1. Case-study No. & Title:
187. The improvement of social, economic and cultural living conditions for the Udege ethnic minority, settled in the remote mountain-taiga areas in Primorye Krai, Russian Federation.

Keywords

w	Participation
w	Economic development
w	Social development
w	Education
w	Facilitation
w	Conflict resolution
w	Co-operation

2. Author information
2.1 Author’s Name
Valery Stepanov

2.2 Institutional Affiliation and Contact Details:
Institute of ethnology and anthropology
Russian Academy of Sciences
Leninsky prospect
32-a. 117334 Moscow
Russia

Tel/fax: (095) 938-0043
E-mail: stepanov@eawarn.tower.ras.ru

2.3 Date recorded
01/11/2000

3. Good Practice Information Sheet
3.1 Local Level Good Practice:
The situation of the Udege minority in Primorye Krai of Russian Federation has to some extent improved ever since the mid 1990s due to the organised efforts of the minority itself in co-operation with federal and local authorities. In the same period federal- and regional-level legislation, aimed at supporting the social and cultural development of small ethnic groups with traditional lifestyles, has progressed substantially.

3.2 Location:
Primorye Krai of the Russian Federation, administrative districts: Pozharsky, Krasnoarmeysky, Terneysky

3.3 Minority/Target Groups:
Minority: Udege group.
Target group: Udege communities of three remote mountain-taiga areas of Primorye Krai of the Russian Federation; the total number of Udege population in Primorye is about 900 persons.

3.4 Major Actors Involved

w	Local Government
w	Local NGO
w	Government Ministry
w	Minority organisations
w	Private institution or enterprise

3.5 Budget allocated by local government authorities and/or by other actors
In 1998 and 1999 3 million roubles were spent by the administration of Primorye Krai on the construction of housing, reconstruction of boiler and diesel power stations, purchase of medical equipment and books for schools, and payment of training of students.

The program of development of an airport and air transportation in the remote Terneysky district, where the Udege live, is wholly financed from the budget of Primorye Krai.
The administration of Pozharsky district in 1996 has been subsidised from the federal budget by 185 millions roubles, with the allocation broken down as follows: construction of housing (100 millions roubles); hotel (40 millions roubles), kitchen for hospital (15 millions roubles), reconstruction of heating system in local school (30 millions roubles).

The Russian-Japanese Eurasians Club partially finances the Udege hunting production unit Bikin in the Red Yar settlement. The Club, together with the administration of Primorye Krai, is handling the construction of a hotel in the settlement. The settlement is also sponsored by the government of the USA under a project for the provision of equipment to reserved territories.

In the Terneysky district, 35 millions roubles from the Primorye Krai budget were spent on the construction of housing in the Samarga settlement a In 1996 and 25 millions roubles on the purchase of accommodation in the Terney settlement.

3.6 Timeframe
The activities aimed at improving the social and cultural conditions and rights of the Udege minority began in 1989. The input came from Udege communities’ ongoing mobilisation over the rights they claimed in traditional hunting areas. Such activities involve Udege organisations, local officials, and representatives of foreign institutions. The activity is supported by legislation being drafted both at the level of Primorye Krai, and at the level of the Russian Federation (one of last federal laws supporting this activity was adopted in July, 2000).

3.7 Local level good practice relation to national level ethnic policy
The activity of the public and state actors in furthering the social, economic and cultural rights of the Udege population are in accordance with the general principles established in the State Ethnic Policy Conception (1996) and the implementation of such principles in the Primorye Krai. On the other hand, a number of questions related to the use of land are yet to be regulated.

