- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
The International Indian Treaty Council and the Arctic Athabaskan Council are calling the Russian and Ukraine high-level diplomats to the United Nations in Geneva to safeguard Indigenous peoples residing in Ukraine from the Russian War.
The two organizations sent a letter to Russian Ambassador Gennady Gatilov and Ukraine Permanent Representative of Ukraine Yevheniia Filipenko that expressed grave concern regarding the treatment of Crimean Tatars and other Indigenous Peoples in Ukraine due to the invasion that begin on February 24, 2022 and war Russia has brought to the region.
Want more Native News? Get the free daily newsletter today.
The Crimean Tatars were recognized by the government of Ukraine and the European Parliament as Indigenous peoples in February 2016. The are 250,000 Crimean Tatars living in the region. In 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin annexed Crimea from Ukraine. The Crimean Tatars have faced oppression for centuries in the region.
In its letter to the two diplomats, International Indian Treaty Council and the Arctic Athabaskan Council cite the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (U.N. Declaration), with focus on Article 30:
“Military activities shall not take place in the lands or territories of Indigenous Peoples, unless justified by a relevant public interest or otherwise freely agreed with or requested by the indigenous peoples concerned. States shall undertake effective consultations with the Indigenous Peoples concerned, through appropriate procedures and in particular through their representative institutions, prior to using their lands or territories for military activities.”
The International Indian Treaty Council is an organization of Indigenous Peoples from North, Central, South America, the Caribbean and the Pacific working for the Sovereignty and Self Determination of Indigenous Peoples and the recognition and protection of Indigenous Rights, Treaties, Traditional Cultures and Sacred Lands.
The Arctic Athabaskan Council was established to defend the rights and further the interests internationally of its members, who represent their linguistic Athabaskan Peoples of Alaska, Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories and northern regions of Canada.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Native News Online Post-Election Survey Shows Trump-Harris Split, Reservation Divide
Six Native American Women Making a Difference in Indian Country
Google Celebrates Native American Heritage Month with a Doodle Using a Kayak
Support Independent Indigenous Journalism That Holds Power to Account
With the election now decided, Native News Online is recommitting to our core mission: rigorous oversight of federal Indian policy and its impact on tribal communities.
The previous Trump administration’s record on Indian Country — from the reduction of sacred sites to aggressive energy development on tribal lands — demands heightened vigilance as we enter this new term. Our Indigenous-centered newsroom will provide unflinching coverage of policies affecting tribal sovereignty, sacred site protection, MMIR issues, water rights, Indian health, and economic sovereignty.
This critical watchdog journalism requires resources. Your support, in any amount, helps maintain our independent, Native-serving news coverage. Every contribution helps keep our news free for all of our relatives. Please donate today to ensure Native News Online can thrive and deliver impactful, independent journalism.
