National Dissent in the Soviet Union: The Crimean Tatar Case

摘要

The 'Return to the Homeland Movement' of one of the Crimean Tatars, is the principal subject of this article. Whereas Western observers have generally focused their attention on Russian and Jewish dissidents in the Moscow area, they have given somewhat less consideration to protesting members of other nationalities in other parts of the Soviet Union. Therefore a description of Crimean Tatar dissidence provides an opportunity to demonstrate that national dissent is more widespread (and as will be seen, more violent) than is perhaps generally believed. Here it might also be mentioned that dissent from Crimean Tatars in isolation from the other currents of dissent mentioned above cannot be viewed. Therefore when Crimean Tatar activities are known to have merged with those of other dissidents throughout the USSR, the occurrences will be noted. It is useful to bear in mind that the present dissidence of Crimean Tatars is merely a modern-day form of their past resistance to coercion and their determination to secure their national rights. Therefore a brief treatment of the history of the Crimean Tatars, and particularly their opposition to Russian domination, is discussed.