Crimean news 72.
(Mass
Media review for 21-26 August 2000.)
Articles are abridged.
L.Kuchma is satisfied with his meetings with the states heads, held
under the summit of CIS.
Statement dedicated to the issues of conducting Summit
and Assembly of millenium.
Main problems are not being solved.
They have discussed the issues of housing the deportees and giving land
plots to them.
"Medrese with chain" is 500 years old.
Dzhanike-Khanim. From the epoch of Golden Horde - into the third millenium.
Leonid Grach* "adores" Crimean Tatars…
Politics.
L.Kuchma is satisfied with his
meetings with the states heads, held under the summit of CIS.
The President of Ukraine L.Kuchma is satisfied
with meetings with the leaders of CIS countries, which were held in Crimea in
the framework of Yalta Commonwealth summit.
"We have discussed all the issues of
two-sided agreements and made decisions on many of them", -said the
President.
L.Kuchma also noted that unofficial meetings
with the leaders of CIS countries had given an opportunity to discuss many
problems.
The main problems to be discussed at the
meetings were the prospective of free trade zone in the frameworks of CIS,
Ukraine's participating in transport corridor Europe-Caucasus-Central Asia.
Altogether nine CIS leaders took part in the summit. Presidents of Uzbekistan
and Kyrgizstan could not take part in the summit due to internal problems in
their countries.
Interfax-Ukraine, "Krimskiye Izvestiya", #154 (2158), 22 August
2000, p.1.
Statement dedicated to the issues
of conducting Summit and Assembly of millenium.
Leaders of CIS countries - participants of
unofficial meeting in Yalta adopted a statement, dedicated to the issues of
Summit and Assembly of millenium.
The statement mentions the followings: on the
threshold of important events in the history of UNO, states leaders note a
strong aspiration of international community to build a stable and safe world,
free of war and violence…
Interfax-Ukraine, "Krimskiye Izvestiya", #154 (2158), 22
August 2000, p.1.
Permanent Representative of the President of
Ukraine in Crimea, Anatoliy Korneychuk addressed to the chairman of Council of
Crimean Tatar people's representatives attached to the President asking him to
give "a public evaluation to hooligan actions in Nizhnegorsk district and
assist security organs to punish the instigators of crime actions.
On August 19, a group of Crimean Tatars acting
under the leadership of the chairman of local Mejlis blocked railway road.
The Representative of the state head believes
that such actions can't be "taken as a form of fighting for Crimean Tatar
people's interests and problems. In his opinion, such a behavior is classified
as hooliganism, which is prosecuted by criminal law.
Mariya Lashkina, "Krimskaya gazeta" #155 (16011), 26 August
2000, p.2.
Our information: *Nizhnegorsk district is one of Crimean districts,
located in the North-South part of the peninsula. Village Nizhnegorsk is its
center.
Our commentaries: Crimean Tatars,
who follow non-violence methods of fighting are compelled to resort to extreme
measures in order to draw up government's attention to their urgent problems.
In the course of Crimean Tatar people's fight for its return to motherland and
restoring of its rights, other methods of fighting were useless. And only using
of such actions of citizenry's disobedience allowed drawing up government's
attention to solution of Crimean Tatars' various problems. In the course of
Crimean Tatars' fight such actions have been called both
"hooliganism" and "extremism" and etc. But experience
proves that only in result of such actions could Crimean Tatars attract
official power to solution of their problems.
News
from Mejlis.
On August 21, in Nizhnegorsk district they held
a meeting of the chairman of Crimean Tatar people's Mejlis, M.Dzhemilev, his
deputy R.Chubarov, Mejlis member A.Dzhepparov, heads of state committee on
deported citizens, E.Gafarov, deputy of the chairman of Crimean government
A.Formanchuk, chairman of Nizhnegorsk regional Mejlis S.Deyn and the head of
Nizhnegorsk administration D.Kovalyeva.
