On Defining and Registering the Indigenous Peoples of The North, Siberia and the Far East: Legal Process Documentation and Ramifications

ABSTRACT

Discussion of a new Federation of Russia law that requires Indigenous people to register and be identified as members of “numerically small peoples” is provided by a leading expert, who has served as an advisor to officials and Indigenous leaders at many levels. The clumsy application of the law, as well as possibly divisive intents behind the restrictive listings of Indigenous individuals, has created fear within many Indigenous communities of Russia. Successful registration in some communities is as low as 10 percent. At stake is not only identity but lands, resources and definitions of livelihood. Analysis includes Indigenous voices, and specific cases of exclusion that point to trends of resources development and land grabs winning over human rights in Russia.

KEYWORDS:

• Indigenous law
• registry
• numerically small peoples of Russia
• nationality politics
• resource development
• Indigenous leadership

Notes

^1. https://tass.ru/obschestvo/14872671?utm_source=yxnews&utm_medium=desktop&utm_referrer=https%253A%252F%252Fyandex.ru%252Fnews%252Fsearch%253Ftext%253D [accessed 7/18/2022]

^2. https://transsibinfo.com/news/society/13-07-2022/zakonnyh-lgot-lishilis-predstaviteli-kmns-v-habarovskom-krae [accessed 7/18/2022].

^3. Governor of Kamchatka Vladimir Solodov “Na rekakh Kamchatki dlia predstavitelei korennykh malochislenykh narodov Severa vydelaiut uchastki”. https://tass.ru/obschestvo/15199445 7/13/2022 [accessed 10/10/2022].

^4. These cases can be found at: tgstat.ru›channel/@transsibinfo/3503, “Kak v sude ia dokazyvala svoiu natsional’nost” [How I proved my nationality in court] vk.com›wall-27950389_13643. A Yamal registration problem was discussed at: https://vesti-jamal.ru/ru/vjesti_jamal/s_kakimi_problemami_stalkivayutsya_yamalcy_pri_podachi_zayavlenii_na_vstuplenie_v_reestr [all accessed 7/18/2022].

^5. Examples in mass media include: Liubov’ Khristoforova: Voiti v Spisok korennykh malochislennykh narodov vazhno dlia budushchikh pokolenii [To enter onto the List of Indigenous Numerically Small Peoples is important for future generations]. http://yakutiakmns.org/archives/15735)

^6. The case is at https://www.csipn.ru/glavnaya/novosti-regionov/6078-#.YvvAKMDP1PY [accessed 7/18/2022]. The restrictions are unfortunately enshrined in the draft law of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia of 2022 “On the introduction of changes to addendum No. 4, No. 5, No. 7 to Ministry of Agriculture order of November 10, 2020 No. 673, posted on the website regulation.gov.ru/projects#npa=130093 [accessed 7/18/2022].

^7. This Supreme Court case is decision of November 30, 2021 N AKPI21-807 [accessed 7/18/2022]. The relevant passage in the Constitution is Article 69; see Federal Law No. 82-FZ regarding guarantees to Indigenous people of Russia.

^8. I.V. Leksin, “Effektivnost’ pravovogo regulirovaniia i gosudarstvennogo upravleniia: zabluzhdeniia, ogranicheniia, dostizheniia,” VII Mezhdunarodnaia nauchno-prakticheskaia konferentsiia. Modeli gosudarstvennogo i korporativnogo upravleniia: traditsii perspektivy. (Fakul’tet gosudarstvennogo upravleniia MGU imeni M.V. Lomonosova, 2018).

^9. These implications, relying heavily on Indigenous leaders’ reactions, are drawn from Olga Murashko, “Who Are the Indigenous Peoples of Russia? The Russian Government’s Latest Concept of Defining Indigenous Identity,” in Who Is Indigenous? Perspectives on Indigeneity, Identity, Dispossession, and Transition, E. Barrett Ristroph, ed. (Fairbanks: Ristroph Law, Planning and Research, 2022), pp. 34-48.

^10. Interview with G. P. Ledkov, RAIPON president and Federation of Russia Duma representative, “Indigenous vs. Asphalt” Arguments of the Week, No. 7 (498), February 26, 2016, https://argumenti.ru/society/n527/436405.

^11. G. V. Ulcha, 2015 listserve discussion [email protected], founded by lawyer Yulia Yakel’, director of the autonomous non-profit organization “Legal Center.”

^12. E. K. Orochka, 2015 listserve discussion [email protected].

^13. G. Shchukin, 2015 listserve discussion [email protected] .

^14. Y. Yakel’, 2015 listserve discussion [email protected] .

^15. G. Shchukin, 2015 listserve discussion [email protected] .

^16. G. E., 2015 listserve discussion [email protected] .

^17. A. Danilov, 2015 listserve discussion [email protected] .