Crimean news 78.

(Mass Media review for 2-7 October 2000).

Articles are abridged.

 

News from Mejlis

Not re-division but concession of a part of the plot.

Water in Acropolis*.

Idea will be discussed in the UN headquarters.

For lovers of winter holidays.

Such holidays must become a tradition.

With tears of joy.

 

News from Mejlis.

 

On September 30, a widened sitting of Mejlis was held in the building of Council of Ministers of Crimea, where they discussed the draft "Regulations for electing delegates of Kurultay of Crimean Tatar people".

Currently, there are several variants of the "Regulations" draft. "Millet"* party proposes to elect Kurultay delegates according to party roll, Kurultay working group proposes to elect 200 delegates according to the majority system and the rest 50 delegates - according to the proportional system, ÑTNMO (Crimean Tatar National Movement Organization) supports the principal of fifty-fifty, which means that a half of the delegates should be elected according to the party rolls and the second half - according to the majority system. Most sitting speakers believed that it was expedient to conduct elections according to the majority system.

Furthermore, the sitting participants were offered to discuss the draft "Proposals on the issue of ensuring land plots to the Crimean Tatars", which foresees legalization of creating a land fund and determining a mechanism of assignation land to the private ownership.

They also presented a Minutes-Agreement between the Council of Crimean Tatar people's representatives and the Council of Ministers to be discussed. One of its clauses concerned the creating of Councils of Crimean Tatars' representatives within district state administration in regions.

Leylya Alyadinova, "Golos Kryma" ("Voice of Crimea"), #41 (360), 6 October 2000, p.1.

Our information: *"Millet" ("Nation") party is one of Crimean Tatars' political organizations, which aims at protecting Crimean Tatars' interests and restoring their rights. It recognizes such representative organs as Kurultay and Mejlis, but it has a negative attitude towards present composition of Mejlis.

 

Politics, social sphere.

 

Not re-division but concession of a part of the plot.

The President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma is expected to arrive in Crimea in the first decade of October. He will be proposed to take part not only in adopting the autonomy budget but also familiarize himself with fulfillment of decisions on allotting land plots to the deported Crimean Tatars.

The talks about receiving land plots by the deported Crimean Tatars got a proposal. Bakhchisaray district was chosen for holding the republic seminar as it was called. It was here where they first had an idea to voluntarily re-divide land among those who have already received it and Crimean Tatars wishing to get their own land plots. The deputy of the head of district administration Ilmi Umerov* briefly told us about how this idea came to their minds and what it meant:

-         The land division has been lawfully held between two opposite positions, which means that there will be no re-division, and all 100 per cent of land must belong to the native people, Crimean Tatars, we have found a consensus. We have reviewed all the reserve lands in the district, made a proposal, made up graphics of holding meetings and gatherings. Residents just don't understand us. Most of them are willing to divide their land plots and give us certain parts. Thus, we will create a land fund, which will allow us to balance the land division taking into account the Crimean Tatars.

Nataliya Panasenko, "Krymskaya gazeta" ("The Crimean newspaper"), #181 (16037), 3 October 2000, p.1-2.

Our information: *Ilmi Umerov is also the head of Bakhchisaray regional mejlis.

 

Water in Acropolis*.

From 1 till 5 October, the new coordinator of UN system, Permanent representative of PD UN** in Ukraine, Douglas Gardener made a short-term visit to Crimea. After meeting with the members of Verkhovna Rada of the autonomy, leader of Council of Ministers of Crimea, MR. Gardener visited the opening ceremony of the Center of non-formal education "Prospective" in Belogorsk and officinal ceremony of accomplishing the project of providing water in village Acropolis situated in Simferopol.

According to Mr. Gardener's words, the main goal of the UN system's activity is providing aid to the Ukrainian government in order to preserve peace and security in Crimea by means of ensuring the peaceful reintegration of the deportees. One of the Program's short-term goals is to ensure support in improving living standards in the field of health protection, education, water main, public utilities and economic activity.

