1 October 2014, Kyiv – Despite Russia’s persistent objections UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples invited Head of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov and adopted the Declaration that rules for establishing of the bodies monitoring and promoting implementation of rights of indigenous peoples under the UN framework. General Assembly supported the document that sets certain mechanisms designed to enhance the declaration implementation. Adoption of the document is a huge and important step, at the same time it is even more important to control the implementation of its provisions by all UN member states. Such statement was made by Refat Chubarov, Head of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people at a briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “It is the lack of effective form of protection for indigenous peoples that kills the faith people have for justice and rule of international law. The international practice is designed in such a way that reaction and response occurs at the stage when the blood has been already spilled, following the conflict escalation, that’s why in the most acute period for Crimean Tatars – end of February – beginning of March – we did not receive due support from the international community. Today I am sure that the issue of having Russian repressions towards Crimean Tatar people stopped has to become a separate demand to Russia and one more reason to reinforce sanctions on it by the international community,” stated Mr. Chubarov.
According to the Resolution a new staff member will be introduced in the UN system – Special UN Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples. But according to Refat Chubarov all positive changes will come into effect in the long-term perspective while the situation in Crimea is dangerous and requires immediate reaction of the international community. “Today we are talking about massive systematic repressions towards Crimean Tatar people aiming at pushing the people out of their native land. This includes entry ban to Crimea for leaders of Crimean Tatar people, searches and seizure of Mejlis documents, threats and public forceful abduction of young activists, no possibility to express a viewpoint different from Kremlin’s etc. We need effective support tools already today. I am sure that a special UN mission with respective mandate could help protect the rights of our people and liberate the temporary occupied part of the Ukrainian territory,” he said.
Refat Chubarov claims that position of the Crimean Tatars remains unchanged: to live in their own land preserving dignity – human, national and religious. “If a UN member state can use procedural regulations against the international community, the international community has to change the procedure placing its functions, principles and values above all,” said the Head of The Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people.
