Ancient Indigenous Settlements Being Destroyed by Russian Seaport (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Ancient Indigenous Settlements Being Destroyed by Russian Seaport

Thursday, January 24 2008 @ 12:20 PM PST
Contributed by: laplandian
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=20080124122036201

The government of Leningrad Oblast (Saint-Petersburg Region) is planning to
expand the Ust-Luga Seaport, which is to become the largest seaport in Russia.
According to the plan, all villages nearby the construction site are going to
be demolished, and their population will be offered appartments in other areas.

The villages Krakol'e and Luzhitsy, both located in the seaport area, are the
only surviving compact settlement of the Votia nation. According to
archeological data, the Votians are the most ancient indigenous nation of
Ingria, who become practically extinct after Stalinist dispersion to Soviet
provinces far away.

Only about 30 of the Votians still remember their native language; most of them
live in Krakol'e and Luzhitsy. Some activists are running language and culture
classes in the local school and organize folklore festivals, trying to pass
their culture to the next generation. Displacing the Votians from their
homeland will almost certainly result in total assimilation on this ancient
nation in the next 20-30 years.

Though is no feasible way to stop the expansion of the Ust-Luga Seaport, which
will also cause a great deal of environmental damage, it might be still
possible to convince the government to preserve at least these two villages,
and to declare some sort of "reservation", if enough people would protest
against this terrible plan. According to the Russian Constitution, the Votians
are considered an indigenous nations and have the right to continue living in
their homeland.

Links (in Russian):

http://www.regrus.info/anounces/3/226.html

http://www.cultradio.ru/doc.html?id=160232&cid=44