Federalism and Local Politics in Russia

Federal discourses, minority rights, and conflict transformation 65associations, yet the Law ‘On Political Parties’ (2001) forbids the formationof parties on ethnic grounds. Contradictions between the formal equality ofRussian citizens and the actual implementation of laws or the effects ofinconsequential legal norms often allow for de facto discrimination of nondominantgroups. De jure there is a freedom of movement inside the RussianFederation. 39 De facto, however, this freedom of movement is restricted bythe local registry offices – very often to the detriment of non-Russians. 40 TheLaw ‘On Forcibly Displaced Persons’ (1993) does not extend to Chechensbecause they are not recognized as victims of ethnic, confessional or politicalmistreatment. 41The indigenous people of the high North, Siberia and Far East are mostlynomads or semi-nomads, who are socio-economically disadvantaged, weaklyintegrated into the society at large, and badly prepared for the transition to amarket economy. The declared aim is to protect them from forced assimilationas well as to assist their economic well-being. 42 In the past, the smallerindigenous peoples received material support mostly from the regions.Currently they chiefly depend on federal assistance. The indigenous peoplearticulate requests for the preferential exploitation of their natural environment(mostly hunting and fishing rights), and they would like to preservetheir traditional lifestyle, especially against the inroads of oil and gas companies.In the past they also demanded quotas for political representation inregional parliaments, in public offices and in the federal government, forexample by asking to form a ‘Public Chamber’ of organizations of ethnicminorities. 43 The Soviet quota system for the promotion of ethnic minoritiesin higher education has been abolished, and an institutionalized system of‘affirmative action’ no longer exists. 44 Yet the indigenous people are entitledto special representation in local representative bodies by the demarcation ofelectoral districts in their favour in areas of their compact settlements. Theregions or bodies of local self-government may also introduce quotas for therepresentation of indigenous communities in their respective representativebodies or they may form specific consultative bodies in their respectiveadministrations. 45 Traditional ownership of land or rights of land use is alsorecognized. The small indigenous peoples receive some assistance for thepreservation of their way of production; they may also be granted preferentialtaxation rights and privileged use of public property.Representatives of indigenous people may participate in the elaboration ofstructural programmes that affect their traditional areas of living. Anotherlaw allows the indigenous people to form voluntary associations. 46De facto, however, the rights of indigenous people are far less protectedthan this list of rights would suggest. The principles of ascribing the status‘small people’ or the terms under which individuals may belong to such agroup are not clarified. The term ‘traditional way of production’ is alsounder dispute. The ‘property rights’ of individuals or indigenous communitieswith respect to land and soil are likewise contested. Even a minimalrepresentation of indigenous people in local or regional representative bodies