Indigenous peoples of Taimyr announce their problems on the sidelines of COP26

Speaking at the International Indigenous Peoples' Forum on Climate Change within the frames of the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in Glasgow, Gennady Shchukin, Chairman of Dolgan family tribal community Amyaksin (Taimyr) outlined the pressing issues related to the impact caused by industrial companies on the traditional habitat of indigenous peoples. At the same time, he noted that Norilsk Nickel is seeking to change the situation.

“We understand very well that civilization cannot be stopped. But we also do not understand how civilization cannot understand us and how we can live in this civilization,” Gennady Shchukin was quoted by Rough&Polished.

“We launched civilization on our territory, on our rivers, hoping that it will not touch our lives, and we will live amicably, together, without losing the friendship of those people who live with society, and those people who live with nature. But it so happened that civilization stumbled. In 2020, we saw a spill of over 20 000 tons of diesel fuel into the water, into our rivers (the accident at TPP-3 in Norilsk - ed.). Norilsk Nickel is to blame for that,” said Gennady Shchukin.

Nevertheless, the head of the Amyaksin community noted that “Norilsk Nickel understands this and is trying to change the situation.” He said, “Now we are negotiating with Norilsk Nickel, and they are trying to hear us and come to order in accordance with international rules, find our thread of life and help us.”

“Therefore, I ask you to spread this message all over the world, so that you help us find the right way of solving the matter with Norilsk Nickel, with our peoples, and help solve our problem,” Gennady Shchukin called from the high rostrum of the world conference. “After all, we are not technologists, not engineers or ecologists, we only know that there is fish, that there is meat - this allows us to live.” He noted that “they (Norilsk Nickel - ed.) are trying to help us”, but “I hope that COP26 will help us in this”.
Gennady Shchukin, chairman of the Amyaksin Dolgan family tribal community, is a well-known and respected advocate of indigenous peoples’ rights. After the accident at TPP-3 in Norilsk, he and a dozen of other activists turned to large international companies including Tesla, BASF, and others, as well as to banks demanding to declare a boycott of Norilsk Nickel's products.