He was born 17.06.1930. He graduated from the Psychiatry Department of Lvov State University by I.Franko in 1954.Since 1960, he organized a publication and distribution of samizdat (unofficial edition ). First time, he was arrested in August of 1965. In April of 1966, he was sent up for 6 years of high security. He serves a sentence in Mordovia. In July of 1967, he was for “propaganda” and distribution of samizdat, sent up for 3 years in Vlodimir central prison. He went at large in August of 1971. In this period, he published illegally the “Bulletin” of Helsinki group (#4-7), the political families had him in tow. Again, he was arrested in December of 1981, was sent up for 10 years of special high security and for 5 years of exile. He went at large in July of 1987. Member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group since November 1982. One of the founders of the Ukrainian Republican Party. People’s Deputy of the first convocation (1990-1994). Dear reader! Before you a unique collection of documents on the history of the Crimean Tatar people’s struggle for the return to their homeland. As it is well known, at the end of WWII the Russian Communist Empire resorted to reprisals against the Crimean Tatar people and other peoples, having accused them of “betrayal of the motherland.” Actually, the empire was not the Motherland for the repressed peoples, nor for other enslaved peoples. The imperial-Communist ruling circles used this political phraseology to cover up the real content of the genocide against dozens of enslaved nations. Over the period of Moscow power’s existence, its rulers have many times resorted to mass repressions against colonies, which opposed enslavement. However, they have not use the practice to which Stalin’s administration has resorted – to deport the entire nation in hundreds of boxcars to the Urals and Central Asia. Contrary to the stereotypes forced on the colonies by the Communist regime – that only groups or classes, but never an entire people, can be perpetrators – Stalin’s administration turned to reprisal against the entire people. The regime has easily forgotten this ideological maxim, and, celebration victory over Nazi Germany, Stalin pronounced a toast in honor of great Russian people as victors, ignoring other peoples. In atmosphere of patriotic inebriation, and taking advantage of the opportunity that the male population was fighting at the fronts of the WWII, Moscow government undertakes the deportation of the Crimean Tatar women, children and the elderly. Those who researched this dramatic page of the Crimean Tatars history give different numbers of deportees, in particular 238,500 people. The deportation process itself was barbaric. People slated for deportation did not have an opportunity to pack provisions. They were thrown in cattle wagons. On the way to the destinations and during the first years in exile half of the deportees perished. The NKVD and the Party activists held the other half under strict control. However, in a few years, having settled a little, Crimean Tatars began to apply to the different state and party organs, particularly after Stalin’s death and criticism of his repressive policy, demanding to be recognized as victims of Stalinism and be permitted to return to the Motherland. However, the permission was not forthcoming, while attempts to return to Crimea without permission resulted in repeated deportations by means no less brutal than in 1944. Leaders of the Crimean Tatar communities, young generation that grew up in reservations, took trenchant measures to return to the homeland about which they knew only from their parents’ stories. Numerous semi-legal and covert meetings of activists of the Crimean Tatar National movement were held. These meetings adopted decisions on non-violent measures to pressure the Soviet regime into allowing the return of the Crimean Tatar people to the Motherland and the restoration of their rights. In 1960s the Crimean Tatar movement, created on basis of democratic principles, became mass political phenomenon unprecedented under the Communist regime. The Crimean Tatar Movement influenced other national movements and budding human rights groups. This induced the government to adopt Decree of Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of USSR from 5 September 1967, which partially rehabilitated the Crimean Tatar people. However, in practice, until the end of 1990s various sub-legal acts have barred the Crimean Tatars from returning to Crimea. “The Chronicle of Current Events” (informational bulletin issued since 1968 by a group of Moscow dissidents) constantly published materials on human rights activists of the Crimean Tatar people. Only during the first decade of 1957-1967, the Crimean Tatars sent “hundreds of thousands of collective and individual letters with demands to put an end to the injustice” (Issue # 2 of “The Chronicle of Current Events”). Ukrainian Major-General Petro Hryhorenko, Russian philologist Larisa Bogoraz, Moscow physicist Pavel Litvinov and others spoke in defense of the Crimean Tatar people’s rights. The Crimean Tatar issue was at the center of attention of Russian human rights activists. One should note that Crimean Tatars experience in the protection of human rights influenced human rights movement in the USSR. As Ludmila Alekseyeva noted, publication of “Informational bulletin” promoted the appearance of “The Chronicle of Current Events.” But 1970 and 198s were not only a period of dynamic activity of the Crimean Tatar movement, but also the period of numerous arrests and repressions against the Crimean Tatar leaders. Observing Crimean Tatar movement today one marvels at its well thought through political, educational, and publishing activities. By virtue of these activities the Crimean Tatars are overcoming the resistance of governmental institutions of the ARC and conservatively predisposed Russian-speaking community in Crimea. One cannot overlook the determination and sacrifices of the Crimean Tatars in the fight for their rights. When Musa Mamut used all opportunities to remain at his homeland, and he and his family were faced with another deportation from Crimea, he set himself on fire on June 28, 1978. The same year, a Ukrainian, Oleksa Hirnyk committed self-immolation in protest of the Russification of the Ukrainian people. Destinies of these two peoples have a lot of in common. Already for nine years, the Ukrainians and the Crimean Tatars live in one state. To a large extent, peace in the region depends on the relationship between them. Involvement of the Ukrainian authors into publishing books on the history of Crimean Tatar movement and its coverage from the Crimean Tatars and Ukrainian perspective will undoubtedly promote deeper mutual understanding. There is no other way to mutual understanding other than mutual learning and respect. Studying of the Ukrainian language, literature and history in the Crimean Tatar schools, and participation of the representatives of the Ukrainian science and culture on the local Crimean Tatar TV and radio, and, in turn, of the Crimean Tatar scientific and cultural figures in the Ukrainian electronic Mass Media, is the way towards a rapprochement between our peoples. The Ukrainian state took upon itself a burden of expenses connected with the repatriation of the Crimean Tatars to Crimea, although it would have been fair if the state which declared itself successor state of the USSR, namely the Russian Federation, has shared these expenses. Crimean Tatars are returning to their Motherland. They return with a hope, and with belief in independent Ukraine. I am sure, dear reader, that the publication which is before you will make a significant contribution towards better understanding of the Crimean Tatar people, their history and aspirations in the young Ukrainian state, and will help them to find a home here. |
