A Territory for protecting Traditional Nature Use is being planned in the Lovozero District An international expedition of three nature protection organisations Kola Biodiversity Conservation Center (Kola BCC), Kola Environmental Coordination Center (Gaia¦ and the Taiga Rescue Network v took place between April 19 and May 1 in the Lovozero district of the Murmansk region. The expedition crew was made up of anthropologists, biologists and photographers.

Pavel Suliandziga's statement to the UN PFII side event on behalf of RAIPON.

«Народы, на чьих землях добывают природные ресурсы, живут все хуже и хуже, а компании, работающие и губящие их территории все лучше и богаче» See below for rest

English Summary below from WindowonEurasia

Pavel Suliandziga, RAIPON (Russian Assn of Indigenous Peoples of the North) Vice President stated at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues that Russian companies are enriching themselves through the exploitation of the natural resources of Russia’s North, but the peoples on whose territories these firms are working are becoming ever poorer, often as the result of the approach these very firms have taken to them. According to Suliandziga this has been the case since the 1980's

The implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is particularly critical with regard to the most paramount right enshrined in the Declaration – that of self-determination.  The Declaration’s affirmation of developments within international law implying that also non-state forming peoples enjoy the right to self-determination constitutes a fundamental achievement in indigenous peoples’ struggle for recognition of our rights....

At the recent meeting of the Senior Arctic Officials (SAO) of the Arctic Council in the town of Svolvaer, on the Lofoten Islands, it was decided that the next SAO meeting will be hosted by Kautokeino / Guovdageaidnu, in the heart of the Sami region and in the largest area of reindeer husbandry in Northern Europe.