At the level of the legislation adopted by Primorye Krai the interests and rights of Udege are taken into account by the following acts:

w	Governor decree of 5 July 1999 N 299 "On the organisation of the national park ‘A legend from Udege’"
w	Governor decree of December 2, 1998 N 569 "On control of the conditions, uses, and protection of forests and reproduction of woods in Primorye Krai"
w	Governor decree of October 21, 1998 N 517 "On the investment program of Primorye Krai in 1999 - 2003"
w	The resolution of the Duma of Primorye Krai of March 24, 1997 N 577 "On the agreement for cooperation of the Duma of Primorye Krai with the Association of the small-numbered peoples of Primorye Krai"
w	The resolution of the administration of Primorye Krai of December 16, 1994 N 622 "On the temporary regulation of hunting"
w	The resolution of the administration of Primorye Krai of June 11, 1992 N 165 "On the organisation of territories of traditional land use for the small-numbered peoples living in Pozharsky district"

4. Good Practice Description
Brief background
In the first half of 1990s, against the background of a general crisis of living conditions for all the population of Primorye Krai, the Udege situation worsened substantially. Average incomes was far below the mean level for the Krai. The increase in transport tariffs, taxes, and other changes caused by the liberalisation of the former command economy, worked to erode tremendously the basis of the Udege traditional economy.

During the Soviet period the state provided small-numbered peoples such as the Udege with special measures of protection in the field of health, social subsistence, education. Under the new conditions of the market economy these measures became insufficient: subsidies were reduced, taxes were increased, and the system of supply to remote territories was practically destroyed.

In the face of such difficult conditions, the Udege have been trying to struggle collectively. In 1990s they openly manifested their aspiration to self-management and control over their territories. One of the most active groups has organised the Udege hunting unit "Bikin" (in Pozharsky district), and the national association "Udege" (in Krasnoarmeysky district).

These activities for the improvement of social, economic and cultural living conditions of the Udege ethnic minority focus on:

w	Participation of the Udege in regional governmental institutions and Udege self-government
w	Preservation of traditional life-style
w	The Udege’s struggle for social rights and a special social status (a prerequisite for social help)

Participation of the Udege in regional governmental institutions and Udege self-government

1)	Important in this direction has been the adoption of the resolution of the Duma of Primorye Krai of 24 March 1997 N 577 "On the agreement for cooperation of the Duma of Primorye Krai with the Association of the small-numbered peoples of Primorye Krai". According to this resolution the Duma and the Association should cooperate in drafting legislation that impacts on the development of the Udege people, that is to say on the preservation of traditional lifestyle and economic activitie; on the protection of the natural environment; and of the culture and language of Udege. Activities aimed at attracting the attention of federal (Russian) and international institutions to the Udege problems are also dealt with under this agreement.
2)	Ever since 1996 a special department (from 1996 to 1998 it was the ‘Department of nationalities, since 1998 the ‘Department of Internal Policy’) has been set up within the Krai government to deal with issues related to the Udege and other indigenous small-numbered peoples.
3)	In 1997 executive power has been partially delegated from the Krai level to the level of local bodies, including the Village Council, a decision introducing some level of local self-government. This has been at least partially increased the opportunity for Udege to have a saying on questions concerning land management and use.

