"We plan to be based in Kherson, together with a representation of other [ethnic] minorities. It's possible we may participate in a military formation to be created for the struggle. After the peninsula has been liberated from the occupiers, such formations are most likely to be used to maintain security on the peninsula, Dzhemilev said at the second World Congress of Crimean Tatars in Ankara on August 1.
In his words, the Crimean Tatars who were forced to leave Crimea as internally displaced people due to the pressure of the Russian occupying authorities will be settled in Kherson region.
"We are mulling over opening schools, establishments there," he said.
"We are confident that it will be easy to ensure the return of Crimean Tatars to their homeland. We look forward to an active role of the Crimean Tatar Diaspora [the Diaspora in Turkey numbers up to 150,000 ethnic Crimean Tatars] in these processes. After the [creation of the] Bureau of the Conference and the governing bodies of the World Congress of Crimean Tatars, a comprehensive program of action will be developed for further implementation. The struggle against the occupiers has won sympathy around the world. Representatives of the international community have seen how important the role of the Crimean Tatars is. The Qurultay of the Crimean Tatars [the National Congress, being the highest representing plenipotentiary body of the Crimean Tatar people] has been recognized officially. A further struggle will be directed to the creation of a Crimean Tatar autonomy within Ukraine. Everyone will treat ensuring the rights of the Crimean Tatars with respect. Therefore we want to invite all representatives of the Crimean Tatar Diaspora to work and create the national autonomy within Ukraine. We will win, I'm sure," Dzhemilev said.
He also called on all representatives of the Crimean Tatar Diaspora "to actively join in the process in the Ukrainian state."
After Russia annexed Crimea, 15,000 Crimean Tatars had to leave their home from February 27, 2014, until today [according to different estimates, from 235,000 to 280,000 Crimean Tatars lived before the annexation].
Russia barred the leaders of the Crimean Tatar People from entering Crimea, and the democratically elected Qurultay and the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People [the single highest executive-representative body of the Crimean Tatars in period between sessions of the Qurultay], which became examples of self-government of indigenous peoples, were deprived of the opportunity to continue work, and their assets were confiscated.
The second World Congress of the Crimean Tatars is held July 31 through August 2 in the capital of Turkey, Ankara, which is home to the largest diaspora of Crimean Tatars.
