TENSIONS IN CRIMEA OVER DISPUTED LAND

C O N F I D E N T I A L KYIV 000236

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/03/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI UP
SUBJECT: TENSIONS IN CRIMEA OVER DISPUTED LAND

Classified By: Political Counselor Colin Cleary for reasons 1.4 (b,d).

Summary
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1. (C) Tensions between Crimean Tatars and Crimean
authorities over disputed land in Simferopol, which had the
potential to erupt into violence, appear to be easing.
Defense Minister Yekhanurov has gotten personally involved in
seeking a peaceful solution. The Ministry of Defense is
reported to have transferred land occupied by Crimean Tatar
squatters to the City of Simferopol, which in turn could turn
it over to the Crimean Tatar community for use in a
settlement. End Summary.

Crimean Authorities Plan Eviction
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2. (U) The Crimean Tatar Mejlis (Council) appealed to senior
GOU leaders and the international community on January 27 to
prevent the forceful eviction of Crimean Tatar squatters from
a settlement in the city of Simferopol (capital of Crimea).
The Mejlis claimed that police and military units planned to
demolish homes and a mosque and turn the land over to
commercial developers. The settlement, which had been
established in 2006 on land belonging to the MOD, had been in
the process of being transferred to the city for several
years. According to Crimean Tatar leaders, Simferopol
authorities secretly and prematurely allocated the land to
commercial developers. The planned eviction was to fulfill a
court order turning over the land to commercial interests.

Tensions Rise
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3. (SBU) Tensions rose January 27-29 as approximately
1000-3000 Crimean Tatars gathered at the settlement to defy
the eviction order. Embassy contacts in Crimea expressed
concern about possible violent clashes and felt that
extremists on both sides might use the dispute to inflame the
situation. Deputy Mejlis Leader Refat Chubarov publicly
called for peaceful settlement of the dispute and asked that
the Crimean Tatar community receive the eight hectares in
currently occupies. Chubarov explained that the remaining 37
hectares of the MOD land would be plenty for commercial
development. Although he appealed for calm, Chubarov warned
that tens of thousands of Tatars would come to protect the
mosque on the site if there were prospect of the mosque's
demolition.

DefMin Involved
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4. (C) The Ambassador raised the issue with Minister of
Defense Yekhanurov during a January 28 meeting. Yekhanurov
was well aware of the situation, adding that he had a map of
the disputed location on his desk. He said he had already
conducted talks with various of the parties involved,
including the city administration and the Tatars. He
rejected the allegation that military personnel might be used
to evict the squatters, saying he doubted "any troops would
be involved at all." He promised to "work on it" and find a
solution.

Possible Compromise
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5. (U) On February 2, Simferopol Mayor Babenko spoke out
against any attempts at violent resolution. On the same day,
a Crimean NGO announced that Yekhanurov had met with the
Prime Minister of Crimea, Viktor Plakida, in Kyiv and
transferred 7.5 hectares of the disputed land to the city of
Simferopol. This transfer would then make the compromise
called for by the Mejlis possible.

Comment
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6. (SBU) Land disputes involving the Crimean Tatars remain
one of the most acute sources of interethnic tension in
Ukraine. The Crimean Tatar community has long criticized the
government for not doing enough to help it resettle after its
return to Ukraine in the early 1990s. While the current
dispute is not yet over, Minister Yekhanurov's personal
involvement appears to have eased tensions and paved the way
for a possible peaceful settlement.
TAYLOR