Nearly fifteen years after the official disintegration of the Soviet Union and the formation of independent Ukraine, the Crimean Tatars continue to encounter enormous obstacles in resettling in their native land. Common sense dictates that the unjustly deported indigenous people of Crimea, the Crimean Tatars, should be welcomed back and their resettlement in their native land with government assistance should be given top priority by local and national authorities.

Instead, the socio-economic problems of those Crimean Tatars, who managed to return to Crimea with their own means, remain shamefully problematic. The current struggle in Tikhaya Bukhta, Koktebel, where Crimean Tatars are demanding land to resettle and the local government's refusal to accept these demands is a prime example of what the indigenous people are experiencing in their attempt to regain their human and national rights. We are not dealing with more than half of the Crimean Tatar population who are still unable to return to Crimea for political as well as economic reasons.

The statistics presented here are about the "lucky" ones who are in Crimea now. They were published in Yani Dunya, a weekly Crimean Tatar newspaper in two parts titled "Surgun Olungan Kirimtatarlarinin Yerlestiriluvu &146; Rakamlarda" [The Resettlement of the Deported Crimean Tatars - Statistics]. The population of each region and the status of Crimean Tatars in each region are, indeed, an eye opener for those who are interested in ethnic harmony in the Crimean peninsula. Here are the region-by-region statistics compiled by M. Osmanova: (See: Yani Dunya, 9 April 2005, p. 3; 16 April 2005, p.4)

BAGHCESARAY REGION

1. Total population: 90,800
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 24,255
3. Number of Crimean Tatars on waiting list for housing: 612
4. Number of Crimean Tatars provided housing by the government: 17 families
5. Number of Crimean Tatars living in dormitories: 150
6. Number of Crimean Tatars living in rented housing: 886
7. Parcel of land allocated for housing: 5,336
8. Number of Crimean Tatars living in unfinished Housing: 9,212
   1. 4,572 families live in 50% completed housing
   2. 3,035 families live in 70% completed housing
   3. 1,605 families live in temporary housing

1. Number of micro-regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated: 56
2. Number of Crimean Tatars returned to Baghcesaray Region in 2004: 472

BELOGORSK (KARASUBAZAR) REGION

1. Total Population: 66,150
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 21,640
3. Number of Crimean Tatars on waiting list for housing: 221 families
4. Number of Crimean Tatars provided housing by the government: 125 families
5. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in dormitories: 114
6. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in rented quarters: 868
7. Parcels of land allocated for housing: 3,887
8. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in unfinished housing: 3,320 families
   1. 2,254 families live in 50% completed housing
   2. 792 families live in 70% completed housing
   3. 274 families live in temporary shelters

1. Number of micro regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated: 5
2. Number of Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004: 394

CANKOY REGION

1. Total Population: 82,607
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 18,472
3. Number of Crimean Tatars on the waiting list for housing: 125 families
4. Number of Crimean Tatars provided housing through Government programs: 162 families
5. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in dormitories: 78
6. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in rented quarters: 759
7. Parcels of land allocated for housing: 1,793
8. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in unfinished housing: 1,793 families
   1. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in a 50 % completed housing: Not available
   2. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in a 70 % completed housing: Not available
   3. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in temporary shelters: 660 families

1. Number of micro regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated:
2. Number of Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004: 54

ISLAM TEREK (KIROV) REGION

1. Total Population: 147,495
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 12,641
3. Number of Crimean Tatars who are on the waiting list for housing: 167 families
4. Number of Crimean Tatars who are provided by government: 143 families
5. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in dormitories: 385
6. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in dormitories: 107
7. Number of families who live in rented quarters: 143 Families
8. 1432 parcels of land allocated for housing
9. Numbers of families who live unfinished housing: 946 families
   1. 279 families live in 50% completed housing
   2. 541 families live in a 70% completed housing
   3. 126 families live in temporary shelters

1. Number of regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated : 23
2. Number of Crimean Tatars Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004: 173

KRASNO GVARDESK (KURMAN-KEMELCI) REGION

1. Total population: 92,200
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 17,388
3. 158 families are on the waiting list for housing
4. 89 families are provided housing by government
5. 609 Crimean Tatars live in dormitories.
6. 6,826 Crimean Tatars live in rented quarters.
7. 1,526 parcels of land reserved for housing.
8. 1,599 Crimean Tatar families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 998 families live in 50% completed housing
   2. 416 families live in 70% completed housing
   3. 185 families live in temporary shelters

1. 20 Micro-regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated
2. Number of Crimean Tatars settled in the region in 2004: 58

ORKAPI (KRASNOPERESKOP) REGION

1. Total Population: 30,300
2. Total Crimean Tatar Population: 5,480
3. 77 families are on the waiting list for housing
4. Number of Crimean Tatar families already given housing: 86
5. Number of Crimean Tatars who still live in dormitories: 62
6. Number of Crimean Tatars who live in rented quarters: 58
7. Parcels of land reserved for housing for Crimean Tatars: 270
8. Number of Crimean Tatar families who live in unfinished housing: 103 families
   1. 48 families live in 50% completed housing
   2. 23 families live in 70% completed housing
   3. 32 families live in temporary shelters

1. Number of micro-regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated: 7
2. No Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004

LENIN REGION

1. Total Population: 67,001
2. Total Crimean Tatar Population: 10,821
3. 153 families are on the waiting list for housing
4. 147 families are provided housing by government
5. 151 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. None in rented quarters
7. 1,352 parcels of land
8. 1,877 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 309 families live in 50% completed housing
   2. 1035 families live in 70% completed housing
   3. 533 families live in temporary shelters

