Ñ ANSIPRA BULLETIN Ñ Arctic Network for the Support of the Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Arctic (ANSIPRA) Сеть Арктических Организаций в Поддержку Коренных Народов Российского Севера No. 4, July 2000 - English Language Edition Secretariat: Norsk Polarinstitutt, Polarmiljøsenteret, N-9296 Tromsø E-mail: [email protected] Norwegian Polar Institute, Polar Environmental Centre, Phone: +47 - 77 75 05 00 N-9296 Tromsø, Norway Fax: +47 - 77 75 05 01 Coordinator / Editor: Winfried K. Dallmann, Tromsø Assistant Coordinator: Galina Diachkova (Дьячкова Галина), Moscow Assistant Editor: Helle V. Goldman, Tromsø ANSIPRA (formerly NNSIPRA) Bulletin is an information publication of the “Arctic Network for the Support of the Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Arctic”. The Bulletin is issued twice a year. Additional issues are produced as new information warrants it. The Bulletin is edited in English and Russian. ANSIPRA Bulletin is distributed to all registered network participants, as well as relevant state agencies and funding institutions. Distribution is free. All written contributions are appreciated. ANSIPRA Bulletin is politically independent. A special part of the English language edition, however, presents translations of articles of the newsletter “Мир коренных народов” (Indigenous Peoples’ World), the official periodical of RAIPON (Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation), selected in cooperation with RAIPON. ANSIPRA (formerly NNSIPRA) is a communication network linking Russian Indigenous Peoples' Organisations (IPOs) wi th international institutions and organisations alarmed about the future of the indigenous peoples of the Russian North. ANSIPRA' s main goal is to spread information, to mediate contacts, and to assist in project coordination and application fo r funding. CONTENTS OF THIS EDITION: From NNSIPRA to ANSIPRA. Letter from the Secretariat 3 10th Anniversary celebrations of RAIPON. Press release 4 Abolishment of Russian State Committee for Environmental Protection Reprints of newspaper articles 5 Decree of the President of the Russian Federation 6 International Workshop on Key Problems of the Indig. Peoples of the Russian North: Conclusions and Recom. 7 Motion of the Danish Parliament on its "Strategy for Danish Support to Indigenous Peoples" 11 Project "Reindeer". A proposed marketing project by Stanislav Dorzhinkevich (Fund NIP) 12 We must realize ourselves for our future. A letter from Kamchatka by Nadezhda Marinenko 17 Declaration of the public organisations of the Kamchatka Oblast. Initiative against the construction of a pipeline 19 Doctors of the World: soon a decade of humanitarian action in Chukotka. Yvon Csonka (Univ. Neuchatel) 20 The Anadyr Society for Sobriety, ”Doverie” (“Trust”). Ivan Vukvukai, President of "Doverie" 20 Urgent Appeal for Assistance - Chukotka. World Council of Whalers 21 "Ilkėn" - Newspaper of the New Century. Editors of "Ilkėn" 22 What does the word "Ilkėn" mean? A.N. Myreeva (Russian Academy of Sciences) 22 Indigenous ethnic groups of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation 23 Part II: The southern zone: Urals to Primorskiy Kray W.K. Dallmann (Norwegian Polar Institute) and G. Diachkova (Inst. of Ethnology and Anthropology, Moscow) Notes 34 Book reviews 35 Meetings 37 Contacts and addresses 39 SECRETARIAT From NNSIPRA to ANSIPRA Letter from the Secretariat The increasingly international contacts of our network internal budget of the Norwegian Polar Institute (NP). have long tempted us to reflect this change in the In addition, the Ministry of the Environment (Division network's name. Having achieved an agreement with of Polar Affairs and Cooperation with Russia) gave RAIPON (Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples means to buy a computer for our assistant coordinator of the Russian North) to publish English translations in Russia. of their newsletter «Mir Korennykh Narodov», which The situation has changed in 2000, when NP will probably attract an even larger readership, we has to struggle hard to maintain financing of a number have finally decided to change our name from this of projects. Three applications to funding agencies point forward to ANSIPRA (Arctic Network for the failed. NP now only covers salaries and the Support of the Indigenous Peoples of the Russian production and copying of the bulletin. We are forced Arctic), instead of NNSIPRA (Norwegian Network to ask kind people to make those translations for free …). that exceed the capacity of our staff, and to pay for We are still working at realizing an Internet our travel with our own money. homepage which has been delayed for financial Thanks to the kindness of the managers of reasons. It is hoped that this homepage will be reality the Saami/Nordic support programme (see