Crimea has always been different from the mainland; it has its own ethnic groups, its own leaders and its own history, and with its complex and often fraught mix of cultures and languages it is a place which has been “overburdened” with history. Crimea can be described in terms of identity politics as it is perceived widely as Russian but also has a substantial group of Tatars. It is distinctly less Ukrainian than the rest of Ukraine. The balance between these identities was changed radically in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when many Tatars returned from exile, Crimean autonomy was established and Ukraine itself became independent from the USSR. The region quickly went from being a relaxation spot for Soviet vacationers to a place of tension between Tatars, Russians and Ukrainians. To this day the Tatars continue to fight for what they lost during their exile.Crimean Tatars are a Turkic people who inhabited Crimea for more than seven centuries. In the 1440s they established their own khanate and were a significant Eastern European power until 1783, when Crimea was annexed to Russia. During this time hundreds of thousands of Tatars emigrated to Ottoman Turkey, where many remain today as a vocal lobby. Furthermore, during World War II, the Tatars were the tragic victims of Stalin's oppressive policies, despite the fact that thousands fought against fascist opponents. On May 18, 1944 the USSR's leadership accused them of collaborating with the Nazis and deported the entire population to Central Asia, the Urals and Siberia. Although in 1967 a Soviet decree removed the charges, the Soviet government did nothing to assist their return to Crimea or to compensate for lost lives, land and property. All of the Tatars' infrastructure including schools, mosques and other buildings were expropriated by the Soviet regime and have not been returned. Most Tatars returned to find their old homes and lands occupied by others. To this day they continue to fight to get back what is rightfully theirs, and there is a shared feeling of persecution and trauma within the community.
However, at the same time the Tatars have come a long way. They are now part of the Crimean government as well as sitting in the Rada in Kiev. Approximately 270,000 Tatars have now returned (around 14 percent of the population of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea). For its part the Ukrainian government unconditionally accepted the Tatars back and immediately gave all of them political, social, cultural and citizenship rights, and President Viktor Yushchenko claims to give strong support to their resettlement and integration, collaborating closely with the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (the executive body of the Crimean Tatar Parliament). But as is usual with Ukraine there are plenty of words but not enough action. While Kiev has provided financial support for resettlement, it remains insufficient given that the Tatars are starting from scratch and need money to construct schools and produce textbooks in a language that was long prohibited. Land is also a major source of dispute, and high unemployment forces many to work in the shadow economy, where they regularly face violence from criminal gangs. In addition, there are many issues linked to statutes, local authorities and culture which must be sorted out. Moreover, Kiev does not provide any legal basis for the Tatars' presence. The fact is Ukraine's leadership is in a permanent state of shambles, lacking unity and commitment, and is therefore simply unable to handle the situation adequately.
This situation should be rectified as a matter or urgency. Not least because the Tatars are the most pro-Ukrainian force in Crimea, and they envision their future with an independent Ukraine and support integration with the EU -- unlike many in the predominantly Russian-speaking Crimea, where the Ukrainian leadership is not welcomed and frequently “egged” when it does appear. Indeed, during a recent visit to Crimea, I found it difficult to find Ukrainian speakers. Ukraine's leadership needs its Tatar population as an anchor to Crimea because everywhere you go, whether it be the nightclubs of Yalta, the port of Sevastopol or the historical ruins in Balaklava, there is a definite sense of Russia all around you.
Ukraine's leadership needs to pull itself together, get their country back on course and start to do more to support its Tatar community, giving greater attention to their economic and social difficulties, thereby putting an end to the frustration and dissatisfaction that is increasingly being expressed. Kiev should follow through on previously reached agreements and promises including a fair resolution of the land disputes. The Tatars have suffered enough -- it is time to give them a future beyond their painful past. It will be a win-win situation for both.
Benzer Haberler 