1. Number of micro-regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated: 15
2. Number of Crimean Tatars resettled in the region in 2004: 63

SEITLER (NIJGERORSK) REGION

1. Total Population: 54,325
2. Total Crimean Tatar Population: 9,530
3. 88 families are on the waiting list for housing
4. 248 families are provided housing by the government
5. 858 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. Number of Crimean Tatars who rent: 767
7. Parcels of land allocated for housing: 956
8. Number of families who live in unfinished housing: 541
   1. 210 families live in 50% completed housing
   2. 305 families live in 70% completed housing
   3. 26 families live in temporary shelters

1. Number of micro regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated: 1
2. Number of Crimean Tatars who resettled in the region in 2004: 68

CURCI (PERVAMOYSKY) REGION

1. Total population: 39,500
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 8,717
3. 55 families are on the waiting list for housing
4. 8 families are provided housing by the government
5. 10 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. 60 Crimean Tatars live in rented quarters
7. 680 parcels of land allocated for housing
8. 497 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 215 families live in 50 % completed housing
   2. 120 families live in 70 % completed housing
   3. 162 families live in temporary shelters

1. 12 micro regions
2. 43 Crimean Tatars resettled in the region in 2004

AKSEYH (RAZDOLNOE) REGION

1. Total population: 36,188
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 5,319 Crimean Tatars
3. 85 families are on the waiting list for housing
4. 175 families are provided housing by the government
5. 2 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. None live in rented quarters
7. 558 parcels of land allocated for housing
8. 318 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 132 families live in 50 % completed housing
   2. 158 families live in 70 % completed housing
   3. 28 families live in temporary shelters

1. 6 micro regions
2. 51 Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004

SAK REGION

1. Total population: 80,000
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 14,874 Crimean Tatars
3. 170 families on the waiting list for housing
4. 233 families are provided housing by the government
5. 40 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. 150 Crimean Tatars live in rented quarters
7. 2,900 parcels of land allocated for housing
8. 2,329 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 830 families in 50 % completed housing
   2. 340 families in 70 % completed housing
   3. 1,159 families in temporary shelters

1. 21 micro region
2. 86 Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004

AKMESCIT REGION

1. Total population: 146,507
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 33,161 Crimean Tatars
3. 339 families on the waiting list for housing
4. 57 families are provided housing by the government
5. 153 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. 2,703 Crimean Tatars live in rented quarters
7. 9,275 parcels of land allocated for housing
8. 4,802 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 2,031 families live in 50 % completed housing
   2. 1,159 families live in 70 % completed housing
   3. 1612 families live in temporary shelters

1. 37 micro regions
2. 200 Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004

ICKI (SOVYETSKY) REGION

1. Total population: 37,575
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 8,344
3. 103 families are on waiting list for housing
4. 220 families are provided housing by the government
5. 156 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. 201 Crimean Tatars live in rented quarters
7. 1,142 parcels of land allocated for housing
8. 902 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 486 families live in 50 % completed housing
   2. 264 families live in 70 % completed housing
   3. 152 families live in temporary shelters

1. 10 micro regions
2. 68 Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004

AKMESCET (CHERNOMORSKY) REGION

1. Total population: 33,974
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 5,128
3. 57 families on the waiting list for housing
4. 127 families are provided housing by the government
5. 2 Crimean Tatars live in dorms
6. 27 Crimean Tatars live in rented quarters
7. 575 parcels of land allocated for housing
8. 146 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 45 families live in 50 % completed housing
   2. 30 families live in 70 % completed housing
   3. 65 families live in temporary shelters

1. 8 micro regions
2. 16 Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004

ESKI KIRIM REGION

1. Total population: 10,533
2. Total Crimean Tatar population: 4,215 Crimean Tatars
3. 74 families are on the waiting list for housing
4. 26 families are provided housing by the government
5. No one lives in dorms
6. 311 families live in rented quarters
7. 1,206 parcels of land allocated for housing
8. 388 families live in unfinished housing:
   1. 208 families live in 50 % completed housing
   2. 94 families live in 70 % completed housing
   3. 86 families live in temporary shelters

1. 2 micro regions
2. 48 Crimean Tatars resettled in this region in 2004

CRIMEAN AUTONOMOUS REPUBLIC

1. Total population: 2,250,973
2. Total Crimean Tatar Population: 257,754
3. 5,993 families are on waiting list for housing
4. 3,093 families are provided housing by the government
5. 36,221 families resettled in Crimea with their own means
6. 24, 625 families purchased existing homes
7. 11,596 families built their own homes
8. 4,827 Crimean Tatars still live in dorms
9. 14,580 Crimean Tatars live in rented quarters
10. 47,948 parcels of land allocated for housing
11. 35,995 Crimean Tatar families still live in unfinished housing:
    1. 17,204 families live in 50 % completed housing
    2. 10,637 families live in 70 % completed housing
    3. 8,154 families live in temporary shelters

1. 300 micro regions where Crimean Tatars are densely populated
   1. 243 micro regions have 70 % water
   2. 273 micro regions have 100% electricity
   3. 71 micro regions have gravel filled roads
   4. 64 micro regions have natural gas
2. 2,662 Crimean Tatars resettled in Crimea in 2004

Briefly reviewing these statistics reminds us of the sad state of Crimean Tatars' return from deported areas, mainly from Uzbekistan. The "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine means very little unless the government gets involved in a systematic return of the entire Crimean Tatar population from exile and helps them resettle there peacefully.

Mubeyyin Batu Altan