Crimean Tatars fear return of Russian rule

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By YURAS KARMANAU

SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine (AP) - The arrival of Russian troops in Crimea has opened old wounds among the Crimean Tatars, who were deported during World War II. Fearing that once again they will be unwelcome in their homeland, some are organizing community-watch patrols to protect their families and homes in a place they strongly feel should remain part of Ukraine.

Tensions have grown with preparations to hold a referendum on Sunday on whether Crimea should stay in Ukraine or join Russia.

"It turned out that there's a sudden sense of danger," said Dilyaver Reshetov, who heads the watch group in Simferopol's Akmechet neighborhood.

While Crimea's ethnic Russian majority may be in favor of joining Russia, Muslim Tatars have rallied to support the new Ukrainian leaders in Kiev. This, they fear, will make them a target of rising Russian nationalism on the Black Sea peninsula.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140310/DACF2L903.html

[Gore1FL]

1. I hope they think of the children.

You know, the Tatar Tots.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. Groan...

. When I was a wee little lad, they called me Tater.

[blackspade]

2. Ethnic cleansing on the way?

The Russians did it once, they may do it again.
There seems to be an awful stew of ultra-nationalist wing nuts all over Ukraine intent on using the unrest to ignite a powder keg to attack ethnic minorities.

[Scootaloo]

3. And DU is trying to bite its nuts over which psychotic assholes to team up with

[blackspade]

4. No doubt