«Hoş Keldiniz, Cengiz Dagci», – Said Crimea and Crimean Tatar People to Its Great Son

02 October 2011

In accordance with the last will of the prominent writer Cengiz Dagci, dead on September 22, 2011 in London, as well as the appeals of his relatives, in particular Cengiz Dagci’s junior sister Ayshe khanum, living in Simferopol. On October 2, 2011 dzhenaze merasimi (praying) was held in Qebir Jami in Simferopol for our great national Cengiz Dagci.

The day before, on October 1, 2011 the body of the Crimean Tatar classic was transported by the company “Turkish Airlines” to the international airport of Simferopol from London via Istanbul.

The Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev, President of the World Congress of Crimean Tatars Refat Chubarov, acting the Permanent representative of the President of Ukraine in ARC Viktor Plakida, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of ARC Georgiy Psarev, Minister of culture of ARC Alena Plakida, members of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, veterans of the Crimean Tatar national movement, Crimean Tatar writers, representatives of numerous Crimean Tatar organizations, creative unions from various countries and youth came to Qebir Jami to say goodbye to the world-famous Crimean Tatar writer and novelist.

The official delegation from Turkey arrived at Crimea to participate in Cengiz Dagci’s funeral ceremony. The delegation was headed by the Minister of the Foreign Affairs of Turkey Akhmet Davutoglu who assisted in transportation of Cengiz Dagci’s body from Great Britain to Crimea.

The Turkish delegation consisted of the Minister of culture of the Republic of Turkey Ertugrul Gunay, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Ukraine Ahmet Bulent Meric, famous historian, professor of the University of Ankara Bilkent Khakan Qirimly, Head of the Eurasian Union of Writers Yakup Deliomeroglu, representatives of the Turkish government, leaders of the Department of foreign Turks of the Council of Ministers of Turkish Republic, lecturers of Turkish universities, representatives of Crimean Tatar society of culture and mutual assistance of Turkey and many other officials from Turkey.

After the overall afternoon prayer in Qebir Jami there was a funeral prayer for the talented writer and novelist Cengiz Dagci.
The Chairman of Mejlis Mustafa Jemilev along with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu and Mufti of Muslims of Crimea hajji Emirali Ablaev covered the body of the great son of Crimean Tatars Cengiz Dagci with the Crimean Tatar flag.

During djenaze namaz, held by Mufti of Muslims of Crimea hajji Emirali Ablaev and the Head of the Department of religion of the Republic of Turkey Mekhmet Gormez Crimean Tatar, Turkish, Ukrainian and British flag were raised.

The students of CIPU gave everyone who entered the mosque to take part in the funeral praying a small cards depicting Cengiz Dagci against the background of the Crimean Tatar flag.

“Every generation of the Crimean Tatar people and the whole Turkish world will always remember Cengiz Dagci’s name,” – the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev said during the funeral praying in Qebir jami on October 2, 2011. Due to many works of our great national the world knew about the tragedy of the Crimean Tatar people – forced deportation of 1944”.

According to the leader of Mejlis, Cengiz Dagci and his works about his native land are the vivid example of an inexhaustible love to one’s homeland and the place of one’s birth. “The God gave Cengiz Dagci long life most of which he devoted to serving to his native land – Crimea,” – leader of Mejlis noted and read a prayer in memory of the great classic. The Chairman of Mejlis also expressed the special words of gratitude to the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey for the assistance, provided in execution of Cengiz Dagci’s last will and transportation of the body of the late Cengiz Dagci to his homeland to be buried in Qyzyltash.

The Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of ARC Georgiy Psarev expressed his condolences to the Crimean Tatar people in connection with the death of the great and famous Crimean Tatar writer Cengiz Dagci and noted that after the evil will threw Cengiz Dagci abroad he devoted all his life to serving to his people and native land. “The theme of Crimean and Crimean Tatars, love to his homeland and his mother, war and captivity was present in many Cengiz Dagci’s works,” – Psarev said. For many Crimean Tatars, returning to Crimea as well as for those who still leave outside Crimea all his works will serve as a clue on the way of the national self-preservation.

“The funeral and farewell with the greatest sons of one’s people is undoubtedly the tragedy for every one of us, – the famous historian, professor of the University of Ankara Bilkent Khakan Qirimly noted in his speech in the funeral ceremony. But, at the same time today we meet in our homeland one of the bright classics of the Crimean Tatar and Turkish literature Cengiz Dagci”. According to Khakan Qirimly wherever the writer Cengiz Dagci was – at war, in captivity or abroad Crimea was always in his heart.

Addressing the high Turkish guests, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Davutoglu and Minister of culture of Turkey Mr. Gonay professor Khakan Qirimly thanked the Republic of Turkey and brotherly Turkish people for the assistance in return of Cengiz Dagci’s body to his homeland. “May the God blesses the Turkish people,” – Khakan Qirimly said.

The Minister of culture of Turkey Mr. Erturgul Gonay also stressed that Crimea really meets his son Cengiz Dagci who carried love to his homeland and warm words to his mother and relatives through all his long life abroad.

On behalf of the Turkish people, President of Turkey and the Head of the Government of the Turkish Republic the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mr. Ahmet Davutoglu expressed his condolences to the relatives and friends of Cengiz Dagci, as well as to the whole Crimean Tatar people. “Our common duty is to give its due to the memory of the great writer and a person whose works have brought up and bringing up several generations of the Turkish world. The participation in the funeral ceremony is the manifestation of our gratitude and our duty before Cengiz Dagci for his contribution to the literature,” – Mr. Davutoglu stressed.

The Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Davutoglu informed that he knew about the Cengiz Dagci’s death during his official visit to Kirgizstan – the native land of another one great writer Chingiz Aytmatov whose works, according to Mr. Davutoglu as well as Cengiz Dagci’s works in many respects resemble his world outlook and his attitude to life.

After the funeral prayer for the famous writer and novelist Cengiz Dagci the mourning procession headed to his native village Qyziltash (Krasnokamenka) next to Yalta where he was buried in the Muslim cemetery.

After the end of the funeral ceremony the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Mr. Ahmet Davutoglu expressed their condolences to Cengiz Dagci’s junior sister – Ayshe khanum and close relatives of the world classic.

The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Crimea Georgiy Psarev and acting the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in Crimea Viktor Plakida laid flowers to the writer’s grave.