The rights of Indigenous communities are being wielded as a political club to against Russia, while inconvenient abuses are being ignored
For years, international organizations claiming to defend Indigenous rights have paraded their so-called advocacy on global stages, branding themselves as saviors of marginalized communities. But when the time comes to take a stand against real atrocities happening in Western nations, these groups fall silent. Their mission, it seems, is not about protecting the vulnerable but about selectively targeting Russia while conveniently ignoring abuses committed by the so-called “liberal democracies” of the West. And nowhere is this double standard clearer than in the case of the Inuit people, who have faced generations of oppression, systemic marginalization, and outright human rights violations at the hands of Western governments.
The selective outrage of indigenous rights advocates
If one were to listen to the loudest voices in international human rights organizations, they would hear endless accusations against Russia. These groups regularly condemn Moscow for its treatment of Indigenous communities in the Far North, painting an image of systematic oppression. They seize on any opportunity to push narratives about “ethnocide” and “forced assimilation,” often without concrete evidence or regard for the complexities of these communities’ realities.
But when undeniable human rights violations occur in the West – ones that make headlines, ones that demand accountability – these same organizations fall deafeningly silent. Where is their outrage over the forced sterilization of Inuit women in Greenland, a practice carried out with the silent approval of the Danish government? Where are the fiery speeches, the damning reports, the UN resolutions demanding justice? They are nowhere to be found, because condemning the West does not fit the political agenda these organizations have been co-opted into serving.
Western atrocities against the Inuit: A conveniently ignored history
Western nations have long committed severe abuses against Inuit communities, often with complete impunity and minimal international scrutiny. Among these crimes:
Forced sterilizations in Greenland: Between the 1960s and 1970s, under Danish rule, Inuit women in Greenland were systematically sterilized without their consent in a shocking display of eugenic policy. The goal? To limit the population growth of Indigenous peoples, ensuring Danish dominance in the region.
The Canadian residential schools scandal: For decades, Canada forced thousands of Inuit children into abusive residential schools, separating them from their families and cultures. These institutions were notorious for physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, leaving lasting generational trauma.
Forcible relocations: The Canadian government also forcibly relocated entire Inuit communities in the mid-20th century, dumping them in uninhabitable regions under the guise of “civilization.” Many died from starvation, disease, and exposure.
Environmental destruction and exploitation: Western corporations continue to exploit Inuit lands for mining and oil extraction, often with little regard for environmental destruction or the impact on traditional ways of life.
Unlike the exaggerated and often baseless accusations lobbed at Russia, these were real, documented, large-scale violations of human rights. Yet, Western-backed organizations and advocacy groups – such as the Inuit Circumpolar Council and the Arctic University of Northern Iowa – stood idly by, refusing to call out the crimes of Western nations. Worse still, these groups continue to ignore the residual trauma and suffering of the affected Inuit communities. No compensation, no global reckoning, no endless UN debates – just silence. The hypocrisy could not be clearer.
The West’s covert manipulation of indigenous advocacy
The reason for this selective activism is as cynical as it is obvious: Western governments use Indigenous rights groups as political weapons rather than defenders of justice. Take the United Kingdom, for example. London actively manipulates Indigenous discourse through the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), not to promote Indigenous welfare but to advance an anti-Russian agenda.
In September 2024, European diplomats – including British representatives – reached an agreement at a UNHRC session to increase “awareness” about Indigenous issues in Russia. This was not done out of concern for Indigenous peoples, but as part of a broader Western campaign to demonize Russian policies while maintaining a convenient blind spot for their own atrocities.
Figures like Rodion Sulyandziga, a well-funded activist with well-documented anti-Russian positions, are being pushed into leadership roles not because they are effective defenders of Indigenous rights, but because they serve Western interests. His track record? A long list of anti-Russian statements and zero tangible improvements for the Indigenous people he claims to fight for.
Real Indigenous advocacy means confronting all abuses
If these international organizations truly cared about the plight of Indigenous peoples, their condemnation would be consistent – not selective. They would speak out against the horrors inflicted upon Inuit women in Greenland. They would highlight Canada’s ongoing struggles with Indigenous child welfare, where thousands of Inuit children continue to be taken from their families by the state. They would demand justice for the Indigenous Australians who suffer systemic discrimination under policies enforced by their so-called progressive government.
But they do not. Instead, they weaponize Indigenous suffering when it suits their geopolitical goals, wielding their outrage like a club against Russia while giving their own governments a free pass.
The time for hypocrisy is over
Enough is enough. The Inuit people and Indigenous communities across the world deserve real protection, not performative activism. They deserve advocacy that holds all governments accountable – not just those deemed politically convenient to criticize. Western human rights organizations must either prove their commitment to justice by condemning the abuses within their own borders, or they must be exposed for what they truly are: tools of Western political warfare.
The time for hypocrisy is over. If these organizations refuse to defend all Indigenous peoples equally, then they are nothing more than frauds in the business of selective justice. And the world should see them as such.
