The Hague, 21st January  2011 - The 20th anniversary of the Restoration of the Crimean Autonomy is a great opportunity to celebrate the cultural and linguistic heritage of Crimean Tatars. In 1991, following a referendum with a broad participation of the inhabitants of the Crimean peninsula, this region regained its original autonomous status that had previously been stripped away by the Soviet authorities in 1945. At that time, Crimean Tatars faced deportation and persecutions, especially during the Stalinist period, and the  present anniversary is a significant occasion to commemorate the sorrow of this nation under the Soviet Communist regime.

There is an ongoing need for the international community and the Ukrainian government to draw their attention to the right of this native communities to exercise self-determination within Ukraine and the revival of their culture, and to the problems related to the return of those deported to other republics of the former USSR. The peaceful struggle of the Crimean Tatars for obtaining full legal recognition as native indigenous people of the region represents a necessary step and has gained support from different international organizations. On the other hand, the Ukrainian government has recently established effective means of protection for minority rights. However, further actions should be taken to guarantee safeguards in terms of use of the language, freedom of religion expression, return of lands as well as effective integration of those repatriated.

I hope that this anniversary will further the campaigning already on the way by members of different national legislatures to support the nomination of Mustafa Jemilev, leader of the Crimean Tatars, for the Nobel Peace Prize 2011. Mr Jemilev symbolizes the peaceful struggle of this nation, and awarding him such a prestigious honour would gain commitment of international organizations and attract the attention of the world’s public opinion to these issues, thereby giving a significant contribution to the cause of the Crimean Tatars.

UNPO General Secretary

Marino Busdachin