Crimean Tatars Are Forgotten Innocent Victims of Russia’s War.
On Friday’s Q&A , someone asked about what had happened to Crimean Tatars since the war’s second phase began in 2022. I didn’t have a good answer. So posting this piece now:
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/03/19/crimean-tatars-are-forgotten-innocent-victims-of-russias-war-a84516
Thank you for posting this article: I’m the one who asked the question about the Tatars. Back in the’90s and ‘00 & ‘02 I attended international library conferences in Crimea, organized by the Library of Science and Technology, Moscow. While there, I also attended the sub-conference of the Tatar librarians; the people I met were very welcoming and highly knowledgeable. We had many conversations about the loss of their language and culture, and the steps they were taking to address that — including the most beautiful children’s books with traditional stories, illustrated by the best Tatar artists, to teach them about their own language and culture. Bakhchisarai is such a beautiful place; some day I hope to see it again (and eat those marvelous Cheburecki!). — Kathleen Thorne