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| Khanty child, Siberia
© Sophie Grig/Survival |
Towards the end of 2000, Survival issued an alert to its supporters, asking
them to write letters in support of the reindeer-herding Khanty of Siberia. The
Khanty, a semi-nomadic people who have traditionally depended on their reindeer
herds for almost every aspect of their lives, were threatened by oil companies
driving them off their land, destroying the environment and making it unable to
sustain the Khanty's reindeer. Survival asked its supporters to write to
politicians, and also to the Russian company LUKOIL. Survival itself also
lobbied the oil companies and the authorities to respect the Khanty's rights to
reject oil and gas drilling on their land, and to pay full compensation for the
destruction they had already caused.
Many Survival supporters wrote in support of the Khanty. In early 2001, the
president of LUKOIL wrote to Survival saying that he had received so many
letters calling for respect of the Khanty's rights that they could not possibly
respond to them all individually. The local indigenous organisation, RAIPON,
said that, 'They received a crazy number of letters and faxes with
indigenous peoples' support.'
The results were positive – since then, the Khanty feel that the both the
companies and the government have been treating them with more respect and have
been better at fulfilling their promises to them. RAIPON thanked Survival
supporters, and told us 'After your campaign in Khanty-Mansiysk region
the situation is becoming better.'
Survival continues to work with the Khanty.