The relationships of Crimean Tatars with
district administration were extremely tense before the meeting. Because the
leadership of state administration had ignored the solution of Crimean Tatar
people's problems, its representatives were compelled to restore to some protest
actions.
They adopted a report at the meeting. The
demands it includes are: the Council of Ministers of Crimea should demand from
the head of Nizhnegorsk district administration one staff unit of deputy of
head of district administration, creating a working group for solving the land
issue including representatives of regional Mejlis, making decision to create a
working group for solving problems of education, development of culture and
Crimean Tatars' employment. It also demands that Nizhnegorsk regional mejlis
should be recognized as a plenipotentiary consultative organ attached to
district administration.
After the report had been signed they made a
decision to dismantle the "tent town" in front of the district
administration building.
Press-Service of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people, "Yani Dunya"
("New World"), #34 (535), 28 August 2000, p.4.
Our information:* The "tent town" was initiated by
the representatives of Crimean Tatar people in May 2000.
Housing
of the deported.
Main problems are not being solved.
On August 20, the President of Ukraine met the
members of Council of Crimean Tatar people attached to the President in Yalta.
Representatives of Crimean official power also
took part in the meeting.
When opening the meeting, L.Kuchma ordered to
consider issues prepared by the Council of Crimean Tatar people's
representatives.
In the course of the meeting, they discussed
how President's orders were being implemented, that he had given on results of
the previous meeting held in May.
The Prime Minister of Crimea, S.Kunistin came
out reporting how they were being implemented. He said they were on the stage
of implementing.
The chairman of the Council of Crimean Tatar
people's representatives, M.Dzhemilev, who came out later stated the report,
made by the head of Crimean government, S.Kunitsin did not completely
correspond the reality. He focused on several President's orders, which haven't
been implemented and handed a document with a practical evaluation of their
implementing to the President. M.Dzhemilev also handed documents with urgent
problems, demanding a prompt solution.
The main issue to be discussed at the meeting
was the land issue. Crimean leaders believe that they have used all the methods
and possibilities for its solution and now they have to be solved on local level.
Members of the Council of Crimean Tatar people's representatives used specific
examples of law violations on this issue. They also emphasized that it was
necessary to take specific measures for fair land allotment to the Crimean
Tatars.
It was noted that the next meeting of The
Council of Crimean Tatar people's representatives with the President of Ukraine
would be held in the following September-October.
Press-Service of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people, "Kirim", #38
(586), 28 August 2000, p.1.
They
have discussed the issues of housing the deportees and giving land plots to
them.
L.Kuchma has recognized the work of Crimean
executive power on solving the problem of giving land plots to the Crimean
Tatars as unsatisfactory. The President ordered the Council of Ministers and
heads of regional administrations to consider the land problem in every
district separately.
L.Kuchma ordered the Ministry of Finance to
retain the 2000 level of financing expanses for housing of deported nations in
2001*.
He also ordered to restructure the debt system
of Crimean Tatars for the electricity they have used.
The president ordered the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs to address to the countries where the Crimean Tatars are coming from,
proposing to provide some help to them.
L.Kuchma ordered to consider the issue of
possibility to construct gas main in Belogorsk district, where the Crimean
Tatars live in compact.
In result, the President of Ukraine emphasized
that the solution of the problem of giving land plots to the Crimean Tatars was
possible, but we needed agreed attempts of local power organs and Mejlis for
that.
Interfax-Ukraine, "Krimskiye Izvestiya", #154 (2158), 22
August 2000, p.3.
Our
information: *49 million
grivnas have been planned to be allocated from the state budget for financing
the Program of housing the deportees (1 dollar US = 5,4 grivnas).
Economics.
More than three million people have come on
vacation to Crimea this year and in August - almost 594 thousand. If we compare
it with the last year then we'll get the following result: the numbers are 2739
thousand and 537735 respectively.
