Workshop 2:

Contents

    Ulla Lehtinen: "Indigenous peoples and oil" events in Finland 1999 
    Olli Tammilehto: A civilised world or a bloodsucker of the earth? 
    Background information on oil 
    Russia's oil production 
    Florian Stammler: Where does our oil come from? 
    Yeremei Aipin: Russia's oil industry and the development of rights of indigenous people 
    Agrafena Sopochina: "We Live on what the earth carries on itself" 
    Yuri Vella: Kogalym-Lor - the lake where a man died 
    Bruce Forbes: Industrial development in the Yamal-Nenets Area 
    Lidia Okotetto: I no longer understand the tundra that has loved me 
    Grigorii Anagurichi: A clash of civilisations at the ends of the world 
    Charity Nenebari Ebeh: The Ogoni experience 
    Magda Lanuza: Oil production in Central America 
    Ecuador and oil 
    Arturo Yumbai Iligama: The war against the poor 
    Colombia, the U'wa and oil 
    Roberto Afanador Cobaria: Oil is blood of the earth 
    Workshop 1: The strategies of oil industry and the responses of indigenous peoples' movements 
    Workshop 2: Networking of indigenous peoples threatened by oil and gas exploration 
    Workshop 3: Northern Dimension
    Communique of the participants in the seminar "Indigenous Peoples and Oil" 
    Internet links

Networking of indigenous peoples threatened by oil and gas exploitation 

Chairs: Ms. Magda Lanuza, Oilwatch Mesoamerica - Nicaragua, Mr. Yehudi P.P. van de Pol, Oilwatch Europe - the Netherlands 

Notes: Mr. Jouni Nissinen, KEPA - Finland

List of participants: Ms. Noora Jaakkola, Shell boycott Campaign - Finland, Mr. Ari Sardar, Shell Boycott Campaign - Finland, Mr. Juhani Makkonen, Finland, Ms. Ana Vivas, Colombia/France, Mr. Klaus Pontvik, Friends of the Earth - Sweden, Ms. Anna Wirén, Fältbiologerna - Sweden, Ms. Charity Ebeh, MOSOP/FOWA - Nigeria, Mr. Deebii Nwiado, MOSOP - Scandinavia, Ms. Agrafena Sopotchina, Siberia/Russia, Ms. Lidija Okotetto, Siberia/Russia, Mr. Arturo Yumbai, CONAIE - Ecuador, Ms. Katri Pirttijärvi, Finland, Mr. Roberto Afanador Cobaria, Colombia

It was noted that there was very little time for the workshop and more would have been needed. However, the group was resolved to do its best within the time constraints.

The discussion began with an introduction of the members of the working group. The principles of the Oilwatch International were explained. It is a south-south network struggling against reckless oil exploration and production in the third world. The network does not take money from oil companies. Instead, its European branch does fund raising for southern non-governmental organisations (NGOs) involved in the activity. Other aspects of the work in Europe consist of lobbying and information dissemination. The general secretariat of the network is situated in Ecuador. 

After the round of introduction, some of the problems of oil exploration in the areas represented by the indigenous participants were discussed. It was generally agreed that indigenous peoples in different countries face different situations with different problems and solutions. Therefore it is difficult to find globally applicable solutions that fit all. However, it was noted that conflicts occur everywhere and affect all the peoples. 

In South America, the problems caused by oil production in indigenous peoples' territories are still largely unknown. Thus, finding national NGOs and networks is crucial. In Ecuador for instance, no organisation is working exclusively on oil-related issues. One of the important tasks in Ecuador would be to concentrate on how to make the advocacy work on indigenous peoples more effective than has been the case so far. 

From the Nigerian point of view, global networking of NGOs and indigenous peoples' organisations (IPOs) is considered very important. The Ogoni Bill of Rights, published in 1990, is the first declaration in which an ethnic group in the Niger Delta demands an autonomous position and control over oil resources found beneath their soil. The Nigerian government has still not met the demands that were put forward in the declaration. More ethnic groups are joining the ranks with their own declarations. 

In Siberia, the power lies in the hands of states and oil companies. According to the law, oil extraction is allowed in the indigenous people's land irrespective of the opinion of local people. In order to solve the problems in Siberia, the main emphasis should be on building good and flexible connections between indigenous peoples, representatives of oil companies, and state authorities.

The three main issues that can be done in Europe are lobbying for NGOs and IPOs based outside Europe, raising awareness on the problems of oil extraction, and fund raising for southern organisations and networks. It was seen particularly important to increase co-ordination between networks and organisations by creating opportunities for representatives of different peoples to meet each other. 

The outcome of the workshop can be summarised by saying: "Different peoples - different perceptions about how to work with the oil companies." It is hard to find generally applicable solutions, but the discussions should go on to increase the area of common ground between peoples in different parts of the world.