President Gül Bestowes the Order of the Republic upon Crimean Tatar Leader Kırımoğlu
15.04.2014
Decorating the Deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament and former Speaker of the Crimean Tatar National Assembly, Mustafa Abdülcemil Kırımoğlu, with the Order of the Republic, President Gül reiterated that Crimea has an exceptional place in the hearts of the Turkish people, saying: “Kırımoğlu carries the banner of the Crimean people’s struggle for survival and to live in dignity. His life is like a summary of the ordeals that the people of Crimea have gone through.”
President Abdullah Gül decorated the Deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament and former Speaker of the Crimean Tatar National Assembly, Mustafa Abdülcemil Kırımoğlu, with the Order of the Republic during a ceremony held at the Çankaya Presidential Palace.
KIRIMIOĞLU AND CRIMEAN TATAR PEOPLE
Sharing his pride in awarding Mr. Kırımoğlu the Order of the Republic, the highest order in Turkey conferred on persons other than heads of state, President Gül declared Kırımoğlu to be a person who carries the banner of the Crimean people’s struggle for survival and to live in dignity. “I am honored to decorate my dear friend Mr. Kırımoğlu, who is a great hero and great müjaheed and who has devoted his life to the righteous cause of the Crimean Tatar people, with the Order of the Republic.”
Crimea, the President said, has an exceptional place in the hearts of the Turkish people and noted that Crimea is the mother land of the Tatar people whose existance in Crimea dates back to the State of Altınordu, which was founded in the 13th century. The Tatar people lived in that region in peace for centuries, added the President.
“THE CRIMEAN TATAR PEOPLE HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL PLACE IN THE HEARTS OF TURKISH PEOPLE”
Nevertheless, President Gül continued, a period of suffering for Crimea started following World War II, noting: “The Tatar people, due to the exiles and forced evacuations and migrations starting 1944, were uprooted from their motherland. These people were forced to move to Uzbekistan, Romania, Bulgaria, the Baltic region and different parts of Russia. Hundreds of thousands of them had to leave Crimea for Turkey as well. The Tatar people became a minority in their own country.”
This is the reason Kırımoğlu, who was exiled to Uzbekistan when he was a 6-month-old baby, has devoted his life to the struggle of the Tatar people in returning to their motherland, underscored the President, adding that the life of Kırımoğlu is like a summary of the ordeals that the people of Crimea have gone through. “This self-sacrificing man, until he was released from prison in 1986, spent 15 years in jail, in exile and labour camps, but because his cause is righteous and he has an unshakable perseverence, these sufferings have not been left unrequited. Thus, the Crimean Tatar people have demonstrated that they will not be uprooted from their motherland. This struggle for freedom made under the leadership of Mr. Kırımoğlu has been written in gold letters in history.”
Kırımoğlu, the President said, also assumed the leadership during the restoration term as well and lauded his sagacious leadership at both the Crimean Tatar Assembly and the Ukrainian Parliament.
Today in Crimea, besides the Tatar people, Russians, Ukrainians and other communities also live there, said President Gül and he further stated that “the Crimean Tatar people are exposed to a serious test today under these circumstances. It will be a guarantee for the peaceful future of our Tatar brothers and sisters that in such difficult times, an amicable and common sense approach respecting diversities should be espoused. We believe that our Tatar brothers and sisters will act together in harmony once again to determine their destiny and future in union and solidarity by rallying around their national hero, Mr. Kırımoğlu. We hope that these harsh times will be left behind on the basis of dialogue, mutual respect and understanding. In this vein, I am decorating Mr. Kırımoğlu, the chiefguide of the Crimean Tatar people with the Order of the Republic with great pride and happiness and I greet our Crimean Tatar brothers and sisters with my deepest heartfelt feelings, love and affection.”
Afterwards, President Gül bestowed the Order of the Republic and the Cetificate of Decoration upon Mr. Kırımoğlu with”
Af for Mr. Kırımoğlu, he shared his pride in receiving the Order of the Republic and noted that he regards it as a tangible demonstration of Turkey’s support for the Crimean Tatar people.
After that, President Gül, First Lady Gül and Mustafa A. Kırımoğlu had a memoir photo taken with Chairwoman Safinar Cemileva of the League of Crimean Tatar Women.
