Toxical Substances and Food Safety for Arctic Indigenous Peoples in Russia (partner - AMAP)
Biological Significance of the Sacred Sites of Indigenous Peoples: Model Investigation in Yamal-Nenets and Koryak regions (partners – CAFF and IPS)
Publication of a book on indigenous issues (partner – Natur og Folk i Nord Committee)
Conducting training courses on LFA in Moscow and St-Petersburg (partner – ScanAgri)

With funding from the Danish MoFA RAIPON and IWGIA is implementing the project Capacity Building and promotion of human rights and legal mechanism concerning indigenous peoples in the Russian Federation. In this project RAIPON is working on federal and regional level to enhance legislation and to define needs and priorities within the indigenous movement. A number of regional projects have been initiated in the regions under a small grants frame in the project, supporting local work in NAO, Krasnoyarsky Kray and Evenkia, Sverdlovsk, Tomsk, Magadan, Kemerovo, Chukotka,

Last year a regional project with Danish funding was carried out in Nenetsky AO (NAO) which may serve as an illustration of practical strengthening of a regional branch of RAIPON (Yasavey), strengthening it as an NGO

Capacity building in project management and the use of media (2002) (471,000 DKK) Danish MoFA

The overall goal of the project to strengthen the capacity of Yasavey in order to facilitate a dialogue with the administration, the public and the oil industry so that Yasavey could take part in the political process and to enable the organisation to initiate some projects on its own has been reached to a very high degree. Since the project began in January 2002 Yasavey has obtained

A trained staff of its own
Its own office, separate from the Okrug administration

Yasavey has furthermore

Taken over the administration of a public fund for Nenets (900 000 Roubles)
Developed and published its own news bulletin
Distributed material and debated sustainable development
Drafted and administrated 11 small projects, developed and funded through the project
Obtained considerable external funding
Made use of its legislative initiative right
Established working relations with a number of partners, among them 18 local oil companies, the Dutch MATRA-programme, the Barents Secretariat, the World Bank i.a.

The outputs and effects of the project can be measured by the enhanced skills of the three project trainees, but also by the concrete outcome (monthly news bulletins of increasing quality, 3 television programmes), a separate equipped office, the number of projects that have obtained external funding (5) and the draft law texts. After this project Yasavey has been able to address the serious environmental damage caused by the oil companies and the lack of sanctions by the existing legislation. Yasavey is now considered an equal partner for both the oil industry and the administration.

Assessment of the meeting of immediate objective
Output 1

Establishing an independent office

One of the biggest problems for Yasavey used to be the fact that its staff was 100% paid by the Okrug administration, and the organisation placed in the same office as the Committee on Northern Peoples, a fact that made the division of labour unclear between Yasavey as an NGO and the administration as the Okrug authority.

During January 2002 and during the visit to Naryan-Mar from January 23 - February 1, 2002 two project trainees were chosen and their work plans developed. The Yasavey projects were discussed and the project catalogue reviewed. Donor field discussed and format for potential overview worked out. A call for project proposals from the communities was sent out through radio and local press. The project catalogue was updated in June on basis of received proposals.

The project co-operation with the administration was discussed and an information letter on the project presented to the Okrug administration. Computers, photocopier and and furniture were bought and sent up from Moscow according to agreements made in Naryan-Mar. Yasavey moved to an independent office adress (Rybnikov 1 A, Naryan-Mar).

Yasavey has obtained an independent status and can receive guests from the Okrug administration, the oil industry and others in their own office. Yasavey council meetings can take place here, and events, seminars, conferences etc. can be arranged logistically from here.

Output 2
Information and Rio+10 process

Since January Yasavey has produced a monthly news bulletin which is sent out to the communities in NAO. The bulletin contains local as well as federal and international news on the situation of indigenous people. Yasavey is kept informed about the work of the Moscow based RAIPON by the Yasavey President Vlad Peskov who has been working as a project assistant with the main task to establish new contacts for funding of the developed project proposals.

In February it was decided that RAIPON and Yasavey should develop a regional input paper based on the format of the ECOSOC working group preparing for the World Summit on Sustainable Development. RAIPON was represented at the NGO Forum to the World Summit in Johannesburg and participated in drafting of the Kimberly Declaration. This way information exchange from the remote villages of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug to the World Summit has taken place, all though the outcome of this process is complicated to measure. Yasavey is interested in bringing forward proposals on clean water and sustainable energy such as wind energy as an alternative to oil production. It has been agreed that TGK Consult will assist Yasavey in futher negociations with relevant Danish agencies.

