This Week in the News

While on an official visit to Turkey, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov stated that the Ukrainian government is prepared to begin a dialog with the Crimean Tatars to address their needs. This policy is in continuation of the Yanukovich's efforts of negotiation with the Tatars as Prime Minister and governor of Donets'k, Azarov added. The Prime Minister is committed to resolving the Tatars' complaints exclusively through negotiation. Turkish ambassador to Ukraine Ahmet Bülent Meriç commented that there is no "hidden agenda with respect to Crimea" on the part of Turkey. The Turkish government is likewise committed to help the Crimean Tatar population preserve their cultural identity and language in their homeland. Hopefully this means that the Ukrainian government in Kyiv will take a stronger approach in protecting the Tatars especially in light of the determined efforts of Istanbul.

Meanwhile, various Crimean Tatar groups picketed the headquarters of the Mejlis, expressing dissatisfaction with the Mejlis' failure in satisfying the needs of the Tatars and in not securing land for the Tatar population. Server Kerimov, a member of the Координационный совет общественно-политических сил крымско-татарского народа (Coordinating council of socio-political forces of the Crimean Tatar people) accused the Mejlis and Dzhemilev of corruption and of assuming too much power. After the speeches and picketing, the protesters entered the Mejlis building, but no one was in there. Dzhemilev, in response, was displeased with the protest, stating that the protesters were putting on a show, not actually trying to resolve any issues or problems. He also criticized the protesters for being angry with the Mejlis for not solving the land issue when the Mejlis has no jurisdiction over it.

Релігія в Україні (Religion in Ukraine) reported that these protests are an outgrowth of the confrontation between the Muftiat of Crimea--aligned with the Kurultay and Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars--and the Spiritual Administration of Ukrainian Muslims (DUMU) in Kyiv. At the end of February, the DUMU sent a mufti from Kyiv to Crimea. This sparked an immediate angry response from Crimean Tatar muftis, calling the followers of the DUMU's mufti cultists and directly attacked Ridwan Veliyev (the DUMU mufti sent to Crimea) as a cowardly opportunist and without any authority to even call himself mufti. At the very least, the move by the DUMU in Kyiv to send down their own religious representative displays a lack of knowledge of the Crimean Tatar religious culture and political situation. At the worst, this is an intentional schismatic move. Regardless, this issue is laden with conflict. Although none of the articles I read expressly linked the protesters to the DUMU or Veliyev, the implied relationship between them is problematic. If Azarov intends to keep his promise, getting the Mejlis and the DUMU to have talks should be of high priority.

Articles referenced in this post:

Azarov: Kyiv ready for dialog with Crimean Tatars

http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/99752/

Азаров в Турции пообещал продолжать помогать крымским татарам (Azarov in Turkey promises to continue to help the Crimean Tatars)

http://www.religion.in.ua/news/foreign_news/8853-azarov-v-turcii-poobeshhal-prodolzhat-pomogat-krymskim-tataram.html

Оппозиционные Меджлису крымско-татарские организации выразили недовольство его деятельностью (Crimean Tatar opposition groups expressed dissatisfaction with the Mejlis' work)

http://www.religion.in.ua/news/ukrainian_news/8865-oppozicionnye-medzhlisu-krymsko-tatarskie-organizacii-vyrazili-nedovolstvo-ego-deyatelnostyu.html

Между муфтиятом Крыма и Духовным управлением мусульман Украины разгорелось противостояние (Conflict erupts between the Muftiat of Crimea and the Spiritual Administration of Ukrainian Muslims)

http://www.religion.in.ua/news/ukrainian_news/8570-mezhdu-muftiyatom-kryma-i-duxovnym-upravleniem-musulman-ukrainy-razgorelos-protivostoyanie.html