How Russia Implements the Free, Prior and Informed Consent Principle

On November 12, in the village of Lovozero in the Murmansk region, a public discussion was held on a project for the reorganization of the Seidyavvr nature reserve. The Seidyavvr Nature Reserve The Seydyavr State Nature Reserve — with a total area of 17,972 hectares —…

Alexey Bessudnov. Ethnic and regional inequalities in the Russian military fatalities in the 2022 war in Ukraine

December 2022 Abstract This paper explores ethnic and regional inequalities in mortality in the Russian army during the 2022 war in Ukraine. The analysis is based on a newly available data set containing the names of about 9,500 Russian servicemen killed in Ukraine from…

Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Support Indian Country and Native Communities Ahead of the Administration’s Second Tribal Nations Summit

NOVEMBER 30, 2022 This week, President Biden is hosting the second Tribal Nations Summit of his Administration to help foster Nation-to-Nation relationships and provide Tribal leaders with an opportunity to engage directly with senior Administration officials. Since taking office, President Biden has prioritized relationships…

Forced mobilization in Russia among indigenous peoples for the war in Ukraine. Open letter for UN

To whom: Copy: Since September 21, 2022, in Russia there has been taking place a massive mobilization among the civilian population for the war against Ukraine. We, the representatives of indigenous peoples, speak against this inhuman war unleashed by the Putin regime, and we…

Organization Sign-On Letter: Stop Perpetuating Racist Rhetoric Against Ethnic Minorities and Indigenous Peoples in Russia  

In a recent interview, Pope Francis mentioned Chechens and Buryats as “cruelest” perpetrators of the war in Ukraine. “When I speak about Ukraine, I speak about the cruelty because I have much information about the cruelty of the troops that come in. Generally, the…

Ukraine’s parliament appealed to support self-determination of indigenous peoples in Russia

Ukraine’s parliament appealed to the international community to support the right to self-determination of the indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation. The corresponding resolution No. 8105 was supported by 322 people’s deputies. The appeal emphasizes that, implementing its aggressive imperialist policy, Russia has been committing genocide…

Indigenous peoples and communities drive climate finance reform

Protecting forests by investing in Indigenous peoples and local communities, or IPLCs, is increasingly seen as one of the most effective ways to mitigate climate change and halt the global loss of biodiversity. The trouble is that a lot of the funding flow doesn’t reach the IPLC-led…

How the Pope’s Racist Comments Parrot Russian Propaganda

In an interview with America Magazine published on Monday, Pope Francis off-handedly disparaged Russia’s Buryat and Chechen ethnic minorities, characterizing them as the “cruelest” soldiers in the Russian military. By saying this, Pope Francis — whether on purpose or by accident — repeated one of the…

Fleeing Russia, Andrei seeks asylum in what for him still is historical homeland, Sapmi

“I’m pleased to be on this side of the border. To be free and not persecuted. To speak the truth openly and not be afraid.” Andrey Danilov promises to continue defending the rights of the indigenous peoples. “The consequences [of the war] hit hard…

Protector not prisoner: Exploring the rights violations & criminalization of Indigenous Peoples in climate actions

“Indigenous peoples are vital actors in climate solutions. Responses to the climate crisis should be based on partnership with Indigenous peoples as stewards of nature and protectors of our biodiversity. We must stop the criminalization of Indigenous peoples and respect their collective and individual…