Radio and TV

A co-operation agreement with the radio and tv broad casting company an agreement was developed already in May 2001. As the political situation in Russia changed in the days of the visit in January 2002 and the closure of TV6 took place just before, the contact person in Naryan-Mar was unable to sign and the project component postponed untill May. In May it became clear that “Zapoljarje”, the state radio and television broadcasting company in Naryan-Mar, would be interested in developing a Nenets programme, and an agreement was signed with its director. According to the agreement the Danish partner (TGK Consult) would purchase the necessary equipment directly and “Zapoljarje” provide in-kind support in return. “Zapoljarje” has sofar produced three programmes on “Yasavey”, the last one partly covering the last phase of the project “Economic Support Programme” with features on the visit to two remote communities Nelmin Nos and Krasnoe.

Output 3
Economic Support Programme

The most serious problem for Yasavey is the lack of human resources, people who can work to develop Nenets culture and economy. Through the project 11 small grants have been given to people with ideas and initiative to work independently. The projects have been elaborated by the project assistants with a project description and a budget.

Yasavey supports private initiative to replace the state farms from the Soviet era, but sofar only a few families or unions have been able to start up on their own. Yasavey must in this connection also find the balance between co-operation with the oil companies on compensation for land use and protection of the traditional way of life. A major conflict between Yasavey and a union of reindeer herders (Yerv) is emerging all though a co-operation agreement was signed in 2001. Pictures taken by Yasaveys President Vladislav Peskov show the violations of environmental regulations at the oil fields, causing damage to the tundra and the reindeer pastures. Yasavey is now going to take a legislative initiative to raise the level of compensation by the oil companies from now 30,000 Roubles for each violation to a level that would make a difference for the oil industry and make them respetct the law and agreements made with the indigenous people. It is an indirect effect of the project that Yasavey now has the power to make use of their formal rights.

Project co-operation with partners in the EU (the Netherlands) and in the UN-system (UNDP, World Bank) is under development.

Deviations

Considering the relatively short project period there have been no major deviations the project, as all of the planned activities have been carried out with a few insignificant changes in the time plan. The less satisfying part has been the co-operation with the local television and radio, but during the last visit by TGK Consult in September the work on that component was finally launched. It is of great importance that Yasavey will now have it s own television and radio programme with possibilities to produce programmes in the Nenets language. Unfortunately, there is still at risk that the political situation changes once again and that the management has to stop the programmes. The ideal solution would be for Yasavey to build its own radiostation.

Sustainability

With the co-funding obtained and the enhanced skills and reputation of the staff of Yasavey there is a good chance that Yasavey can continue on its own. As consultant in the MoFA-funded project “IWGIA” I have recommended that we continue with support for Yasavey to strengthen its information and awareness campaining. As the most serious problem for Yasavey is the lack of qualified staff members, especially in the small communities futher education and training efforts are highly relevant.

Recommendations

With the approved budget changes, reallocating 30,000 DKK to equipment from travel costs it has been possible to make sure that the project participants have something left of lasting value. Flexibility in this area is the cornerstone in a succesful project for indigenous people. By supporting the few entuasistic and skilful representatives of the indigenous movememt with a computer, a camera or even new traps and food supply for the first months of a private reindeer enterprise it is possible to give the basis for independent, qualified work in the future.

Risks and assumptions

Legal establishments might be annihilated or disbanded due to on-going revision of the legislation.Traditional Land Use areas might not be allocated to communities due to high industrial pressure and bureaucratic inertia and lack of capacity. Socio-economic situation could worsen and focus on sustainability be lost.Political situation could change and activities or actions of NGOs be limited.Part of the capacity building effect can be lost if trained staff or seminar participants drop out of the work of the indigenous movement.

Evaluation criteria

The most acute problem of RAIPON has been the limited resources of the office, the enormous interest and urgent need for self-organizing and project development in the regions, which has led to the idea to establish a Project Centre for Indigenous Peoples (CIP), that would assist RAIPON in developing a strategy for indigenous movement, co-ordinate project ideas, be a door between the regional chapters of RAIPON and its partners and donors, fundraise for project work in the regions, train and educate the regional representatives, assist them in articulating, translating and presenting their ideas to donors. CIP, its structure and activities are being continuously discussed and approved at the sessions of the governing bodies of the RAIPON – Coordination Council, Presidium, and at annual donor conferences, seminars etc. Among indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and Far East CIP has received wide and great support.

