TOAST TO DEMISE OF THE OCCUPANT REGIME IN CRIMEA

In its New Year message the Crimean Committee (www.freecrimea.org) expresses hope that 2007 will mark the beginning of the end of the occupant Ukrainian regime. The Committee points out to the events of 2006 leading up to such a conclusion: withdrawal under popular pressure of NATO troops who arrived in the peninsula for military exercises with the Ukrainian armed forces, rising awareness among the Crimeans about true intentions of politicians in Kiev, growing activities of such pro-Russian organizations as Sevastopol-Crimea-Russia and the Proryv (Breakthrough). The outgoing year has seen growing dissatisfaction among Crimean Tatars. It has been revealed at the recent Tatar national Convention the Kurultay. Some rank and file delegates have openely defied the self proclaimed (and illegitimate according to Ukrainian law) “Tatar national parliament”, the Medjlis. Twelve delegates to the convention have been expelled for their dissenting views by order of Tatar leader Mustafa Djemilev. Mr. Djemilev could not tolerate dissidents who refused to follow the official line of sucking up to the Ukrainian state. Several days after the Kurultay ended, a group of Tatars announced a new initiative: the creation of a popular movement for reunion with Russia. “It’s a return to the sources of the Crimean Tatar Movement for the Right to live in the Crimea”, the message says. “The founders of this movement insisted on re-establishment of the Crimean Tatar autonomy within Russia and not the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Even less so within the today’s Ukraine, a unitarian state, intolerant of any autonomy and keen on dismantling of the Autonomous Crimean Republic”.
The Crimean Committee reminds that the Crimea rejected the orange regime from the beginning. And now the Crimean population hates it even more. The consequence of this hatred was setting up of resistance movements. “The year 2007 will see the agony of the Ukrainian regime in the Crimea continue, says the Crimean Committee. And midnight December 31 for let’s raise our glasses filled with champagne for its final demise and its kicking out from the Crimea! Happy New Year!”

GRISLY MURDER IN CRIMEA

A Crimean Tatar youth leader was found dead Wednesday in the garage of his house in Simferopol with his throat cut. Norik Shirin, 22, was a supporter of Prime Minister Victor Yanukovitch (opponent of president Yushchenko) and this political stand put him at odds with illegal power group “the medjlis of Crimean Tatar People”. Norik Shirin was a student in the economy at the University of the Crimea. He was very popular among the Crimean Tatar younger generation. His activities ranged from newspaper publishing to setting up a youth movement. He also sat on the Crimean Pariliamentary Council for Youth. Several days ago, Norik returnded from Kiev where he had obtained a licience to open up a youth radio station. Deputy of the Ukrainian Parliament from the Crimea Alexander Chernomorov suspects that Norik’s plans to go into radio business could be a motive for murder. “You have to look for murderers among those who also wanted to open up such business”, Chernomiorov said. A radio station in the Crimea is a good source of cash flow from commercials. Somebody could be jealous. Norik Shirin’s personnality was widely discussed at Crimean Tatar Internet forums. Tatar radicals often accused him of treachery, insulted and threatened him. Leader of the medjlis Mustafa Djemilev refused to comment the death of Norik Shirin saying the incident is under investigation. The horrific death of a prominent young leader occurred in the lead-up to the session of Kurultai IV which is scheduled to start December 22.

CRIMEA SAYS NO TO NATO

Crimeans voted massively against the Ukraine’s accession to NATO. Despite threats from the occupant Ukrainian regime 58.2% of the Crimea’s registered voters, participated Saturday, Deember, 16, in the people’s referendum, non-official voting, organized by the People’s Assembly. Ukrainian authorities said they would not recognize the results of the plebiscite. 98,7 voters cast their ballots against NATO. They gave a negative response to the referendum’s question: “Do you agree with the president Victor Yushchenko’s political course on accession of the Ukraine to NATO?”
Earlier the Ukrainian president’s representative in the largely Russian-speaking Crimea said he had asked the judicial authorities to give a legal assessment of the People’s Assembly’s initiative. Crimean officials stayed away from the voting held in tents set up in public places all over the Crimea. At a massive rally after the voting chairman of the All-Crimean Non-Government Council and deputy to the Ukrainian parliament Leonid Grach said: “The Crimea, a bastion of Slavic patriotism, stood out against planting anti-Russian doctrine in the Ukraine… Crimean citizens have overpowered at the referendum the president who claims to be a democrat, but does not want to heed the voice of 900,000 residents of the Crimea and does not recognize the people’s will.”
Another rally was held in Sevastopol. The activists waived banners reading "We Are Against NATO," "NATO is a Threat to Ukraine's Independence," and "Russia is Our Main Partner”. Sevastopol is ruled by the Ukraine. However, the overwhelming majority of this city are strongly pro-Russian. Many Crimeans are quite aware of the fact that the Saturday’s referendum is not binding for the Ukrainian regime and that Kiev will continue its policy of joining NATO without people’s consent. Still they decided to turn out for voting believing that they are sending a strong message to Kiev: “We disapprove your anti-Russian stand”. Many voters say they want another referendum: that on secession from the Ukraine.