Our voices will endure—even if they try to silence them.

On May 13, 2025, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation declared the activities of the Batani International Fund for the Development and Solidarity of Indigenous Peoples “undesirable” on Russian territory.

This decision is more than a bureaucratic formality—it’s a signal. Another attempt to silence the voices of those who have faced decades of marginalization, forced relocation, land dispossession, and cultural assimilation: the Indigenous peoples of Russia.

This is not the first time the Russian authorities have tried to silence our independent voice. The first attempt came in 2016, when we were labeled a “foreign agent.” Our organization was shut down under allegations of numerous legal violations, and several of our members faced criminal prosecution.

In 2018, we rebuilt the Batani Foundation to once again bring together activists, researchers, and allies dedicated to defending the rights of Indigenous peoples—not only in Russia, but around the world. As a Mexican proverb says, “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.”

Our mission is sustainable development, the protection of Indigenous languages, cultures, and the environment, and the amplification of minority voices on the global stage.

The Russian government claims our work is “anti-Russian.” But we are not a threat—we are witnesses. We are not enemies of the state—we are partners of Indigenous peoples. And we will not be silenced.

We will continue to speak for those whose voices are being suppressed. We remain open to collaboration—with the international community, human rights organizations, UN representatives, journalists, and all who share our values of freedom, dignity, and equality.

This decision by the Russian authorities only underscores one thing: our work is needed now more than ever.

The Batani Foundation Team

May 18, 2025

Sourced from Indigenous Russia