More than 1000 Crimean Tatars Commemorated the Victims of Deportation on Top of Chatyr-Dag Mountain

15 May 2011

May 15, 2011 the action-requiem “Chatyr-Dag – 2011” timed to the 67th anniversary of Deportation of the Crimean Tatar people was held in Crimea.

More than 1000 people of different ages took part in the action.

Despite such long distance – 16 km – people climbed the top of one of the highest Crimean mountains – Chatyr-Dag, thus commemorating the victims of the Deportation.

Milli Mejlis, the World Congress of Crimean Tatars and Seydamet Yagyaev, the Vice-President of the Crimean Federation of national wrestling Kuresh have supported the action-requiem for several years. It’s already became one of traditions of the Crimean Tatar people.

2011 wasn’t an exception to the rule. Last year around 450 people gathered to commemorate the victims of the Deportation. This year more young people – patriots of our homeland joined the action – all in all 1000 people. The following youth organizations took part in the action: Crimean Tatar Youth Center, Bizm Qirim (Our Crimea), Emel (Aspiration), Qardashlik (Brotherhood), Yashlar Shurasi (Youth Council), students and pupils from various Crimean regions. At 9 a.m. the participants of the action gathered on the passage of Aqmescit – Yalta road, prayed and started their ascent. Young activists went around 8 kilometers with Crimean Tatar flags and climbed into the western peak of Chatyr-Dag – Eklizi-Burun. After subjugation of the mountain on 1527 meter height the participants of the action made a prayer and performed the national Crimean Tatar anthem “Ant Etkenmen” (I’ve swore).

Seydamet Yagyaev, initiator of Chatyr-Dag climbing noted that the action was aimed not only at preserving of the memory of the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people, but uniting of all Crimean Tatar youth. He also told that the idea of subjugation of one of the highest Crimean mountains – Eklizi-Burun wasn’t new. Seydamet Ametovich organized the first such march 7 years ago. Its participants numbered 25 students of the Crimean Engineering Pedagogical University where he lectures. The number of the participants of the action dedicated to commemoration of the victims of the deportation of Crimean Tatar in May 18, 1944 increased every year. Nevertheless, according to S.Yagyaev whatever the number of the climbing is the idea of it is more important.