The number of people, who spend their time in
organized forms, has increased. It has reached 536 thousand of people in
comparison with 490 thousand last year. The rate of attending health resorts
has reached 98,6% in comparison with 83,9% last year.
Ivan Dyakov, "Krimskaya Pravda", #155 (22568), 28 August 2000,
p.1.
Culture,
history.
"Medrese
with chain" is 500 years old.
A unique complex Zyndzhirli* medrese is located
in the suburb of Bakhchisaray. It is one of the oldest European educational
institutes. Only University in Tartu, found in Eastern Europe is older than it.
And it still exists, but it will take many years to restore Zyndzhirli.
According to tradition, a new capital would be begun
with construction of a new palace. A poet and a scientist, khan Mengli Giray 1 decided
to forget that tradition and before building his new palace he started building
a big medrese on a big mount.
Kahn hung a chain over the door for the
visitors to take a bow when they enter.
The building of medrese would fascinate
everyone, by its strict beauty and harmony. It's a true masterpiece of
architecture of those times. Most state officials, diplomats, interpreters of
the Crimean Khannate studied there. They instructed not only religious sciences
there but also mathematics, astronomy, history, geography, literature…
Graduates could speak several languages: Arabic, Ottoman, some Western Europe
and Slavic languages.
Theological and science works from dozens of
Western and Eastern countries could be found in the library.
The complex of legendary temple of science was
turned into a psychiatric hospital by the Soviet regime. Restored "Medrese
with a chain" would be one of the most important sightseeing of
Bakhchisaray museum-town. In time it would be possible to open theological
faculty here. It would also be possible to open a school of arts of eastern
peoples.
There is an idea to create a National Park of
Ukraine in Bakhchisaray, which would include Khan's Palace, Zyndzhirli museum,
and other places of interests of culture, architecture, nature that the town is
rich in. They have created an organizational committee on preparing measures,
related to the 500th anniversary of Medrese.
Anatoliy Vlasenko, "Krimskaya Gazeta", #153 (16009), 22 August
2000, p.4.
Our information: *Zyndzhir is translated as "chain"
from Crimean Tatar.
Dzhanike-Khanim*.
From the epoch of Golden Horde - into the third millenium.
Elmas Seyitumerova's brochure
"Dzhanike-Khanim" from the series "Significant women of Crimea"
was published by the Community on studying archeological, historicocultural
memorials of Crimea and Moslem sacred places of Crimean Tatar people
"Azizler"**.
It's noteworthy that the author of this
science-and-research work is only 15 years old. Elmas Seyitumerova has finished
9 grades of a Bakhchisaray secondary school with instruction in Crimean Tatar
language. Fascinated by the legends about a secret and wonderful Dzhanike-Khanim,
astonished by oppositions they contained, she decided to collect published and
accessible materials and create a real image of a woman living in epoch of
Golden Horde. A unique research, which will help to learn one of pages of our history,
has become the result of this tremendous work.
Feride Vait, "Golos Krima", #35 (354), 23 August 2000, p.3.
Our information: *Dzhanike-Khanim (Menkandzhah-Khanim)
daughter of the leader of Golden Hodre. She lived in the 15th
century in Crimea and died in 1437.
**Azizler means "Sacred" in Crimean Tatar.
Analytical material.
Leonid
Grach* "adores" Crimean Tatars…
A story about people who tried to
turn wind into a storm…
Everything began when attempts of Mejlis of the
Crimean Tatars, responding ill-some fits of anti-Tatar propaganda of regular
accusations in "wahabbism" and other "sins", new publications
about so-called "Moslem legions of the third Reich", to find any
protection from these blackening accusations in court and power organs led to a
frank mockery - suit to "Krimskaya Pravda" newspaper was not accepted
because it doesn't mention the address of the author, Dmitriy Kulikov, even if
it's widely known that this is a pseudonym and the editorial office, in
accordance with law, is obliged to tell the name of the author to the court***.
