View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Siberian Federal University Digital Repository Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 6 (2013 6) 913-924 ~ ~ ~ УДК 314.1 (571.511) + 314.1 (571.512) The Current Social and Economic Data on the Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North as of 2012 Semen Ya. Palchin* Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Krasnoyarsk Territory 207 office, 122 Karl Marx Str., Krasnoyarsk, 660021 Russia Received 14.01.2013, received in revised form 20.02.2013, accepted 17.05.2013 The present article is the first part of the material based on the Report of the Commissioner for the Rights of the Indigenous Small-numbered Peoples in the Krasnoyarsk Territory (ombudsman) “On the problems of realizing the constitutional rights and liberties of the indigenous small-numbered peoples in the Krasnoyarsk Territory in 2012”. The article includes the current information about the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and general analysis of the demographic data of the Krasnoyarsk Territory based on the data of the past three censuses. The current information about the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North is given separately for the three territorial units of the Territory, which are Taimyrsky, Dolgano- Nenetsky and Evenkiysky municipal districts, as well as the Krasnoyarsk Territory, except for the above-named districts. Keywords: Indigenous peoples of the North, ethnos, the Representative by the laws of the indigenous small people, constitutional laws, Taymyr, Evenkia, Turukhansky region. The work was fulfilled within the framework of the research financed by the Krasnoyarsk Regional Foundation of Research and Technology Development Support and in accordance with the course schedule of Siberian Federal University as assigned by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. Protection of human rights is a certain, a very important, I would even say, the most important, at least at this stage of the world history, element of politics. It is a question of whether a man exists for the state or the state exists for a man. It is an aspect of politics where it is decided what is more important – civil rights or the authority, and what distinctively establishes the priority of rights. Rights are outside politics, above politics. Alexander V. Uss, The Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Krasnoyarsk Territory © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected] – 913 – Semen Ya. Palchin. The Current Social and Economic Data on the Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North… It is for good reason that the words of A.V. They were local authorities of this kind who Uss are used as the epigraph for this article about the Commissioner had to encounter in 2012 while realizing the constitutional rights and liberties defending the rights of the indigenous small- of the indigenous small-numbered peoples on numbered peoples. the Territory of Krasnoyarsk Krai for 2012. It Some authorities in the municipal districts is an opportunity to once again remind all the interpreted the report of the Commissioner for participants of the civil society and representatives 2011 as criticism concerning them personally, of the authorities about the priorities which are as an occasion to make an attempt to rehabilitate established in the Krai and serve as a beacon for themselves in the eyes of the highest authorities of regional ombudsmen. the Krai for their mistakes, shortcomings of their For real ombudsmen people with their work and their explicit unwillingness to realize problems, their pain and their hopes are of primary the legal rights and interests of the indigenous importance; the desire to help them in restoration small-numbered peoples of the North. of their rights is of primary importance, too. In Thus, in the last decade of 2012, the deputies this occupation there is no place for the struggle of Taimyrsky regional Deputies’ Council adopted for power, but there is an aspiration to make the Appeal to the deputies of the Legislative the power more human-oriented, more legal, Assembly of Krasnoyarsk Krai with the demand democratic and just. to review the Report of the Commissioner for the To make the power closer, more responsive Rights of the Indigenous and Small-numbered to the needs of ordinary people is the aim of the Peoples in Krasnoyarsk Krai in order to form an Commissioner for the Rights of the Indigenous objective opinion, stated by the deputies of the and Small-numbered Peoples in Krasnoyarsk regional Council in the Appeal to the deputies of K r a i , a n d of t h e w h ole s y s t e m of t h e s t a t e a n d lo c a l the Legislative Assembly of Krasnoyarsk Krai. authorities, too. It is in this very context that the The indignation of Tajmyr deputies is also following words of the Governor of Krasnoyarsk caused by the fact that most cases, mentioned in the Krai L.V. Kuznetsov should be understood:”the report, are “anonymous”, i.e. the Commissioner rights and liberties of the citizen of Russia are does not disclose the information about the guaranteed by the highest Law–the Constitution. applicants, does not state their full name, address However, for the norms of equality to work, all of residence and other personal details. of us will have to make a lot of effort. The right Henceforth, too, the Commissioner will not to work, right to adequate housing and right to disclose personal details of applicants in order to medical care, right to good education and right ensure their security, protect them from possible to healthy and adequate environment are not prosecution by the officials, and also in order to easy to ensure. It is understood that at present prevent rumors, gossip and idle talks. In this case the state has not sufficient resources to solve all the Commissioner relies on the Federal law № problems at one go. However, even when there 59- ФЗ from 02.05.2006 “About the procedure of is money and political decisions, they are often processing applications of citizens in the Russian the local anthologies, officials at different levels, Federation, namely article 6 “Guarantees of heads of enterprises, who cannot or do not want security for a citizen in connection with his/her to be more understanding, to work with people, application”. following not only the text of the Law, but also 1. It is forbidden to prosecute a citizen in its spirit. connection with his/her application to the state – 914 – Semen Ya. Palchin. The Current Social and Economic Data on the Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North… institutions, local institutions or to an official this way that the Commissioner carries out his with critics of work of the above- mentioned work, his annual reports being part of it. institutions or officials with the aim of either The “Recommendations” sections of the restoring or asserting his/her rights, liberties reports contain answers to some problematic and legal interests or rights, liberties and legal questions. Some of them entail financial interests of other persons. commitments of the Krai budget, but a considerable 2. In the course of processing of the part of problems can be solved solely by applying application of a citizen, it is forbidden to disclose administrative, management measures. the information contained in the appeal and also The deputies of the Legislative Assembly personal details of the applicant, without his/ of Krasnoyarsk Krai rely on this logic too her agreement. Directing the application to the when they make decisions based on hearings of state institution, local institution or an official annual reports. The Government of Krasnoyarsk in whose competence it is to solve the problem Krai adequately perceives criticism and is not considered a disclosure of the information recommendations and does its best to implement contained in the application. them. In the light of the incident, the Commissioner This positive experience aroused interest in advised Taimyr deputies, as well as all citizens other regions of the Russian Federation, in which to raise their legal culture, not to prevent others there also live the indigenous small-numbered from asserting their rights and to assert their own peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. rights without fear, because it is the only way we At the visiting session of the Coordination can build an effective constitutional state. Council of Russian national public organization Over and over again do ombudsmen “Russian Association of the indigenous small- remind the officials, the authorities about numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the the necessity to respect rights of citizens. Far East” which took place in October 2012 on It is very often that we can hear optimistic Kamchatka, a deputy of the Legislative Assembly reports of big and smaller officials, and it is of Krasnoyarsk Krai V.H. Vengo gave a detailed also very often that while listening to these talk on the experience of Krasnoyarsk Krai. reports we come to understanding that they The participants of the visiting session highly are made to create a serene picture, which estimated the work of the Commissioner for the does not reflect real life. Both the officials and Rights of the Indigenous and Small-numbered ordinary people understand that things are far peoples in Krasnoyarsk Krai and informed the from being perfect. One of the indisputable Governer of Krasnoyarsk Krai L.V. Kuznetsov rules of administration is to have an integral, about that. truthful picture of reality. It is far from being The Commissioner expresses his gratitude ideal in the sphere of upholding the rights of to this organization for publicizing his annual the indigenous small-numbered peoples of reports through its own Internet resource the North.