The Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) organized "1944 Crimean Tatars Commemoration Program" with the cooperation of Crimean Tatars Culture and Solidarity Foundation on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Deportation of Crimean Tatars. Drawing attention to the pain experienced in exile, the program underlined that utmost attention will be given to protect the rights and interests of Crimea Tatars in all circumstances.

A commemoration for the 75th anniversary of the deportation of Crimean Tatars was organized in Ankara by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) with the cooperation of Crimean Tatars Culture and Solidarity Foundation. After singing the Hymn of Crimea and the Independence March of Turkey, prayers were made and the Holy Quran was read in the memory of those who lost their lives during the deportation. The program continued with a documentary depicting the deportation and the statements of victims of the deportation while the letter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was also read.

TURKEY WILL CONTINUE TO SAFEGUARD THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF CRIMEAN TATARS

"On its 75th anniversary, we commemorate this tragic incident, which caused the Crimean Tatars to be separated from their homeland as well as causing a great number of people to lose their lives.  We commemorate the people who died in exile, one of the most memorable crimes of Turkish and world history, and whose sufferings today echoing in our minds although it has been 75 years. Turkey will continue to safeguard the rights and interests of Crimean Tatars who were forced to leave Crimea following the annexation," the letter of President Erdoğan read.

THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WITH MULTILATERAL EFFORTS

Speaking in the program, Emine Ceppar, Ukrainian Information Minister indicated that thousands of Crimean Tatars left their homes and faced with death during the Crimean Tatar exile. "Exile tragedies of 18 May 1944 has experienced for years and has still yet to end," said Ceppar, adding that Crimean Tatars were sent to the remote places of the world map.  Noting that people cannot be sentenced due to their political and social views, Ceppar underlined that the tragedies in the Crimea are still continuing and this issue should be addressed with multilateral efforts. 

WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THE OPPRESSED KEEP THEIR SILENCE

Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Serdar Çam stated that they have come together to commemorate the keystones of civilization and to learn from the past. Stressing that the suffering experienced during World War II was countless, Çam stated that it was important to reveal the historical and sociological reasons for these suffering. Indicating that he is exerting a great amount of efforts to transfer these approaches to the next generations, Çam added: " Although the pain varies depending on the regions, the fire burns where it falls. Wherever there is injustice, whether it is Yemen, Syria, Libya... Bomb sounds are echoed in the world where the oppressed keep their silence. For this reason, we talk about these things to build a world with peace and love. We will listen to those who experienced the pain, while at the same time we will conduct academic studies with our young brothers and sisters on these issues. We will act within the framework of rationality because life is still continuing."

CRIMEAN DEPORTATION SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED AS GENOCIDE

The president of the Crimea Tatar National Assembly President and the Ukrainian Deputy Refat Bararov stated that 46 percent of Crimean Tatars lost their lives in the exile 75 years ago. Recalling that the Ukrainian parliament accepted this exile as "genocide" in 2015, Bararov said: "As members of the Assembly, we call for this exile to be recognized as genocide in the parliaments of other countries. This year Latvia also accepted this." Delivering greetings from Refat Chubarov and Crimean leader Mustafa Abduldzhemil Dzhemilev for President Erdoğan and Turkish public, he said: "I hope that we will do our prayers one day in Bahçesaray."

WE BRING CRIMEAN TATAR YOUTH TOGETHER IN TURKEY

Abdullah Eren, President of Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), stated that YTB is interested in the youth of related communities all around the world as they are the descendants of a great civilization.  Eren pointed out that when those who experienced the Crimean Tatar exile are listened, it is realized their pain is still fresh. Reminding the exiles of Circassian and Meskhetian Turks, Eren stated: "We observe a century full of sorrow and tragedy." Expressing that pains should be turned into exemplary lessons for tomorrow, Eren touched upon the activities done for Crimean Tatars. "We have organized Crimea Tatar Cultural Heritage Inventory Studies, Crimea Historical Heritage Promotion Studies, vocational trainings, conferences, and cultural mobility programs. We are trying to bring Crimean Tatar youth to Turkey from different parts of the world. We have offered scholarships to 1306 students since 2002. Currently, 113 students from Ukraine continue their education in Turkey. We as YTB are trying to build common memory for a brighter future. This legacy will last for generations. I hope, God will never let us experience these pains again."

Vait Muhtarov, one of the victims of the exile of Crimean Tatars told his experiences as: "We were 14-15 years old without a father. They took us from our village at night, loaded us into the wagons. Hotness in the wagons was unbearable.  There was no food and no water on the way. I lost my mother, my brothers. There was no man to bury them and pray for them.”

Speaking on behalf of the young Crimean Tatars, Türkiye scholarships recipient Suzanna Mustafayeva said: "My teacher in Turkey asked me whether there is a story that my mother told me. And I said: no, we only listened to exile. We listened to the Crimean folk song instead of Lullaby." 

Foreign mission representatives in Ankara, Crimean Assembly members, administrators of the Crimean Turks Culture and Solidarity Association, international students and students on YTB scholarships participated in the program organized in a hotel in the capital city.

At the end of the program, the awards were presented to the winners of the international painting contest with the theme of the exile. Guests had the opportunity to visit the painting exhibition in the foyer of the hall, after poetry and folk song performances.

Following the program, YTB President Abdullah Eren met with guests in the iftar program.