During the sitting in the Representatives of the President of Ukraine in Crimea
deputy of Ukraine, M.Dzhemilev spoke about the necessity to stabilize relations
in informational sphere, when he came out at the signing of the plan of joint
actions on solving problems of the deportee's integration. He said the following:
"This kindling of interethnic opposition in Mass Media means… (these
people) make actions, which correspond a punishment by the Criminal Code of
Ukraine. I mean that there is the same, I'm not afraid of that word chauvinist
swine in the structure of executive and security organs, which want to conceal
this interethnic opposition…"
Naturally, no one has a right to insult even
the worst state officials, but no one allowed these officials to violate rights
of the Crimean Tatar people and laws of the country. Leonid Grach was the first
to express his offence. He specially invited journalists to the sitting of
Presidium of Verkhovna Rada in order to introduce his statement to them:
"This is a big insult to a considerable part of Crimean residents, who are
ethnically the Russians", and the accusation of national deputy of Ukraine
was addressed not only to the Russians but also to chauvinist mood in the
Ukrainian Bureaucracy no matter what nationality they are. It is very
interesting indeed, Crimean power organs, including the Parliament were accused
to have officials dealing with corruption, "Mafia leaders", even
"bandits" and "criminals" but it didn't touch Leonid
Ivanovich's feelings.
And then came the turn of the Council on
assisting Russian culture attached to the Chairman of Verkhovna Rada, headed by
a communist Vladimor Kazarin. The shorthand report of the sitting, which was
published in "Krimskiye Izvestiya" (not shortened but rewritten)
gives a weak explanation of what they spoke about at the sitting. The reporters
accused Crimean Tatars for their wish to create their own national state in
Crimea and they consider all non-Crimean Tatars (Especially Ukrainians and
Russians) as swine. They also said that Mejlis had not been registered and
Mustafa Dzhemilev did not represent Crimean Tatar people.
We asked Mustafa Dzhemilev to explain why he
said that at the meeting. "This is not a kind of emotion. No one doubts
that chauvinism exists in our life, -he explained. - And if it is true then
there are chauvinists too. Who are they? Leonid Grach at the sitting of Council
of Europe in Stasburgh, said that Crimean Tatars were a backward people and
could not compete with other peoples on equal terms. Isn't it a chauvinism and
humiliation of a nation? I knew that it would be chauvinists who show
themselves in respond to my words." "However, the main reason that
makes Leonid Grach be insulted by me, said the national deputy of Ukraine
Mustafa Dzhemilev, - is that Crimean government, Representatives of President
of Ukraine in Crimea, the Council of representatives of Crimean Tatar people
attached to the President are working together now. They are working on the
problem of housing deportees, socio-political, culture-and-educational problems
of the Crimean Tatar people. And they are doing this with success. These
problems are being solved without participating of Crimean Parliament and the
communist Leonid Grach, who does anything in order to prevent that success. As
it turned out Leonid Grach himself and the communists he heads are not able to
solve the problems of deportees because of their preconceived relationship to
the Crimean Tatars and other people belonging to foreign nations. That's why
Leonid Grach always states that President's Representatives are not allowed to
conclude agreements*****. But the point is that we have made the plan of the
measures, which have to be solved on solution of housing deportees. Of course,
we did not ask any permission from Leonid Grach. Communists couldn't solve our
problem during 49 years, they both can't and don't want to solve it now also…"
Mikola Semena, "Golos Krima", #35 (354), 23 August 2000, p.1.
Our information:* The chairman of parliament (Verkhovna Rada)
of Crimea Leonid Grach is also the head of Crimean communists.
**Wahabbism is one of radical streams of Islam.
***After the next in turn prevocational edition in "Krimskaya
Pravda" newspaper against Crimean Tatars and Crimean Tatar people's
Mejlis, the latter sued the author and the newspaper. The Office of Public
Prosecutor did not accept it, because the charge does not contain the author's
address.
****See "Crimean news 69" about that sitting.
*****See "Crimean news 71" about it.