Indigenous peoples of Russia are facing a number of challenges in the coming years, especially with respect to the natural resource debate in Russia and the land claims/rights issue. Specific consultancy assistance and capacity building would be vital for indigenous peoples in Russia to make use of their formal legal rights that have been secured by federal legislation in the last three years. Project work will enable effectively foster development of traditional lifestyle and protection of their ancestral lands and environment.

Recognition of the RAIPON as a political organization able to protect rights of indigenous population is secured by the CIP activity. In particular, project work serves a vital instrument in lobbying and strategy realization. Therefore, evaluation criteria must be qualitative rather than quantitative to a certain extent.

Use of project results

Organization of the comprehensive system and continuous update of the information on indigenous issues ;
Organization of the continuous activity of the information centers for indigenous peoples in the regions of the North, Siberia and Far East;
Use of a general database on projects for search and coordination;
Assistance to establishing indigenous self-management in the traditional land use areas;
Dissemination of the information and legislative proposals for the solution of the problems of indigenous peoples;
Development of the partnership relations and cooperation between the authorities and indigenous communities in the sphere of conflict resolution and/or solution of local problems;
Legal and environmental education of the indigenous peoples and the public;
Experience in the land claims process and legal defense of indigenous and human rights;
Coordination of the legislation development at the Federal and regional levels;
Capacity building for 34 regional chapters and 3 information centers;
Motivation of the indigenous peoples to solve their problems in the traditional land use areas (for example, to establish and improve self-management, to manage and regulate natural resources etc);
Dissemination of the relevant experience to all indigenous organizations in Russia.

Distribution of results and its effect

RAIPON is an organization which accumulates the specific cases of the violation of the rights of indigenous peoples in the forms of appeals, complaints and letters from individuals, indigenous organizations and local communities about their problems and existing conflicts. Predominantly, such cases relate to the violations of human rights in the sphere of the land use and access to the traditional and natural resources.

Whereas RAIPON has no specific institute or tool to launch actions on such violations and adequately respond to the complaints. Submission of the report or complaints to the authorities does not reach the positive outcome or ends in conflict resolution. In 2000-2002 over 200 similar complaints from the indigenous peoples were passed over to the relevant governmental bodies, but there was no response or follow-up, as the complaints without legal aid were not valid for proceedings.

During the last years RAIPON has acquired its own experience on the cases in the court. It became possible due to invitation of the “Rodnik” Legal Center and its advocates for work on these complaints, to transform the appeals into the claims and develop the specific mini-projects for such actions. Dissemination of the appeals and commentaries on the violations of the indigenous rights, as well as successful project outcomes yielded good results for conflicts resolution and prevention. Publication of the complaints and their follow up proceedings in the RAIPON journal substantially increased the number of letters and incoming information. Information Centers established in the regions play either significant or decisive role in the relevant information collection and dissemination.

Own funding and co-funding

Project Center for Indigenous Peoples shares RAIPON office in Moscow which is located in the Izmailovo Island, near metro station ”Ismailovsky Park”. It incorporates different facilities, such as copying and computer equipment, Internet access, overhead, synchronic interpretation equipment, computer projector, audi- and video recorder, telephone and fax lines and 3 rooms of total 100 sq.m area. RAIPON has signed an agreement with the Russian Federal Government on the renting office space and its cost (including electricity, heating etc.). Two RAIPON projects (CIP, funded by DANCEA and Nordic Saami project, funded by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) ensure the RAIPON office space renting and its common facilities. Canadian project INRIPP-II secures the work of the Russian Indigenous Training Center which is important in all training and social events. These three projects together are instrumental for the capacity building and support of the RAIPON activities at the national and international level.

The co-funding is secured through international projects, developed and implemented by the CIP under RAIPON. For example, establishing Information Centers in the regions is supported partially by regional governments (Khabarovsk Information Center), oil companies (Naryan-Mar Information Center) or international projects (Kamchatka Information Center). It is assumed that new Information Centers (in St.-Petersburg and Chukotka) will receive funding from both national and international donors. Training seminars are to be co-funded or fully supported by international agencies, private foundations, local governments etc. Fundraising for these projects and activities is being implemented by the CIP jointly with the RAIPON partners.
Conclusion

The Danish (and other international) contribution cannot solve the problems of indigenous people, neither should that be the goal. What we can do is to support and strengthen the indigenous movement and its organisation. An NGO like RAIPON is not a state institution and accordingly – RAIPON cannot and should not solve the problems of its peoples in Russia today. It can be a Permanent Participant. That still leaves space for other stakeholders of the Civil Society, not to mention the Russian state.

Thomas Køhler