Crimean Tatars Will Commemorate Deportation Victims on Chatyr-Dag Mountain
Crimean Tatar youth will climb to the top of Chatyr-Dag in order to commemorate the victims of the deportation. Participants will conduct a prayer and sing the national anthem.
As indicated on the Facebook page of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, on May 16th, as part of the events commemorating victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people (the 71st anniversary of deportation of the Crimean Tatar people), an event called “Ascent to Chatyr-Dag 2015” will take place.
“The goal of the event is for Crimean youth to climb one of the highest mountains of Crimea, conduct dua (prayer) in memory of those killed during the deportations, and perform a collective rendition of the national anthem,” says the Mejlis statement.
“Ascent to Chatyr-Dag” is a traditional event, which has been held annually since 2010. Participants gather from all over the peninsula to commemorate the victims of the 1944 deportation.
This year, 2-3 thousand people are expected to participate. They are going to gather on May 16th at 8:30 a.m. on the Angarskyi Pass and begin the ascent at 9:00.
The organizers of the event are the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, the Religious Administration of Muslims of Crimea and Sevastopol, and various Crimean Tatar civic and youth organizations.
As reported earlier by Krym.Realii [Radio Liberty’s Crimean service], many Crimean Tatars did not take part in the national festival Hydyrlez, which symbolizes the beginning of the sowing season. The celebration was organized on May 3rd in Bakhchysarai district at the initiative of the Crimean authorities. Crimean Tatars did not want to participate in the event because of a disagreement with the authorities. Delegations from Yalta, Sudak, Alushta, and Sevastopol refused to take part in the celebration of the holiday. The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatars also called for a boycott the event. Crimean authorities maintain that 35-40 thousand people attended the festival, but the Mejlis reports only 5-6 thousand.
