The Yamal register of indigenous peoples will join the federal database

In Russia it is planned to evaluate and record information about indigenous ethnic minorities of the country in order to fully ensure their rights. This draft law was recommended by the State Duma Committee on affairs of nationalities to the chamber for adoption in the second reading.

The draft law proposes to introduce a mechanism on registration of Russian citizens that belong to indigenous ethnic minorities in order to ensure fulfillment of their social and economic rights. The talk, in particular, is about protection of original environment, preservation of traditional lifestyles, economic activity and crafts, replacement of military service with alternative civil service, preservation and development of indigenous culture, implementation of territorial public self-governance with consideration of ethnic, historical and other traditions. The Russian Government is the author of the document, as “Parlamentskaya Gazeta” informs.

In comments to a correspondent of the news agency “Sever-Press” the first deputy director of the department for affairs of indigenous ethnic minorities of the North Roman Pikun notes that improvement of normative and legal base is one of the directions of the department’s work. The so-called “law on the register of indigenous peoples” was adopted in the first reading; the second is planned for the near future. Representatives of Yamal continue to cooperate on this issue with the Russian Association of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East and the Federal Agency for national policy.

“This law contains confirmation of national identity”, Roman Pikun said. – “This is really very important, early retirement from service depends on it, as well as a mark in a hunting ticket, a permit for traditional fishing. When representatives of the Federal Agency visited Yamal in May last year and got acquainted with the regional register, they liked it very much, and they promised to use it as the basis. We have the census of indigenous ethnic minorities of the North passed, we counted everyone again, now we bring the data together. When the law is adopted, we shall integrate into the federal system. I think it will be easy - all the data are recorded in electronic format. There will be no problems in Yamal, but it is clear that such a law is necessary”.

Roman Pikun adds that the department is now working with the Federal Agency on another important document. There are several versions of the draft resolution of the government on compensation for losses to indigenous ethnic minorities of the North from economic activity of industrial enterprises. On this topic representatives of Yamal even made the presentation in Moscow, where they identified routes of nomadic travelling blocked with infrastructure of fuel and energy companies.

“There is much local specifics in these issues”, said the deputy director of the department. “We try to convey the nuances to our federal colleagues, who regularly invite representatives of Yamal to meetings of working groups, so that developers of normative regulations would hear our opinion”.