w
Preservation of traditional life-style

1)	In 1992 the authorities of Primorye Krai granted the Udege the right to be considered on a preferential basis with regard to contracts and licenses on the use of natural resources within the territories of their traditional settlements. Moreover some territories were given the status of ‘territory of traditional land use of indigenous people’ (henceforth TTLU): such territories cannot be used for commercial activities and/or sold without the permission of the Udege and other indigenous groups. In practice the TTLU are a kind of ethnic territory. These decisions were the first positive outcome of a three-year struggle waged by Udege against the indiscriminate industrial use of their traditional territories. In this respect a good example has been Udege opposition to the project by Joint-Ventures "Svetlaya" (created by local authorities with the South Korean giant Hyundai) to cut down forests in the upper basin of the river Bikin. Udege filed a law suit that reached the Supreme Court of Russian Federation. This legal action together with other forms of protest succeeded in blocking the project.
2)	Another variant of the protection of Udege areas from encroachments by industrial corporations has been the creation of national parks. The administration of Primorye Krai, for instance, has proposed to the federal government of Russia a project the creation in the Krasnoarmeysky district., where a community of Udege is settled, a national park "A legend from Udege". The purpose of this project is the preservation of culture of the indigenous inhabitants, the unique landscape of the Ussuri taiga, and archaeological monuments (there are about 90 monuments in this area). Under the project, the national park will be located in an area of 100,300 hectares in between Large Ussurka and Armu. The park was actually created in 1999.
3)	As mentioned earlier, the legislation of Primorye Krai has created the TTLU. One of the largest TTLU is Bikin, with a total area of 408,000 hectares, Bikin was established with a resolution of administration of Primorye Krai in 1992. This territory is Udege property and without their consent is not subject to industrial or other development. The authorities plan to increase this territory by adding a further 436,000 hectares. In 1998 another TTLU was established in the natural reservation of "Verkhnebikinsky" in the Pozharsky district. In this territory any activity worsening the condition of natural resources (except for the satisfaction of the economic needs of the resident Udege) is forbidden.
4)	With a new law (1999), the legislative bodies of Primorye Krai have granted themselves the powers to draft legislation and act to protect the interests of the Udege and other small ethnic groups by way of establishing borders of indigenous hunting sites. This is one of the most significant achievements of the Udege Association if we consider that, at the beginning of 1990s, they had neither legal, nor organisational support. On the contrary nowadays it is possible for them to assert their rights more effectively vis-à-vis industrial corporations.

The Udege’s struggle for social rights and a special social status (a prerequisite for social help)

1)	In 1998 a decision of the governor of Primorye Krai granted long-term interest-free credit for economic activities organised by the Udege and other small-numbered indigenous peoples. Besides, it was ruled that all traditional economic activities should be exempt from taxation. In addition it is planned to establish subsidies for students from the remote areas inhabited by the Udege entering higher educational institutions.
2)	Since 1998 socially unprotected categories of the population, and representatives of the small-numbered indigenous peoples (Udege and others) in Primorye Krai are exempt from payments for usage of wood for own their need.
3)	Thanks to the lobbying activity of the Udege Association in 1997 the resolution N 522-R "On the granting of hunting rights in the territory of Primorye Krai " has changed the situation in a way that is beneficial to the Udege. This administrative act exempts Udege hunters from payments due from hunters in general.
4)	1998 saw the launch of a three-year program for the development of air transport in the remote Terneysky district. The territory stretches over 570 kilometres of mountainous territory. Udege settlements in this territory have no means of communication with the external world. The air transport network is also intended to link the remote Udege dwellings in Pozharsky and Krasnoarmeysky districts.
5)	More than 3 million roubles were allocated in 1998 and 1999 by the administration of Primorye for the construction of housing for Udege and other small-numbered indigenous people, reconstruction of boiler and diesel power stations, purchase of medical equipment, books for schools and payment for the training of students. In previous years significant sums had also been allocated for the development of social infrastructures: in the Terneysky district 60 millions roubles went for housing in the settlement Samarga (35 millions roubles) and for housing in the settlement of Terney (25 millions roubles) in 1996; while 25 millions roubles were spent on housing in the village of Novopokrovka in Krasnoarmeysky district. The financial grants have been especially significant for the largest Udege settlement of Red Yar. In 1996 the administrations of Pozharsky district received 185 millions roubles from the federal budget for the following tasks in Red Yar: housing (100 millions roubles), construction of hotel (40 millions roubles), construction of kitchen for hospital (15 millions roubles), reconstruction of the heating system in the local school (30 millions roubles). Over and above this, the reconstruction of the water-supply system is planned for the period 2001-2005. The Geographical Society of Primorye is helping Udege open shops in Vladivostok, where traditional products will be sold to tourists. There is regular federal financial support for the College Krasnoarmeysky, which has a branch in the settlement of Red Yar where Udege students are trained.