Crimean Tartars and Meskhetians deported en bloc from the Caucasus
to Siberia and Central Asia during WWII have (unlike other groups)
not been allowed to return Crimean Tartars Turkic Muslims living
in Crimean peninsula since the 13th Century Annexed by Russia
in 1783 Russio-Turkish war 1768-74 results in considerable Tatar
migration to Turkey 1921- Lenin established Crimean Autonomous
Soviet Socialist Republic (Crimean ASSR) within the Russian Federation.
Cultural and linguistic autonomy of republic is preserved. 1927
- era of the "purge of the bourgeois nationalists"- Muslims hit
particularly hard 1920's and 30's collectivisation drive is resisted
- over 30,000 Crimean peasants deported in conditions of extreme
cruelty to Siberia. A parallel anti-religious campaign leads to
the death or deportation of the majority of Muslim clergy 1941-44
Occupation of Crimea by the German Army 1944- recaptured by the
Red Army. Crimeans accused of collaboration with the German army-
collaborators executed 17/18 May 1944 - remaining Tartars all
deported to special reservations in Central Asia and Eastern Siberia.
46% of those deported died. 5/9/67 presidential decree absolves
the Tatars of treachery, but attempts at national autonomy and
campaigns for a right to return are suppressed 1978- New campaign
against unregistered Tartar families which have moved back to
the Crimea. Musa Mamut commits suicide; his funeral procession
turns into a mass protest. "Hundreds of Crimean Tartars remain
in danger of deportation… the realisation of their aims of national
autonomy and general repatriation seems as distant as ever, as
does their freedom to practice their Muslim faith" Meskhetians
From the mountainous region of Soviet-Turkish border. About 200,000
deported to Central Asia and Kazakstan - 30-50,000 died. Meskhetians
are mostly Georgians who adopted Islam and Turkish language after
coming under Turkish rule in the 16th Century. The reason for
their deportation was "probably Stalin's desire to remove potentially
pro-Turkish elements from the frontier area at a time when he
had ambitions in North East Turkey." May 1968 - A supreme Soviet
decree theoretically permits return to Meskhetia - however this
proved to be an empty gesture and no Meskhetians have actually
been allowed to return. "Many fearful of their prospects as a
national and Muslim group within the USSR, have demanded the right
to emigrate to Turkey"
