Crimean Tatars

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Flag of the Crimean Tatars

The Crimean Tatars (Qırımtatar, Pl. Qırımtatarlar aka Qırımtürklerı) are a Turkic people group living in the Crimean peninsula, the homeland of the Crimean Tatars. Crimean Tatars speak the Crimean Tatar language.

In addition to living in Crimea, there is a large diaspora of the Crimean Tatars in Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Western Europe and North America. (See Crimean Tatar diaspora for more information)

Under the regime of Joseph Stalin, Crimean Tatars living in the former Soviet Union were deported its various repulbics. (See the International Committee for Crimea for details)

Contents
1 History
2 Related articles
3 Wikisource
4 External links

History

Crimean Tatars ancestors are all steppe peoples migrated to Crimea till 12th century, such as Scythians, Goths, Kumans and Kipchaks. Current name is in use since 13th century when Crimea was occupied by Mongols (or Tatars, as they were known in Europe and Russia).

Between the 15th and 18th centuries they constituted Crimean Khanate, allied with the Ottomans, which prospered until it fell under Russian rule. Before its annexion, it used to be a major power in Eastern Europe with diplomatic relations with Sweden, Poland and other countries in Europe.

Continued persecution, Slavic colonization, the Crimean War of 1853 and the laws of 1860-63 and 1874 caused an exodus (ethnic cleansing) of the Crimean Tatars faced with a tough choice between freedom and homeland. Many abandoned their irrigated fields and gardens and moved to the Ottoman Empire (today's Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey). Those of the south coast, intermarried with Crimean Greeks and Italians, and were well known for their skill in gardening. The mountain Tatars closely resemble those of the Caucasus, while those of the steppes–the Nogais–are decidedly of a mixed origin from Turks and Mongols.

Ismail Bey Gaspirali (1851-1914) was a renowned Crimean Tatar intellectual, whose efforts laid the foundation for the survival of his people in their homeland.

During the Great Purge, an entire generation of statesmen and intellectuals, such as Veli Ibrahim and Bekir Sidki Cobanzade (1893-1937), was destroyed on false charges.

During World War II, the entire Crimean Tatar population in Crimea fell victim to Stalin's oppressive policies. In spite of the fact that the vast majority of Crimean Tatar men were enlisted in the Red Army, the existence of Tatar Legion in the Nazi army provided the Soviets with a pretext for accusing the whole Crimean Tatar population of being Nazi collaborators. Modern researchers consider that real reason was the geopolitical position of Crimea where Tatars were percieved as a threat. This belief is based in part on an analogy with numerous other cases of deportations of non-Russians from boundary territories (see, e.g., Involuntary settlements in the Soviet Union), as well as the fact that other non-Russian population, such as Greeks and Armenians have also been removed from the Crimea.

All Crimean Tatars were deported (en masse), in a form of collective punishment, on 18 May 1944 as special settlers to Central Asia and other distant parts of the Soviet Union. The decree "On Crimean Tatars" describes the resettlement as a very humane procedure. The reality described by the victims in their memoirs was different. 46.3% of the resettled population died of diseases and malnutrition. This event is called Surgun in the Crimean Tatar language.

Although a 1967 Soviet decree removed the charges against Crimean Tatars, the Soviet government did nothing to facilitate their resettlement in Crimea and to make reparations for lost lives and confiscated property.

Today, more than 250,000 Crimean Tatars have returned to their homeland, struggling to re-establish their lives and reclaim their national and cultural rights against many social and economic obstacles.

Mustafa Abdulcemil Kirimoglu (Dzhemilev, Jemilev) is the leader of the Crimean Tatars and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People. They endorsed and supported Viktor Yushchenko in the Ukrainian presidential election, 2004.

Related articles

Wikisource

External links

See also: Crimean Tatars, 1853, 1860, 1863, 1874, 18 May, 1944, 1967, Armenians, Bekir Sidki Cobanzade