Press Release, 07.03.2014

Committee Against Xenophobia showed a film “Haytarma” about the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in Stalin’s time in YABLOKO’s office on March 7.

Galina Mikhaleva

Haytarma is a folk Tatar dance, its name means a “return”. The film narrates about the violent deportation of the Crimean Tatars during the World War II. The main character of the film is Amet-Khan Sultan, a pilot and twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In May 1944, after Sevastopol was redeemed, Amet-khan went to visit his native town Alupka(Crimea). There he meets with the deportation of the Crimean Tatars including his family and fiancée.

The meeting of the Committee was opened by its coordinator Galina Mikhaleva. She emphasized that Stalin’s Terror against the folks have had tragic consequences not only for the deported ones but also sowed the seeds of enmity between the folks. The example of the events in Ukraine and especially in the Crimea show it very well. We forget our history and don’t look back over the earlier mistakes. But there’s no way to the civilized future without overcoming the totalitarian past.

A discussion took place after the film was shown. Some of the guests mentioned that the Crimean issue more than ever demonstrated that “the Crimea was made for peace, not war”.

Mokhammet Minachayev

Chair of the Vatan party Mokhammet Minachayev said that the deportation of the Crimean Tatars was a big tragedy for Russia. “The Communist system headed by Stalin deported hundreds of nations. If we count the whole number of the deported people it would be more than a million,” he said and mentioned that everyone is distressed for their nation in the their own way. “As a Tatar I’m not indifferent to the destiny of the Crimea.”

Galina Mikhaleva and Nizamy Ibragimov

Representative of the Crimean Tatars Nizamy Ibragimov presented the organisers of the event with a book of the Crimean Tatar folktales. He admitted that it was hard for him to see the film. Ibragimov said that there were no problems between Russia and Ukraine as he was analising the current situation. “The Crimean Tatars weren’t asked whether they wanted to join Russia or not,” he said.

Gayar Iskanser from the Foundation on the development of Muslim nations spoke about the danger of fascism and the historic frame-up which take place at both sides [Russia and Ukraine].

YABLOKO’s municipal deputy Grigory Semyonov mentioned that it was important to remember that despite the political goals Stalin’s Terror had had a bright ethnical colour which was hard to explain.

Head of the Crimean Tatars community Mustafa Mukhtaryevov said that he had just returned from his trip to the Crimea and confessed that the atmosphere at the place was absolutely quite. “We will solve our problems ourselves. We don’t need help,” he said and declared that the main trouble of the “Crimean issue” was not in the people but in the imperial designs of our authorities.

The participants of the discussion came to the conclusion that such films should be seen and discussed to create a cross-cultural dialogue and to remember of our own history and the history of the other folks.

Gayar Iskander