Aftermath Deportation of the Crimean Tatars

chronology of ethnic makeup of crimea. sharp drop of tatars visible after deportation.

stalin s government denied crimean tatars right education or publication in native language. although had study in russian or uzbek, still kept cultural identity intact. in 1956 new soviet leader, nikita khrushchev, held speech in condemned stalin s policies, including mass deportations of various nationalities. still, though many nationalities allowed return homes, 3 groups forced stay in exile: soviet germans, meskhetian turks, , crimean tatars. in 1954, khrushchev allowed crimea included in ukrainian soviet socialist republic since crimea linked land ukraine , not russian sfsr. on 28 april 1956, directive on removing restrictions on special settlement of crimean tatars... relocated during great patriotic war issued, ordering de-registration of deportees , release administrative supervision. however, various other restrictions still kept , crimean tatars not allowed return crimea. moreover, same year ukrainian council of ministers banned exiled tatars, greeks, germans, armenians , bulgarians relocating kherson, zaporizhia, mykolaiv , odessa oblasts in ukrainian ssr. tatars did not compensation lost property.

in 1950s, crimean tatars started actively advocating right return. in 1957, collected 6,000 signatures in petition sent supreme soviet demanded political rehabilitation , return crimea. in 1961 25,000 signatures collected in petition sent kremlin.

mustafa dzhemilev, 6 months old when family deported crimea, grew in uzbekistan , became activist advocating right of crimean tatars return. in 1966 arrested first time , spent total of 17 years in prison during soviet era. earned him nicknamed crimean tatar mandela. in 1984 sentenced sixth time anti-soviet activity, given moral support soviet dissident andrei sakharov had observed dzhemilev s fourth trial in 1976. when older dissidents arrested, new, younger generation emerge replace them.

mustafa dzhemilev, crimean tatar activist, spent years in jail advocacy

on 21 july 1967, representatives of crimean tatars, led dissident ayshe seytmuartova, gained permission meet high-ranking soviet officials in moscow, including yuri andropov. during meeting, crimean tatars demanded correction of injustices ussr did people. in september 1967 supreme soviet issued decree gave amnesty crimean tatars regards charges of mass treason during world war ii , gave them more rights in ussr. still, crimean tatars did not wanted most: right return crimea. worded decree stated citizens of tatars nationality had formerly been living on crimea […] have taken root in uzbek ssr. individuals united , formed groups went crimea in 1968 on own, without state permission—only soviet authorities deport 6,000 of them once again. notable example of such resistance crimean tatar activist musa mahmut, had been deported when 12 , returned crimea because wanted see home again. when police informed him evicted, poured gasoline on body , set himself on fire. despite this, 577 families managed obtain state permission reside in crimea.

in 1968 unrest erupted among crimean tatar people in uzbek city of chirchiq. in october 1973 jewish poet , professor ilya gabay committed suicide jumping off building in moscow. 1 of significant jewish dissidents in ussr fought rights of oppressed peoples, crimean tatars. gabay arrested , sent labor camp, still insisted on cause because convinced treatment of crimean tatars ussr amounted genocide. same year, dzhemilev arrested.

despite process of de-stalinization, not until perestroika , arrival of mikhail gorbachev power in late 1980s things started change. in 1987 crimean tatar activists organized protest in center of moscow near kremlin. compelled gorbachev form commission matter. first conclusion of commission, led hardliner andrei gromyko, there no basis renew autonomy , grant crimean tatars right return, gorbachev ordered second commission recommended renewal of autonomy crimean tatars. on 14 november 1989 ban on return of deported nationalities officially declared null , void while supreme council of crimea issued declaration previous deportations of peoples criminal activity. paved way 260,000 crimean tatars return homeland. same year, dzhemilev returned crimea, , 1 january 1992 @ least 166,000 other crimean tatars had done same. 1991 russian law on rehabilitation of repressed peoples addressed rehabilitation of ethnicities repressed in soviet union. adopted measures involved abolition of previous rsfsr laws relating illegal forced deportations , called restoration , return of cultural , spiritual values , archives represent heritage of repressed people.

by 2004 crimean tatars formed 12% of population of crimea. despite this, return of crimean tatars not simple process—in 1989, when started mass return, various russian nationalists staged protests in crimea under slogan: tatar traitors - out of crimea! several clashes between locals , crimean tatars reported in 1990 near yalta, compelled army intervene calm situation. local soviet authorities reluctant crimean tatar returnees find job or residence. returnees found 517 abandoned crimean tatar villages, bureaucracy strained efforts restore them. during 1991 @ least 117 crimean tatar families lived in tents in 2 meadows near simferopol, waiting authorities grant them permanent residence. after dissolution of ussr, crimea found part of ukraine, kiev gave limited support crimean tatar settlers. 150,000 of returnees granted citizenship automatically under ukraine s citizenship law of 1991, 100,000 returned after country declared independence faced several obstacles, including costly bureaucratic process. since exile lasted 50 years, crimean tatars decided stay in uzbekistan, led separation of families had decided return crimea. 2000 there 46,603 recorded appeals of returnees demanded piece of land. majority of these applications rejected. around larger cities, such sevastopol, crimean tatar on average given 0.04 acres of land, of poor quality or unsuitable farming.