[ugrimugri:534] FW: SIBERIA'S TRIBAL PEOPLE PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR OIL (fwd)

[Johanna Laakso]

Dear All,

sorry for cross-postings! In case all of you do not subscribe to
ural-lista at helsinki.fi or ugrimugri at lists.ut.ee, I'm forwarding an article
on a non-linguistic but very central theme.

---------- Johanna Laakso <Johanna.Laakso at Helsinki.FI> ----------------
--------- Helsingin yliopisto, Suomalais-ugrilainen laitos ------------
----------------- http://www.helsinki.fi/~jolaakso/ -------------------
-- "Feministi on nainen, jolla on mukavat kengät."  - Robin Williams --

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2000 17:52:14 +0300
From: Andres Heinapuu <andres at suri.ee>
Reply-To: ugrimugri at lists.ut.ee
To: "Ugrimugri (E-mail)" <ugrimugri at lists.ut.ee>
Subject: [ugrimugri:534] FW: SIBERIA'S TRIBAL PEOPLE PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE
    FOR OIL


-----Original Message-----
From: Iona Singleton [mailto:is at survival-international.org]
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2000 1:13 PM
To: is at survival-international.org
Subject: SIBERIA'S TRIBAL PEOPLE PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR OIL


SURVIVAL NEWS RELEASE
18 September 2000, for immediate release

SIBERIA'S TRIBAL PEOPLE PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR OIL - THEY PAY WITH THEIR
LIVELIHOODS AND THEIR LIVES

Whilst British motorists protest about the price of fuel in the UK, the
reindeer herding tribal peoples of Siberia are paying, sometimes with their
lives, for the oil industry which blights their homes. Their lands are
destroyed, their reindeer are killed - their situation is so desperate many
are driven to suicide.

As oil prices rise, the pressure mounts for tribal peoples such as the
Khanty, who live in oil rich areas. The oil companies often deceive them,
telling them they don't have any rights to stop them drilling on their land.
Occasionally the tribes sign an agreement allowing access to their land in
return for compensation, such as a skidoo or boat engine and some rations.
However, once their land has been destroyed, the oil companies invariably
fail to give what they promised.

Life expectancy for Siberia's tribal peoples is significantly lower than for
Russians. 37 year old Khanty reindeer herder, Demitri, was one of 27 pupils
in his class at school. Only six or seven are alive today. Two hanged
themselves and many others died of drink related incidents. Those Khanty who
lose their land to oil companies and can no longer herd reindeer, hunt or
fish are often driven to alcoholism, drinking the vodka which is brought in
by oil workers.

Today Survival is launching a campaign for the rights of the tribal peoples
of Siberia to the ownership and protection of their lands. Survival's
Director, Stephen Corry, said, 'While British motorists complain about the
price of petrol, the exploitation of oil is a matter of life or death to
many Khanty people. If people here knew the true costs to the Khanty people
of the petrol they put in their cars, they would put more energy into
campaigning for a fairer deal for Siberia's tribes.'

Notes for the editor:
- Survival's campaigner, who recently returned from Siberia, is available
for interview.
- Our photo library contains images of the tribal peoples of Siberia, please
contact us for further details.

For more information contact: Survival's Press Office on +44 (0)20 7242 1441
or email is at survival-international.org
--------------------------------------------
Survival is a worldwide organisation supporting tribal peoples. It stands
for their right to decide their own future and helps them protect their
lives, lands and human rights.

Survival's website can be found at: http://www.survival-international.org

Iona Singleton
Press, Projects & Campaigns
Survival
11 - 15 Emerald Street
London WC1N 3QL
Tel: +44 (0)20 7242 1441
Fax: +44 (0)20 7242 1771