Role of regional commissioner for the human rights in prevention of the social conflicts

There are a lot of different directions in the work of the commissioner for human rights in the subject of Russian Federation. One of them is a prevention of social conflicts and education of the citizens’ tolerance. The middle of 90-es of XX century and the beginning of XXI century were marked in Kuzbass region with a social tension growth. All country and probably all the world know about the mass strikes of the miners in Kuzbass at this time. The strikes were caused by unreasoned, hasty conducting of restructuring of the coal-mining industry. Many coal mines in Kuzbass at this time were closed. And at the same time the given funds to create new jobs, to retrain former miners to new professions, to realize social and economical rights of citizens were very small ones. I was appointed as the Commissioner for human rights in Kemerovo region in June of 2001. In 3 months we made our first field reception in one of miner's towns of Kuzbass - Prokopyevsk.

This reception showed many undecided problems, which were the reason of social tension growth in region. As the result of this reception a staff of the Commissioner for human rights prepared a special report "About violation of citizen's rights in miners’ towns of Kuzbass", which was presented to the Governor of Kemerovo region, to the deputies of regional council of people's deputies, to the deputies of State Duma of the Russian Federation, to the Commissioner for human rights in Russian Federation and to the Chairman of the Commission for human rights under the President of Russian Federation, to the Administration of the President and to the Government of Russian Federation. In the April of 2002 I presented this report on the international ombudsmen conference in Vilnius. As a result in the August of 2002 a field session of State Council of Russian Federation to discuss the problems in coal industry of Russia was held in Mejdurechensk city, Kemerovo region. Mr. Putin, the President of Russian Federation, presided at that session. A.G. Tuleev, the Governor of Kemerovo region presented report. At the session several measures were taken to change and stabilize the situation and reduce social tension. Because of correct work of region's authorities and self-denying work of the miners the situation became better and coal industry came out from the crisis. New mines, coal open-pit mines and concentrating factories were open in the region. For 5 years the coal production in Kuzbass grew from 97 mln tons up to 158 mln tons per year and that led to increase of money deducted to the regional budget, to creation of new jobs, to realization of many social programs and to the social tension reduction in the region. I would like to give one more example of the regional commissioner activity on prevention of social conflicts. The coal industry is a dangerous industry. Even in Soviet time there was a terrible statistics, which told that a mining of each million of coal is accompanied by one miner’s death. Now the death-roll is much less, but, unfortunately, it is still too much. In the region created the whole system of the privileges and fringe benefits for families of killed miners, they get welfare payments and apartments.

All country knows about tragedies on the mines, but in daily activity of miners there are a lot of accidents without people’s death and they get different traumas. Even being at the mine, constant long inhalation of carbon dust causes the loss of health and disablement. As a result in the Kemerovo region at the moment live 166 thousands of disabled persons. It is 5,5% of whole population of Kuzbass. And if in the past based on medical-social examination a fond of social insurance constantly paid to the invalids the regression money for the disablement, now the invalids have many complains about medical social examination(MSE). The MSE commissions constantly reduce a percent of the disablement which leads to the social tension growth and social conflicts. In 2003 we prepared special report "On some aspects of disabled’ rights violations in the Kemerovo region". As a result a commission from Moscow came to Kuzbas to assist at the disabled’ re-examination and to solve the questions at issue. Now the transfer of regional MSE commissions to the federal authorities is in progress.

We do hope, that it will lead to the decrease of social tension in region also. At the same time, I would ask you, dear colleagues to study a situation with the disabled’ rights in your regions, to share information and to create a common system to protect this people.

Nikolay Alekseevich Volkov, The Commissioner for human rights in Kemerovo region, candidate of philosophical sciences, professor