Last summer, Russia labeled 55 different indigenous organizations as extremists and put them on the same list as, among others, al-Qaeda. Now several people belonging to indigenous peoples in the country are testifying about how the situation has worsened.
– The government wants to scare people and silence them. It is extremely dangerous to continue their activities. Leaders can end up in prison, says Yana Tannagasheva, board member of the International Committee on Indigenous Peoples (ICIPR) in this week’s 15 Minutes from Sápmi.
History repeats itself
Tannagasheva believes that history in the country is now repeating itself against how it was almost 100 years ago when Josef Stalin was in power in the former Soviet Union.
– It is important to look back at the history of Russia. In the most difficult period in the Soviet Union, in the 1930s, there was repression. Masses of indigenous people were sent to the Gulag where a great many died. They were also labeled as terrorists, as extremists and as counter-revolutionary activities. We see it happening again now, she says, and talks about the fear of not knowing what the future will be like:
– We do not know what will happen to the country in the future. Will it be democratic or will it collapse. But regardless of the situation, we want our rights to be respected.
“I want my family to feel safe”
As the situation is today, she believes that the state and the companies do what they want with the indigenous people. Young men are taken into the war. The lands, which were once reserved for the indigenous people, are used for mines and industry. At the same time that few dare to protest anymore.
How do you see your family’s future?
– I want my children and my family to feel safe. And of course that there will be peace. That is what we all desire.
“Only the church that retains the rights”
One who has long fought for the rights of his people is Pavel Sulyandziga. He belongs to the Udeges, who are traditionally nomads and live by hunting and fishing in eastern Russia. But he and his family have had to leave their home and today live in the United States.
– For the small indigenous peoples, one of the biggest problems is access to their traditional territories and natural resources. Previously they had the right to unlimited and free use of this but then all this was removed. The only ones who still have the right to it are the Russian Orthodox Church, he says.
See more about the indigenous peoples of Russia in this week’s 15 minutes from Sápmi on Saturday at 17:05 in SVT2. Or anytime on SVT Play.