Crimean Tatars
The Crimean Tatars are a Turkic ethnic group native to the Crimean Peninsula, which constituted the largest population in the peninsula from the time of its ethnogenesis in the 15th century until 1864, and the relative largest ethnic population until the end of 19th century. Besides the Crimea, they live in large compact groups in Uzbekistan, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. While in the late Middle Ages, people were Tatars of the Crimean Khanate, today the share of the Crimean Tatars account for about 13% of the population of the peninsula. Tragic event in the fate of the Crimean Tatars took place in 1944, when the Stalin regime carried out a military operation on total deportation of the Crimean Tatars to Central Asia. Only after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Crimean Tatars began to return to their homeland in the Crimea, being part of Ukraine.
On 6 March 2014 the Crimean parliament decided to hold a referendum on joining the Crimea to the Russian Federation. The referendum was boycotted by the Crimean Tatars, yet most of the population voted to support the position of Russia and advocated the annexation of the Crimea. The independence of the Crimean Republic was adopted and approved only the Russian Federation, while Ukraine and the international community consider the annexation of Crimea as illegal seizure of territory.
The Crimean Tatars face yet another challenging period of adaptation to new unfavourable conditions.
FUEN President Hans Heinrich Hansen: We urge all relevant parties to engage in a meaningful dialogue for a peaceful and constructive solution in accommodating the interests and providing a safe environment for the Crimean Tatars.
Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people is a single supreme plenipotentiary representative and executive body of the Crimean Tatar people, between the sessions of Qurultay, elected by Qurultay among its delegates.
The main goal of Mejlis is elimination of the consequences of the genocide, committed by the Soviet state against Crimean Tatars, restoration of the national and political rights of the Crimean Tatar people and implementation of its right to free national self-determination in its national territory.Mejlis in its activity is accountable to Qurultay, and is guided by its decisions, by this Provision, standards of the International law and legislative acts of Ukraine that do not contradict to these standards.
Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people consists of 33 members, including the Chairman of Mejlis.
Source: http://qtmm.org/en/general-information-about-mejlis
