Crimean Tatars - citizenship
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Date: Fri, 20 Mar 1998 18:31:30 +0200 (EET)
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Subject: Crimean Tatars - citizenship
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Kurtmolla Abdulganijew
<[email protected]>
Crimean Tatars - citizenship
Crimean Tatars' demands of the Citizeship.
Crimean Tatars were deported in 1944. After the USSR collapse,
returning Crimean Tatars have been appealing for their righs. But
appeals were not heard by authorities.
And also recently passed laws "About elections of heads of the local
representative power", "About elections to Supreme Rada of Autonomous
Crimean Republic" and others just a continuation of this treatment.
This discrimination is closely connected with the question of the
citizenship.
It is estimated that about 70 of 167 thousand Crimean Tatars in
electoral age, still do not have the citizenship of the Ukraine. In
practice it means that they cannot work in state organizations, cannot
cross the border, cannot participate in process of privatization and
cannot use the social and political benefits of
the state, like for example right to vote. It is especially displayed
now, before the elections which will be held at Match 29.
Under current regulations Crimean Tatar representation will be 3-4
times underrepresented. And Ukrainian authorities regardless endless
statements of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, did not undertake
any step torward solving this urgent problem. There was propositions
for automatic giving the citizenship but there was problems with
denouncing the Uzbek citizenship. But surprisingly - before the visit
of the President of Uzbekistan the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Ambassador of Ukraine in Uzbekistan stated that there is no any
discrepancy with the Uzbek side. Crimean Tatars in protest against
such a situation orginized picket in front of the Crimean Supreme
Rada, and at March 10 demonstration in Simferopol (Crimean capital)
was organized.
Simultaneously the Bishkek Agreement which was signed by the members
of CIS, and Ukraine ratified it in 1993 is not abided. Accordingly to
it "sides provides to all deported people, who voluntarily return to
the place of their settlement before the deportation, equal with
living there citizens political, economic and social rights and
conditions for settelment, job placement, education, national,
cultural and spiritual development".
Great number of statements of the representatives of international
organizations (UN, OSCE) confirm existing discrimination. For example
OSCE High Commissioner for National Minorites Mr. Max van der Stoel at
14 February directed special letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in which he urgently asked to take into consideration necessity of
ensuring representation for Crimean Tatars.
In the Mejlis statement from 16 February is underlined that
"deliberately delaying of the process of giving citizenship for
returning Crimean Tatars is the act of the sequence polcy of national
discrimination of the Crimean Tatar People, which aim of which is
depriving their right for political representation in the organs of
legislative, executive and judicial powers.
It is surprising (unbelievable) that Crimean Tatar problem has not
been resolved, though Crimean Tatars are regarded as the one of the
most pro-Ukrainian group on Crimean peninsula. Their adherence to
non-violent resolutions of conflicts is widely known. Until now
Crimean Tatars had their own 14 representatives in the Crimean
Assembly, which was elected under special arrangements (national
quotas). But it was non-recurrent agreement (it was achieved by mass
actions of Crimean Tatars, including blockade of roads and railroads)
and there is no any willingness to repeat or at least to negotiate
with the Crimean Tatars about new arrangement. All democratic forces
in Crimea every time stressed that Crimean Tatar faction (Qurultai)
was the most consistent supporter of the democratic transformation in
Crimea. If Ukrainian and Crimean authorities will not go to compromise
it means that for the 4 years Crimean Tatars will not have their own
representation in the legislative branch.
It is clear that such a situation is an overt discrimination and
disrespect of our rights as a native people of the Crimea. And also
clear that without solution of such a vital question one could not
speak about democracy and equal rights in Crimea.
-----------------
(Moderator adds: The letter of the OSCE High Commissioner on National
Minorities to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Hennady
Udovenko of 14 February 1997 mentioned by Kurtmolla can be found at
the MINELRES web site -
http://www.riga.lv/minelres/count/ukraine/970214r.htm.
Boris)
--
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