Lentara Halilova, "Golos Kryma", ("The Voice of Crimea"), #41 (306), 6 October 2000, p.1.

Our information: *Acropolis is one of the Simferopol suburb villages where the deportees live in compact.

**PD UN is the Program of Development of the United Nations'

 

Idea will be discussed in the UN headquarters.

UN system coordinator, permanent representative of DP UN* in Ukraine Douglas Gardener has approved of the proposal to hold an international conference in Crimea under the aegis of United Nations Orgaization, devoted to the issue of preventing interethnic conflicts.

The UN coordinator informed that his visit had an introductory character. The situation in Crimea, according to Mr. Gardener's words, is paid a great deal of attention by the UN system these days. From January 1, 2000 the Program of Development of United Nations will pass to a new stage of work in Crimea, which will span for 3-4 years. The idea of conducting a conference aimed at studying the experience of preventing conflicts was approved by Mr. Gardener. He also told he intended to discuss it in the UN headquarters.

"Krymskaya gazeta" ("The Crimean newspaper"), #183 (16039), 5 October 2000, p.1.

 

Tourism.

 

For lovers of winter holidays.

Crimean center of winter tourism "Onyx-tour" has proposed a winter tourist complex, created on the basis of a former military unit, which is situated on the foothills of Chatyr-Dag.

The complex is even now prepared to welcome the lovers of winter holidays. The most interesting site to attract tourists is one of the most beautiful Crimean caves called Emine-Bayir-Hosar. They have recently opened a "hall of idols" and an underground palaeontologic museum having animals' bones found when the cave was discovered.

The tourist base in the district of Marble cave has already been prepared. One can spend a night here paying a very small sum of money, and it is also possible to stay in cozy houses for a longer period of time. The ski route is equipped with an electric elevator, they have also opened a center for renting ski equipment.

L.Lebedeva, "Krymskiye izvestiya" ("The Crimean news"), #183 (2187), 5 October 2000, p.1.

 

Meetings of fellow-villagers.

 

Such holidays must become a tradition.

On September 16-17, two major holidays were celebrated on the Southern coast of Crimea. One of them was held in Koreiz, Chatal Khaya village. This village residents celebrated the ten-year jubilee of their new Crimean Tatar village.

The artistic part of the jubilee was opened by the brass brand "Yalta", which performed "Khaytarma". Musicians played old melodies and songs in the course of the whole holiday.

No guest was left without treating. Hospitality, joy and happiness were everywhere around the village.

*      *      *

On September 17, the fellow-villagers of villages Derekoy, Autka and Ay-Vasil* met in the Lower Ay-Vasil after a long parting.

After the prayer and greeting speeches boys and girls from ensemble "Khaytarma" wearing colorful national costumes appeared on the stage (Dzhemile Osmanova is their leader).

There were a lot of guests. The day was sunny and joyous. It was joyous because people after so many years of parting and sufferings are again on their native land and under their native sky.

Ayshe Memeddzhanova, "Golos Kryma" ("The Voice of Crimea"), #41 (360), 6 October 2000, p.4.

 

With tears of joy.

On September 17, the meeting of Kyzyl-Koba village residents was held in Simferopol district. The village doesn't exist now, only the road to Kyzyl-Koba (Red Cave) has remained. 30 residents of the former village met after 56 years of parting. There were a lot of tears, joy and recollections. Osman-Veli said a prayer, devoted to the perished during the war* and in exile. Riza, the village musician performed fellow-villagers' favorite songs.

In 1942 the fascists burnt down the whole village and the residents left for the woods. After the Crimea had been freed they returned to the burnt village. And then was the deportation**… Kyzyl-Koba village has been completely destroyed, but the native land remembers all of its residents.

Osman Osmanov, "Golos Kryma" ("The Voice of Crimea"), #41 (360), 6 October 2000, p.4.

Our information: * The World War 2 is meant.

**1944 deportation, when the whole Crimean Tatar people was deported from Crimea to the Middle Asia and Ural.

 

 

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