August 9 at the tourist complex «Kizil-Koba» (p. Perevalnoe, Crimea) the International round table «Problems of indigenous peoples of Eurasia.»
 
The round table was attended by representatives of 16 organizations of indigenous peoples of Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia.

RESOLUTION
of the International Roundtable Meeting «Tasks of the Indigenous Peoples of Eurasia»
(Perevalne, Simferopol raion, AR Crimea, Ukraine, 9-10 August 2013)

We, the participants of the International Roundtable Meeting, the experts and representatives of the nongovernmental organizations of the indigenous peoples of Eastern Europe, the Russian Federation, Central Asia and the South Caucasus (Eurasia), express our deep concern about the existing rightlessness and policy regarding the indigenous peoples.

In spite of the adopted in 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and corresponding UN resolutions, there are still occurrences of infringement of the most important rights of indigenous peoples, recognized in the standards of international law and required for the preservation, development of their language and culture, maintenance of their identity, preservation of the sources of their survival. The objects of cultural and historical heritage of indigenous peoples continue to be exploited by government institutions and business entities, the rights of indigenous peoples being completely disregarded. States, in most cases, appear incapable of ensuring even the preservation of such objects.

In spite of repeated demands of the representatives of indigenous peoples, a number of states of the Eurasian region (the Russian Federation, Ukraine, etc.) are unwilling to change their position regarding the issue, and the political and legal activity in those states is characterized by the disregard of the indigenous peoples’ rights.

We call on Ukraine, as a state, to reconsider its legal policy in respect of the indigenous peoples that live on its territory (Crimean Tatars, Karaites, Krymchaks and Urums), and, in particular, state their status and rights in the Constitution and uphold the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

We call on Ukraine to adopt the Law on restoration of rights and rehabilitation of the Crimean Tatar people and prolong the Agreement on restoration of the rights of deported persons, national minorities and peoples (9 October 1992, Bishkek).

We call on the Russian Federation, as a state, to guarantee and control the adherence to the standards in respect of the indigenous peoples and ensure their efficient legal protection in compliance with international norms in the sphere of human rights and collective rights of indigenous peoples.

The legislation of the Russian Federation at present considerably narrows the criteria of the definition of «indigenous peoples». For example, this category covers only several small-numbered (up to 50,000 persons) peoples that lead a traditional way of life. Thus, a number of peoples that have historically formed and lived in the Russian Federation on their ethnic territories are deprived of any political status and representation.

We call on the Russian Federation to grant the status of indigenous peoples to the Siberian Tatars in Western Siberia and peoples of the South Caucasus (Andis, Archians, Akhvakhs, Bagvalals, Bezhtins, Botlikh, Genukhs, Godaberins, Gunzibs, Kaitags, Karatins, Kubachins, Tindins, Khvarshins, Tsez, Chamalals) and bring the national legislation on the rights of indigenous peoples into compliance with the standards of international law.

We call on the Russian Federation to restore the administrative and territorial integrity of the Nogai people in Russia.

We condemn the practice of expropriation of lands in the places of traditional residence of indigenous peoples for various projects on a unilateral basis, without the prior free and conscious consent of indigenous peoples, as one that grossly violates the rights of the indigenous population (the Kumyks, in particular, and other peoples that are in a similar position).

We are deeply concerned about the long-running civil war in the Republic of Dagestan and call all the parties to the conflict for speedy reconciliation and demilitarization of the territories of traditional residence and use of natural resources of the indigenous peoples.

We call on all the countries of the Eurasian region to ratify the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, International Labour Organization Convention 169 dated 27.06.1989.

We call on the UNO, the Council of Europe, the European Union and the OSCE to take additional immediate actions regarding the recognition and unconditional observance in all the countries of the world of international legal standards that define the rights of indigenous peoples and guarantee their protection in the countries of residence.

We, the representatives of nongovernmental organizations of the indigenous peoples of Eastern Europe, Russia, Central Asia and the South Caucasus (Eurasia), with the purpose of integrating efforts in the assertion and exercise of our grandfather rights, hereby establish the Assembly of the Indigenous Peoples of Eurasia.

Adopted at the International Roundtable Meeting
«Tasks of the Indigenous Peoples of Eurasia»
(Perevalne, Simferopol raion, AR Crimea, Ukraine, 9-10 August 2013)

MF-Inform