above), we in autumn. will be able to launch our website and the translations of selections from «Mir Korennykh Narodov» during «Mir Korennykh Narodov» this year. These financial means are not at all secured RAIPON has started to issue its own internal news- from next year forward. We hope to get a more po- letter «Mir Korennykh Narodov» ("Indigenous Peo- sitive response on applications for next year's budget. ples' World"), financially supported by the Foreign Ministry of Norway through the Saami/Nordic sup- port programme (managed by UNEP/GRID-Arendal). Contact us Two issues are already available, while the third one is on its way. The newsletter can be accessed on the Winfried Dallmann - e-mail [email protected] Internet at www.raipon.org. ANSIPRA will publish phone: (+47)-77750648/500 (Norwegian, English) selected articles of the newsletter in English trans- fax: (+47)-77750501 lation in future editions of the bulletin. Galina Diachkova - e-mail [email protected] Financing problems phone: (+7-095)-9385719/1871 (Russian, English) Helle Goldman - e-mail [email protected] Although the interest in our bulletin and other assist- phone: (+47)-77750618/500 (English) ance is increasing, financial support has not been fax: (+47)-77750501 equally forthcoming. In 1998 and 1999, most NNSIPRA activities could be financed through the RAIPON 10th Anniversary celebrations of Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North Press release 10th Anniversary celebrations of the Russian The following events were also held during the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North anniversary celebrations: (RAIPON) were held in Moscow on May 12-16, • Seminar on “Indigenous Peoples and the Environ- 2000, with over 250 indigenous participants from ment in the Russian Arctic” (SIPERA III), orga- Russia and about 70 foreign guests. nised by RAIPON with the support of Danish- The ceremonial events started with the Greenlandic Initiative, UNEP/GRID-Arendal and anniversary plenary session “Past Decade – Basis for Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat; Development in 21st Century”, opened according to • Second International Workshop “Priorities for So- ancient traditions of northern peoples by the lution of the Key Problems of Indigenous Peoples Chairman of RAIPON Elders’ Council – Mrs. Maya of the North in Russia”, organised with the sup- Ettyryntyna. The former USSR President Mikhail port of International Arctic Science Committee Gorbachev, the ambassadors and diplomats of Arctic and Russian Academy of Sciences; countries, representatives of Russian Government • Meeting of RAIPON leaders with research staff of and Parliament, UN agencies (UNEP, World the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of Intellectual Property Organisation); Executive the Russian Academy of Sciences; Secretaries of the Arctic Council Programs (AMAP, • RAIPON Coordinating Council meeting, where CAFF), representatives of international indigenous four new non-governmental organisations of indi- brother organisations (Inuit Circumpolar Conference, genous peoples of Khakassiya Republic and Altai Saami Council, Aleut International Association) and Republic, Veps and Inuits peoples were elected Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat, officially greeted new members of RAIPON; and passed their congratulations to RAIPON. • Youth conference with the discussion of indige- The press-conference of RAIPON with the partici- nous youth problems; pation of President Mr. Sergey Kharyuchi, ex-presi- • PC and Internet courses for indigenous peoples dents of RAIPON Mr.Vladimir Sangi and Mr. Yere- from the regions; mey Aypin, as well as the Chairman of RF State • Cultural festival “Sun of the North” with participa- Committee for Northern Affairs Mr. Vladimir Goman, tion of folk ensembles, indigenous soloists and was held during the break in the plenary session. elders. Performances took place at the Confe- Journalists from leading Russian TV channels, radio rence Hall of the Council of Federation and in the stations, magazines and newspapers, as well as jour- Central House of Cinema in Moscow. They were nalists from Arctic countries took part. accompanied by exhibitions of the crafts and tra- ditional decorative arts, paintings, carvings and photos. RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT The decree of the President of the Russian Federation "On the Structure of the Federal Bodies of the Executive Authority", which contains among other measures the abolishment of the State Committee for Environmental Protection, has surprised many and may have a significant impact on indigenous peoples' issues in Russia. Please find below reprints of two newspaper articles which comment on the event. The text of the decree is reprinted on the subsequent page. -- The Editor