News coverage of the current dramatic situation in Crimea has so far had little to say about the Tatars. Their history has been one of repression and deportation, but they should not be overlooked.

Crimean Tatars: 

tragic past and unecrtain present

by DAVID MARPLES and DAVID F. DUKE

The Crimean Tatars have sometimes been overlooked during the recent events in Crimea that have resulted from Russia’s decision to send military forces on to the peninsula, allegedly to protect local Russians. While ethnic Russians comprise a majority of the population today, the Tatars’ association with the region is lengthy and complex: they regard it as their ancestral homeland, albeit one with a lengthy and often tragic past.

.............


The Tatars are one of three major ethnic groups on the peninsula, making up just over 12% of the population there (Ukrainians 24% and ethnic Russians 59%). 77% of the peninsula population cite Russian as their first language.

Though the history of Crimea is complex, both the Tatars and Ukraine are significant actors and today they have common interests. About 75% of basic provisions and 85% of electricity there derive from mainland Ukraine. Under Ukrainian rule, Tatars have regained their autonomous status.

Moreover, the experience and legacy of Russian control remains for many Tatars a bitter one of trampled cultural beliefs and language, deportations, and general lack of recognition of their territorial rights. Tatars have been active in protests in recent years. Most have been concerned with their status on the peninsula rather than in Ukraine. They should not be forgotten or overlooked during the current crisis.

........


Read more: www.opendemocracy.net