In New York a representative of Yamal shared experience of policy towards indigenous peoples of the North

In New York on the 16th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues a deputy governor of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the director of the department of international and external economic relations of Yamal Alexander Mazharov spoke on the report on state support of indigenous ethnic minorities of the North in Yamal.

According to his information, about 42 thousand representatives of indigenous peoples lived in Yamal. These are 8% of the whole population of the region. Nenets people are the most numerous ethnic group – almost 30 thousand people, Khanty people – 9500 and Selkoup people – about 2000. Almost 40% of representatives of indigenous peoples in Yamal conduct traditional lifestyle – 16500 people, as the press-service of the governor of Yamal informs. The undeniable achievement of Yamal in creation of the unified system of support of indigenous peoples is in establishment of constructive dialogue with fuel and energy companies. About 50 large fuel companies work in the region: such as Gazprom, NOVATEK, LUKOIL, Total and others. Annual agreements, which are concluded between the government of Yamal and the companies, obligatorily consider interests of indigenous population, as the deputy governor of Yamal underlines. Besides, as Alexander Mazharov notes, none of industrial projects in the region is fulfilled without consideration of the strictest ecological standards. And all of them pass through the procedure of public hearings with participation of representatives of tundra communities. Thus, there is one reindeer passage per each 4 kilometers of the motor road “Salekhard – Nadym”. More than 80 such passages will be built along the whole road in order not to disturb traditional nomadic routes. Indigenous peoples of the North received the opportunity to use the railroad line “Obskaya – Bovanenkovo”. Gazprom is its owner. Affiliated enterprises organize transportations of residents of Yamal, who conduct nomadic way of life, delivery of goods for organizations and individual businesspeople that service trading stations and remote populated areas. The consultative council on issues of development and fulfillment of “Yamal LNG” was created in February of 2014 in Yamalskiy district for organizing of active participation of the company in support of indigenous population and preservation their history, culture, traditions and lifestyle. Councils of representatives of indigenous ethnic minorities of the North under heads of districts have worked since 2016 in the region. They provide regular and constructive interaction of nomads with bodies of local self government and the state power of the region, fuel and energy enterprises to solve issues of protection of original environment of indigenous ethnic minorities of the North. As Alexander Mazharov notes the governor of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Dmitry Kobylkin formulated the unified principle being followed by everyone in the region: it does not need to conquer the Arctic, it needs to settle in here. And people strictly follow this rule. It does not depend what projects are fulfilled – infrastructural or industrial, large or small – unconditional observance of legal rights and interests, increase in quality of people’s life is the main aim, as Alexander Mazharov reminds the words of the governor.