By Nicholas Waller
BAKHCHISARAY, Ukraine
Crimea's referendum on joining the Russian Federation has alarmed the international community and outraged many of the region's residents, none more so than the Crimean Tatars. While few harbor any doubt about the results, those who oppose being brought under Moscow's authority continue to speak out against Russia's possible annexation of Crimea.
Safinar Dzhemileva, head of the Crimean Tatar Women's League and wife of renowned community leader and Soviet dissident Mustafa Dzhemilev, spoke with Anadolu Agency (AA) in an exclusive interview on Sunday's referendum.
"Those of us in the national movement who always fought peacefully against the Communist regime and have been to their prison camps - like my husband - are now home in Crimea. My husband became a Verkhovna Rada deputy and I have been heading the League of Crimean Tatar Women for 20 years," she said. "My husband always said that if we shed the blood of one individual, it means we've already lost."
“Only god knows what will happen on Sunday…and Putin,” she said.
Dzhemileva explained that her charity work is not exclusive to Crimean Tatars, but includes being involved in the political and public life of all nationalities including Russians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Ukrainians, and Armenians. "We’ve provided humanitarian assistance and education, helped invalids and taken care of those in need. The background of the person doesn't matter."
She said that Russia's invasion has ruined the lives of Crimea's minority communities, leaving them stunned and fearing the worst.
"Russia is naturally an unpredictable country. We don’t know what might happen to a small community of only 300,000 people. I can’t imagine what will happen to us. But we will fight until the last Tatar falls. When people are scared, they take it to streets," she said. "We don’t care about an easier or better life. We are Ukrainian. We feel Ukrainian. We love the language and the lifestyle. We have adopted everything and become one with the Ukrainians. There isn’t a force that could separate us."
When asked whether she considers Moscow to be the aggressors in the crisis, "They are occupiers, real occupiers who are completely cynical and shameless. We knew it was the Russian military right away. We never had any doubt because we saw all of their vehicles with Russian number plates and Russian flags everywhere."
Dzhemileva said that while Ukraine was always freer and more open than Russia, people expected a better standard of living after 20 years of independence.
"All the national riches of Ukraine have been stolen. We all knew what was happening and it was time we did something to stop it."
Though not an active participant, her support of the Euromaidan movement was rooted in her desire to end the corruption and endemic economic discrimination by Kiev's powerful elite.
"Ukraine's authorities are corrupt and criminal. They stole everything, but we patiently put up with it. The authorities - not the Ukrainian people - infringed upon our rights. [Following Yanukovych] We were looking forward to power finally changing hands and Ukraine being in the place it deserves to be," she said.
Dzhemileva believes that the current crisis can be resolved through a dialogue between the Crimean communities, Kiev and Moscow once Russia removes its troops.
"This is not about having more autonomy or independence right now. The main thing is for Russia to remove its troops. You see how people’s lives are being threatened. The international community cannot let this happen. Turkey needs to immediately cut its trade ties with Russia."
She steadfastly denounces Sunday's referendum as unconstitutional and fears that the Crimean Tatar community will be terrorized, repressed and imprisoned.
"If you have a heart and a brain, anyone would be scared. We are all scared. We are scared for our children, the elderly…our homeland," she said. "If you want to know what will happen to us, just go to a village somewhere in the middle of Russia to see how ethnic minorities live. Alcoholism, drugs, and unemployment are rampant. It’s absolute despair…they are simply slaves."
The Crimean Tatars pride themselves on having waged a successful campaign of passive resistance to Soviet authorities - under the leadership of Dzhemileva's husband - and say they have always resorted to democratic means to fight for their rights.
"When we were imprisoned, put in camps, even set ourselves on fire, we never raised a hand in anger against others. That is how we were able to come back to our homeland. We never harmed a single person," she said. "It's true that we weren’t welcomed at first. The Russians here were quite hostile to us, but little by little we all started to get along. But then...Russia and Putin started to go crazy with this absolutely deranged propaganda against Ukraine."
Dzhemileva said that through the Crimean Tatar Women's League will continue to struggle for women's rights throughout Crimea, regardless of nationality. She reiterated, however, that her current focus centers on the fate of her homeland.
"Ukraine will be just fine. Things will calm down, but I’m gravely worried about Crimea. Everyone used to come here on vacation, Russians too. They had fun and partied here with us. Now this little gem on earth is turning into a garbage dump. If it explodes it will be catastrophic."
