Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis and political prisoner Akhtem Chiygoz appealed to people, President, Government and Parliament of Ukraine (full version)

The deputy head of the Mejlis and the political prisoner Akhtem Chiygoz appealed to the people, the President, the Government and the Parliament of Ukraine.

To February 26, the Day of resistance to the Crimean occupation, the Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chiygoz who sentenced over past 2 years in a jail for the so-called case 26 February, 2014 that was framed up by the Russian authorities for a rally of the Crimean Tatars in support of the Ukrainian territorial integrity made «an appeal to the people, the President, the Government and the Parliament of Ukraine». His lawyer Nikolay Polozov announced it in the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday, 23 February.

Newsblog «15 Minutes» posts the full version of the appeal.

«Considering the events of February 26, 2014, we need to talk about all the issues preceded the Russian occupation of Crimea. To talk about those politicians, public figures, politicians, political parties, public entities, journalists and TV companies that considered Crimea as a place to implement their political, commercial and personal ambitions and goals. And there sharply stood out the Crimean Tatars who were called «favorites» against these fellows’ background who absolutely didn’t worry about the fate of the Crimea as a region.

We had always a feeling (which was later proved) that each would «freck over» Crimea and «get outta such a beloved, beautiful and unique peninsula» as promptly as possible. Having this attitude and a petty inner world as «hucksters», they sold out own honor, dignity and conscience and left without any high moral concepts such as a Motherland, patriotism, sense of duty and responsibility. Whereas we set high goals as the political, economic and social ones despite all the difficulties surrounded us. We have seen and see the development of Crimea, our homeland as a successful and attractive region. And we have never neither doubted or questioned the territorial integrity of Ukraine and citizenship nor considered any alternatives.

Thus we had been divided due to these basic principles. On the one hand there is a political force and the national government body, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, and on the other hand there are «hucksters» introduced themselves as «the political Crimean elite».

Non-compliance to these principles, reluctance to abandon their malign essence, using the so-called brand of the «Russian theme» led to the fact that the political struggle for 25 years and even today exposed the Crimean Tatars as a destabilizing factor, speculated on a right of our historical homeland, showed the religious affiliation to Islam as a threat and simultaneously somehow influenced to our political solidity. And this applied to all political forces in Crimea.

Appearing the Crimean Tatars in a government, the Ministry of Internal Affairs structures, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Prosecutor's Office and others so irritated the existing authorities that they invented the infamous excuses to refuse hiring such as a lack of competitiveness, the selection one of the ethnic group and sometimes it was just ethnicity.

I do not want to name personalities, but I have to ... Isn’t it truth that the first «Yanukovych Maidan» against the Orange Revolution 2004 on the Lenin Square in front of the Crimean Council of Ministers was organized by Kunitsyn using the so-called formation of the Cossacks, Afghans and every other riff-raffs? And how about his «snitches» frantically rushing in Crimea with appeals used later on February 26, 2014 (for example, «do not allow fascism», etc.)? What about a newly appointed representative of the democratic forces of Ukraine Matvienko who offered the theory of competition among candidates in hiring to the Crimean regional administrations?

Why don’t we remind the epic story with the land allocation to build the Cathedral Mosque and the head of the Supreme Council of Crimea Gritsenko and some prominent members of the Party of Regions who speculated on religious feelings and sharpen the contrast between the different religious and national groups?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of such examples when the Crimean residents were just used through cheating, speculating and actually fomenting ethnic hatred to achieve own personal goals. We, the Crimean Tatars, were always looking for allies and mainly in Kiev to affect these dangerous processes.

Our leader Mustafa Dzhemilev called us to be tolerant and sensitive toward the difficulties faced by the independent Ukraine. And we did our best solving the most of problems by ourselves or tried to live with them waiting for Ukraine would get stronger and become a full member of the European Union and would be committed to the international norms, human rights and freedoms that consequently might impact on resolving of our political demands.

Speaking about the negative experience I consider how to prevent the same in the present and the future. And I encourage you to trust the development of the necessary measures about Crimea and to listen especially to Mustafa Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov who always knew how to take responsibility for the fate of Crimea, and to the other honest people with a spotless reputation.

It is February 26 and 3 years afterwards. It is unacceptable any more to postpone dealing with the issues related to the occupied Crimea and its status as the Crimean Tatar national autonomy! Despite all the difficulties the modern Ukraine has faced to, we must not depend on the views of the politicians involved into hucksterism. Our actions must be consolidated throughout the world, and the Ukrainian politicians, MPs, the President of Ukraine are obliged to take responsibility and take appropriate decisions.

P.S. Accept this appeal as not a reproach, but as words of person who more than 2 years is sitting in a jail only because of defending own principles and refusing to make any agreements, discrediting his honor and dignity, the dignity of his nation and Ukraine in general.

Akhtem Chiygoz.

February 22, 2017.

Detention center in Simferopol».