Assembles parlementaire Parliamentary Assembly
Provisional edition. Repatriation and integration of the Tatars of Crimea
Recommendation
1455 (2000)j
The entire Crimean Tatar
population (some 200 000) was deported from their historic homeland in 1944 for
the alleged collaboration with the nazis during the World War II. In the wake
of this forced displacement, primarily to Uzbekistan and other central Asian
republics, up to 46% of them perished within two years, succumbing to
malnutrition and disease. A 1967 Soviet decree cleared the Crimean Tatars of
all charges but did nothing to facilitate their return, let alone compensate
them for damages incurred. Until almost the very last days of the USSR the
Crimean Tatars were not allowed to return to Crimea.
The Assembly recalls the
general principles and recommendations set out in its Recommendation 1334
(1997) on refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons in the Commonwealth of
Independent States (CIS) and regrets the fact that most of the proposals
therein are yet to be implemented.
Over the last ten years,
some 260 000 of the estimated 400 000 to 550 000-strong Crimean Tatar Community
have returned to Crimea. However, the problems confronting returnees remain
complex and multi-faceted. They include citizenship, employment, housing,
social protection, and cultural revival. Until these problems are solved, the
full national identity of returnee Crimean Tatars cannot be restored.
Integration calls for the eradication of all vestiges of xenophobia and
discrimination faced at times by returnees.
The Assembly is concerned
that the integration assistance programs run by the Ukrainian government have
had to be scaled down significantly and are underfunded as a result of the
severe economic crisis in the country. It welcomes the readiness of the
Government of Ukraine to facilitate reintegration, in particular, the steps
taken to smooth the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship. The Assembly commends
efforts by the European Union (EU) and international organizations, notably the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), in speeding up and
facilitating the integration process. The Assembly also calls on member states
to give their full support to these on-going programs.
The Assembly stresses that
returnee Crimean Tatars will not be able to lead a normal life until they arc
properly housed and the requisite infrastructure is in place. Aid in this area
should be a priority, and the Council of Europe Development Bank should explore
the possibility of making a contribution in this area. By the same token, the
Assembly believes that Ukraine's joining the Development Bank would facilitate
such a contribution.
To avoid the social erosion
of the returnee Crimean Tatar community, education and job creation schemes
need to be launched or intensified. For these purposes international aid and
assistance programs are particularly needed. The member states and
international community at large should contribute to the broader economic
Repatriation
and integration of the Tatars of Crimea
Crp. 2 H3 2
Revival of Crimea. The
Assembly therefore recommends that the
Committee of Ministers:
I Intensify dialogue with European Union institutions and international organizations active in assisting the Crimean Tatars, in particular the LTNHCR and the OSCE. Make arrangements for increased involvement by the Council of Europe in projects that fall within its area of competence, notably, legal issues relating to the integration of returnees, such as citizenship, residence permits, etc., as well as to involve the Crimean Tatars in this discussion as far as possible;
II Invite Ukraine to join the Council of Europe Development Bank
III Invite the Development Bank to explore what it can do to assist returnee Crimean Tatars, in particular in the housing and infrastructure sectors
IV Invite the European Union to increase its involvement in assistance projects targeting returnee Crimean Tatars
V Invite the LTNHCR, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the OSCE to convene a second conference on refugees, displaced persons and other forms of involuntary displacement and repatriation in the Commonwealth of Independent States that would focus, inter alia, on the situation of returnee Crimean Tatars
VI Urge the member states to contribute generously, at bilateral and multilateral levels, to assist projects targeting returnee Crimean Tatars, in particular housing and infrastructure construction schemes, education and job-creation projects, paying special attention to the most vulnerable groups
VII Invite the states
concerned (notably Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) to enter into
bilateral negotiations with Ukraine with a view to agreeing on a simplified
procedure for the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship, accessible to Crimean
Tatars residing in those states
VIII Invite the Government of Ukraine and the regional authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to study the experience of other member states of the Council of Europe concerning the representation of minorities and indigenous peoples. Do it with a view to securing the effective representation of the Crimean Tatars in national, Crimean and local public affairs. And for this purpose take into account the Council of Europe's 1995 Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and the June 1999 Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life elaborated at the request of the OSCE's High Commissioner for National Minorities
IX Invite the Government of Ukraine and the regional authorities of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea to study the experience of other multi-ethnic states of the Council of Europe, with a view to restoring and securing the rights of the Crimean Tatars to education in the Crimean Tatar language, and the use of their language in all private and public affairs. And for this purpose take into account the Council of Europe's 1992 European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and its 1995 Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, and the October 1996 Hague Recommendations regarding the Education Rights of National Minorities and the February 1998 Oslo Recommendations regarding the Linguistic Rights of National Minorities, elaborated at the request of the OSCE's High Commissioner for National Minorities.
1 Assembly debate on 5 April 2000 (13th Sitting). See Doc. 8655, report of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Demography (rapporteur: Lord Ponsonby). Text adopted by the Assembly on 5 April 2000 (13th Sitting).