All-Crimean Mourning Meeting, May 18, 2011

18 May 2011

On May 18, 2011 more than 25 thousand people took part in the all-Crimean mourning meeting timed to the 67th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people from its historical homeland – Crimea.

At the morning on May 18, 2011 the local mourning meetings were held and prayers were served for those who died during the deportation and decades of forced detention in the places of expatriation in every settlement in Crimea, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
In the morning the flowers were put to the memorable signs and monuments, prayers were made and mourning meetings were held. Columns of participants of the meeting marched along the streets of Simferopol from the railroad station, Salgirka Park, Zapadnaya bus station, Pobeda Avenue and M.Zhukov micro-district to the central square.

At 12 p.m., local time there was an International action “Minute of Grieve and Unity”. Participants of the action regardless their location stopped for few minutes, bend their heads and prayed for those who didn’t return and thanked the God that we today all together live in our homeland.

More than 25 thousand people gathered at the central square in Simferopol. The First Deputy Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, President of Crimean Tatar World Congress Refat Chubarov opened the all-Crimean mourning meeting commemorating the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people – deportation of May 18, 1944 and decades of forced detention in the places of expatriation. After National Anthem of Ukraine and Crimean Tatar hymn were performed Mufti of Crimean Muslims Hadji Emirali Ablaev made prayer for those who died during the deportation and decades of forced detention in the places of expatriation. After this the following officials addressed the participants of the meeting: the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of ARC Vasily Dzharty, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Turkish Republic Department on the issues of foreign Turks Kemal Urtnach, member of Executive committee of Crimean Tatar World Congress Amet Varol, member of the Parliament of Rumania Amet Alledin, assistant of Rumanian State Minister on national minorities Nejat Sali, deputy Head of people’s Rukh of Ukraine, MP of Ukraine Vyacheslav Koval, Head of Crimean Tatar association of culture and mutual assistance in Bursa town Adnan Suen, member of association of Crimean Tatar communities of Ukraine Joseph Zissels, member of Assembly of Christian – Democratic Union Yuri Reshetnikov, member of political council of the party “Front Zmin” Viktor Elensky. The meeting was also attended by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of ARC Vladimir Konstantinov and the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea Vladimir Yatsuba.

Vasily Dzharty addressing participants of the meeting noted that the day commemorating the victims of the deportation that touched the whole Crimean Tatar people, Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Germans and people of other nationalities. “This is a crime that has no boundaries. Today our task – the authorities’ task is to make Crimean Tatars feel that the authorities in Crimea care of them, to make this people live instead of survive, and to make them be sure in tomorrow,” – the Head of Crimean Government said. He also read the address of the President of Ukraine to the meeting dedicated to the 67th anniversary of the tragic events.
Speaking before the participants of the all-Crimean mourning meeting the Chairman of Crimean Tatar association of culture and mutual assistance in Istanbul Dzhelyal Ichten stressed that he is “glad to be with his people at that day”, underscoring that the Crimean Tatar people is a power and support for Crimean Tatar diaspora in Turkey and not only. “We are always with you,” – Dzhelyal Ichten said, addressing his nationals. The Head of Crimean Tatar association of culture and mutual assistance in Bursa Adnan Suen expressed his words of sorrow for those who died, stressing that “every representative of the Crimean Tatar people remembers the tragic history of his people and honors the memory of those who died during the deportation”. The famous Turkish historian of Crimean Tatar origin, professor of Bilkent University, PhD in History, son of the Chairman of Crimean Tatar association of culture and mutual assistance of Turkey A.I. Qirimly – Hakan Qirimly said that the Crimean Tatar people must never forget its roots and keep on remaining a single and united one in all causes”.
The Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev in his annual speech on the all-Crimean mourning meeting, commemorating the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people – deportation of May 18, 1944 and decades of forced detention in the places of expatriation, addressed participants of the mourning meeting and gave a brief analysis of the events of the passed year that were connected to a certain extent with solution of the problems of our people. The Chairman of Mejlis expressed his confidence that Crimean Tatars will oppose any manifestations of separatism and extremism. “We will do our best in order to solve all problems in Crimea in non-violence way, in tune of respect of the legal rights of all ethnic groups living in our land, – Mustafa Jemilev underscored. This is an only way that will let us achieve the restoration of the rights of our people”.
Participants of the meeting approved the Resolution of the all-Crimean mourning meeting, commemorating the victims of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people.