Russia: South of Kamchatka no longer considered indigenous territory
On 9 September 2014, the Legislative Assembly of Kamchatka Territory voted for the exclusion of the southern districts of the Peninsula from the list of places of traditional residence and traditional economic activities of indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation. They decided to exclude the Vilyuchinsk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Yelizovo, Milkovo, Ust-Bolsheretsky and Ust-Kamchatka districts from the list. Only the Koryak Area, the Bystrinsky and the Aleutian Islands districts will officially remain places of traditional residence and traditional economic activities of indigenous peoples.
This move is likely to take away fishing rights from indigenous communities in the South. Fishing is the main traditional subsistence activity of Kamchatka’s indigenous peoples, Pacific salmon being an essential part of their diet. Fishing is also the region’s main industry and commercial fishing enterprises are well-connected to the regional authorities, which may in part explain, why they have taken a measure, which will likely deprive indigenous communities in Kamchatka’s South of their fishing rights.
During the session Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Ilyukhin defended the measure and appealed to the lawmakers to vote in favour, arguing that currently indigenous peoples’ [fishing] rights are being massively misused. Deputies supported his position.
Only four deputies voted against. One of them, Sergey Golubev, pointed out to the media, that not a single representative of indigenous peoples ' organizations had been invited to the session and allowed to take the floor.
Konstantin Gordeev who heads a camp of indigenous Itelmen people believes that the decision discriminates against them on ethnic grounds. “Where should these Koryak and Itelmen go now?” he asks. “Resettle to Koryakia in the North? Why can’t they continue fishing on the Okhotsk sea in Ust-Bolsheretsky district? Why are the commercial fishing enterprises allowed to and the indigenous peoples are not? Do they seriously represent a threat to the fish population?" Express Kamchatka-online quotes.
Notably, one of the rationales behind the exclusion of Southern Kamchatka from the list of traditional residence of indigenous peoples noted in the draft bill is "an increased attention of American foundations to the problems of indigenous peoples living in Kamchatka and the implementation of programs of separatist leaning. Therefore the assignment of the entire area of Kamchatka Territory to the areas of traditional residence and traditional activities is conducive to an American strategy of promoting separatism. This is already becoming a problem for state security and the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation".
Konstantin Gordeyev said that on Friday in Ust-Bolsheretsk representatives of indigenous communities will hold a district congress to consider the vote of the Legislative Assembly.
Tags: Land rights
