Andrey Danilov Called on EMRIP to Address the Issue of Indigenous Peoples Forced to Seek Asylum

At the preparatory meeting of Indigenous peoples with members of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), held on the eve of the session's opening in Geneva, Sámi activist Andrey Danilov called for attention to be paid to the issue of Indigenous refugees.

According to him, this topic is virtually absent from the agenda of international mechanisms, despite the fact that the number of Indigenous peoples forced to leave their countries due to persecution continues to grow.

"During four years of living in refugee camps in Norway, I saw that among their residents there were many Indigenous peoples from around the world. I am now undergoing an integration program and see the same picture again. However, throughout this entire time, I have never seen EMRIP or other UN mechanisms raise the issue of Indigenous refugees," Danilov noted.

He recounted that he was forced to leave Russia due to persecution and spent four years waiting for a decision from Norwegian authorities that would allow him to remain in the country.

"I live on Sápmi land — the land of the Sámi people. For four years, I waited for the Norwegian government to allow me to live on the land of my ancestors. It was only thanks to the support of my brothers and sisters — the Sámi — that I received such an opportunity. Two other Sámi who had to seek political asylum due to persecution by Russia received the same protection," he said.

Concluding his address, Andrey Danilov called on the Expert Mechanism to pay special attention to the situation of Indigenous refugees.

"The flow of such refugees is only increasing. Once in foreign countries, we often find ourselves virtually without rights, facing material, moral, and spiritual difficulties. I ask EMRIP to pay attention to this issue and to help find solutions for the protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples forced to leave their homes," he emphasized.

IR