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TURKEY EXPRESSES SECURITY CONCERNS AFTER DEATH OF CRIMEAN TATAR
Today's Zaman (Turkey)
March 20, 2014 Thursday
Turkey has expressed its concern for the security of Turkic Tatars
on the Crimean Peninsula after a Tatar was killed in the Black Sea's
volatile Autonomous Republic of Crimea, saying that their exposure
to pressure and threats is unacceptable.
Releasing a written statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry
said Turkey had learned with great sorrow of the death of Crimean
Tatar Resat Ametov and called for the perpetrators to be arrested
and brought to justice.
Ametov went missing on March 3 and was found dead on March 16,
news agencies reported on Tuesday. His body reportedly showed signs
of torture.
The Foreign Ministry statement said the killing had caused indignation
among the public and people of Tatar origin, who are ethnically and
linguistically related to Turks. "The Crimean Tatar Turks were able to
return to their homeland after suffering a lot in the past, and voice
their views and demands in peaceful terms. We find it unacceptable
that our kin are being pressured and exposed to threats in spite of
their responsible stance, as well as the fact that they have been
deprived of security during the 'referendum' process and since then,"
the statement said.
The statement referred to the referendum held last weekend, in which
the region voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia. According
to the final results of the referendum, around 97 percent of voters
had opted to secede from Ukraine. Crimea's Tatars, who make up 12
percent of the population, generally support Ukraine's pro-European
interim government, while the ethnic Russian majority wants secession.
The statement also commented on some allegations that there had been
provocations targeting Tatars. "We felt concern about reports released
that have cited 'official sources' on our kin being driven out of
the regions where they live," the statement stressed, reiterating
that the current situation in Crimea should not be the cause of
such provocations.
The Foreign Ministry statement also conveyed Turkey's condolences to
the families of the victim and all Crimean Tatars.
These concerns about the security of Crimea's ethnic Tatars have also
been voiced by Ivan Simonovic, assistant UN secretary-general for human
rights. The UN official talked of the disappearance of Ametov after
he participated in a protest in early March. He said that Ametov's
body bore the marks of "mistreatment" when it was found on March 16.
Crimea is important to Turkey due to the presence of the Crimean
Tatars on the peninsula. Although Ankara has refrained from using
harsh words against any side in the Crimea unrest, it has declared
that Turkey does not recognize the Crimean referendum, calling the
poll "illegitimate." Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has reiterated
that the well-being of the Crimean Tatars on the peninsula is one of
Turkey's strategic priorities.
Davutoglu also talked of the situation of Crimean Tatars in the
crisis-hit peninsula during a televised interview on Kanal 24 on
Thursday. "Any ethnic clashes breaking out there [Crimea] would be
an unacceptable situation for Turkey," he said, adding that Turkey
has been working in the international arena to ensure Crimean Tatars'
rights and security.
Davutoglu said diplomacy can still be a tool for the Crimea crisis. He
said there are no hot clashes at the moment and diplomacy can still
solve the problem in Crimea. "However, if any clashes break out
in eastern Ukraine and Russian troops consider it a fait accompli,
there will be serious consequences," he said.
He also warned of a possible domino effect of the Crimean crisis,
saying, "If the Crimea crisis triggers the Karabakh problem, it may
strain nerves in the Caucasus region." He said Armenia's fortification
is "dangerous" and stated that these kinds of acts inflame crisis in
the region.
Crimea was a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1478 to 1774.
Although it was then absorbed into the Russian Empire, the majority of
its population maintained its Muslim traditions and Tatar roots. The
Turkish government and Crimean Tatars are concerned about the
possibility of violence against the peninsula's ethnic Tatar minority.
Today's Zaman (Turkey)
March 20, 2014 Thursday
Turkey has expressed its concern for the security of Turkic Tatars
on the Crimean Peninsula after a Tatar was killed in the Black Sea's
volatile Autonomous Republic of Crimea, saying that their exposure
to pressure and threats is unacceptable.
Releasing a written statement on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry
said Turkey had learned with great sorrow of the death of Crimean
Tatar Resat Ametov and called for the perpetrators to be arrested
and brought to justice.
Ametov went missing on March 3 and was found dead on March 16,
news agencies reported on Tuesday. His body reportedly showed signs
of torture.
The Foreign Ministry statement said the killing had caused indignation
among the public and people of Tatar origin, who are ethnically and
linguistically related to Turks. "The Crimean Tatar Turks were able to
return to their homeland after suffering a lot in the past, and voice
their views and demands in peaceful terms. We find it unacceptable
that our kin are being pressured and exposed to threats in spite of
their responsible stance, as well as the fact that they have been
deprived of security during the 'referendum' process and since then,"
the statement said.
The statement referred to the referendum held last weekend, in which
the region voted to break away from Ukraine and join Russia. According
to the final results of the referendum, around 97 percent of voters
had opted to secede from Ukraine. Crimea's Tatars, who make up 12
percent of the population, generally support Ukraine's pro-European
interim government, while the ethnic Russian majority wants secession.
The statement also commented on some allegations that there had been
provocations targeting Tatars. "We felt concern about reports released
that have cited 'official sources' on our kin being driven out of
the regions where they live," the statement stressed, reiterating
that the current situation in Crimea should not be the cause of
such provocations.
The Foreign Ministry statement also conveyed Turkey's condolences to
the families of the victim and all Crimean Tatars.
These concerns about the security of Crimea's ethnic Tatars have also
been voiced by Ivan Simonovic, assistant UN secretary-general for human
rights. The UN official talked of the disappearance of Ametov after
he participated in a protest in early March. He said that Ametov's
body bore the marks of "mistreatment" when it was found on March 16.
Crimea is important to Turkey due to the presence of the Crimean
Tatars on the peninsula. Although Ankara has refrained from using
harsh words against any side in the Crimea unrest, it has declared
that Turkey does not recognize the Crimean referendum, calling the
poll "illegitimate." Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has reiterated
that the well-being of the Crimean Tatars on the peninsula is one of
Turkey's strategic priorities.
Davutoglu also talked of the situation of Crimean Tatars in the
crisis-hit peninsula during a televised interview on Kanal 24 on
Thursday. "Any ethnic clashes breaking out there [Crimea] would be
an unacceptable situation for Turkey," he said, adding that Turkey
has been working in the international arena to ensure Crimean Tatars'
rights and security.
Davutoglu said diplomacy can still be a tool for the Crimea crisis. He
said there are no hot clashes at the moment and diplomacy can still
solve the problem in Crimea. "However, if any clashes break out
in eastern Ukraine and Russian troops consider it a fait accompli,
there will be serious consequences," he said.
He also warned of a possible domino effect of the Crimean crisis,
saying, "If the Crimea crisis triggers the Karabakh problem, it may
strain nerves in the Caucasus region." He said Armenia's fortification
is "dangerous" and stated that these kinds of acts inflame crisis in
the region.
Crimea was a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1478 to 1774.
Although it was then absorbed into the Russian Empire, the majority of
its population maintained its Muslim traditions and Tatar roots. The
Turkish government and Crimean Tatars are concerned about the
possibility of violence against the peninsula's ethnic Tatar minority.