Mejlis Asks Muslims Around the World to Help Solve Crisis in Crimea

The Crimean Tatar Mejlis issued an official Appeal to the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in which it asked for help in finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in Crimea, Rakurs reports.

“The events that are unfolding in Ukraine, especially in the Crimea, may escalate into a global humanitarian disaster for its more than two million people – Russians, Ukrainians, and Crimean Tatar people especially, whose traditional religion is Islam. Of particular concern to the multiethnic population is the numerous paramilitary formations, both local and those that have been massively introduced together with the army of the Russian Federation. However, all the civilian population of the Crimean peninsula is unarmed,” the Mejlis said in a statement.

The leader of the Mejlis Refat Chubarov said that this can lead to religious conflicts, the main victims of which will be the small Muslim indigenous people of the Crimea – the Crimean Tatars.

"The situation is complicated because diplomats of foreign countries, international organizations, and military observers from the OSCE are having difficulties entering the Crimea. The fact that special envoy of the UN Secretary General Mr. Robert Serry was compelled to leave Crimea indicates that the situation is extremely alarming. The multicultural population of Crimea is extremely worried for the lives of their children, relatives, and friends. At any moment the irreparable can happen,” said Chubarov.

Rakurs reported that in its statement, the Mejlis stressed the Crimean Tatar people's right to self-determination.