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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Tatars Cannot Tolerate "Minority" Status in Crimea

10 April, 1999 - 00:00

By Inna ZOLOTUKHINA, The Day

Crimean Tatars staged a meeting of protest in front of the Crimean Supreme
Council last Thursday. Over 5,000 attended, and Remzi Ablayev, acting Chairman
of Majlis, told The Day: "April 8, 1999, marks the 216th anniversary
of the colonialist invasion of the Crimea. Our meeting is held in commemoration
of all those who died or were driven out of their native land." Crimean
Tatars also put forward a number of demands addressed to the autonomous
republic and central government. "Tatars living in the Crimea are actually
deprived of all rights," Remzi Ablayev is convinced. "There are few Tatar
representative in the Crimean Parliament and they are unable to influence
any of the decisions made. Tatars are barred from executive posts and the
fact remains that we constitute 12% of the population of the peninsula.
We do not consider ourselves a minority. Tatars are the autochthons of
the Crimea and they must participate in its political and economic life."
Another meeting is scheduled for April 18 if the authorities fail to meet
the Tatar demands.

 

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