WE REMEMBER CELEBICIHAN

COMMEMORATION OF 91st ANNIVERSARY OF NUMAN CELEBICIHAN' S BRUTAL EXECUTION

Today is a day of mourning for Crimean Tatar people. February 23, 1918 has entered the Crimean Tatar history as one of its darkest pages as on this day our legendary leader, the first president of the independent Crimea, Numan Celebicihan was brutally murdered by the Bolshevik revolutionaries, the Black Sea Fleet Sailors in Akyar (Sevastopol) . Crimean Tatars throughout the world from Crimea to Canada, in the United States of America, Turkey, Germany and in every Crimean Tatar diaspora will commemorate this tragic event with prayers and services.

Numan Celebicihan was born in Buyuk Sonak village of City of OR in Crimea in 1885. He was only thirty three years old when he was executed and his body was cut to pieces and thrown in to the icy waters of the Black Sea. In his short life, however, he with the help of a handful of friends, was able to establish the first and only independent Crimea on November 26, 1917. He, unfortunately, did not live long enough to pursue his main objective to elevate Crimea to a highly civilized country like Switzerland where all nationalities would enjoy the fruits of democracy and freedom.

Today the Crimean Tatars will remember Celebicihan for his poem “Antetkenmen- I have Pledged,” which became the national anthem of the Crimean Tatar nation even before Crimea was declared its independent. We will remember Celebicihan with every word, every sentence of “Antetkenmen- I have Pledged” when it is sang by every Crimean Tatar today.

We will remember Celebicihan for his strong commitment to fight against ignorance and backwardness, and his courage to stand up against the reactionaries or anyone else who might deny Crimean Tatars the opportunity to enjoy freedom and democracy. He will be remembered for his courage to stand up against one of the most influential Mirzas of Akmescit region Mirza Suleyman Kirimtayef by inviting him to a gun duel. Mirza Kirimtayef, the head of the Akmescit Military Affairs Council, and the Mayor of Bahcesaray had challenged the chief editor of Tercuman newspaper, Hasan Sabri Ayvazov to a duel as he felt that Tercuman was over criticizing him. “... At this time the (Crimean Tatar )youth thanks to addition of youth who had arrived from Istanbul , was powerful enough to engage in political argument with the reactionary conservative forces. When Hasan Sabri who by nature was a calm and quiet person, failed to respond Kirimtayef's challenge Celebicihan as a
member of young generation considered this as a direct attack against the progressive youth. He took upon himself to respond to Mirza Kirimtayef's challenge with an ad in Tercuman newspaper and openly stated that he will duel with Kirimtayef instead of Hasan Sabri Ayvazov. This time it was Kirimtayef who surrendered. ..” (Emel, No.44, January-February 1968, p.17)

We will remember Numan Celebicihan with his historic speech at the opening ceremonies of the Crimean Tatar National Museum at the Palace of Khans in Bahcesaray on September 27, 1917. Every Crimean Tatar, young and old will remember the following colorful words of Celebichan:
“ ...Our nation is inaugurating her Kurultay not for self rule...We are opening our Kurultay to work hand and hand, head to head, together with all other nationalities. Our nation is Just. Our nation is not selfish, self-centered nation who only considers herself, and pursues her own happiness... Various exquisite roses, bleeding hearts, lilies and tulips grow in the Crimean peninsula. These lovely and pleasing flowers all have their own unique beauty and scents. These roses and flowers are the various nationalities, i.e. Muslims, Russians, Jews, Greeks, Germans and others who reside in Crimea. Kurultay's (Parliament) goal is to put these flowers together and create a beautiful and elegant bouquet, and establish a genuine and civilized country just like Switzerland in the beautiful Crimean peninsula. Kurultay cares not only for Muslims, but also for all other nationalities who peacefully coexisted for centuries. We invite all other nationalities to walk
this path hand and hand with us...” (Kirim, No.2, February 1957, p.40.)

Today we will remember Celebicihan for his historic speech at the opening of the historic first Crimean Tatar National Kurultay on November 26, 1917. Not only Crimean Tatars but also the Russians, Ukrainians, all the other nationalities, and the entire world should remember Numan Celebicihan' s following poignant words which very much has current importance in light of what has been taking place in Crimea today.
“ ...After a century and a half of Russian oppression, our political history reopens today. The Crimean Mejlis convened in this great hall today to rejuvenate the Tatar national rule which was destroyed by the Russian tyranny.
Today, the Tatars Nation is born again. The deep wounds inflicted upon the Tatar social life by the Russian absolute rule, oppression and tyranny until the twentieth century, continues to bleed...The Tatar nation who embraces human equality as one of the basic human rights, along with other nations' banners, erects its national banner to the summit of Kurultay.
The noble Tatar people who embraces the brotherhood of nations as its high aspiration, from today on will legislate its own basic laws through the law of brotherhood. ..” (see www.iccrimea. org/literature/ numan.htlm)

In light of the most recent vicious attack of “Berkut,” the Ukrainian militia on Crimean Tatar civilians, namely Mustafa Hayirov and his family on February 22, 2009 in Mirnoye, Akmescit (Simferopol) (Thanks to Nadir Bekir's e-mail report with a photograph on internet dated 02/23/09) which caused severe injuries (Mustafa's left hand was amputated) we appreciate Celebicihan' s strong statement against the oppressors. It was 91 years ago Numan Celebicihan clearly declared that “ ...The deep wounds inflicted upon the Tatar social life by the Russian absolute rule, oppression and tyranny until the twentieth century, continues to bleed...” It is unfortunate that Celebicihan' s statement is still valid today. The wounds of Crimean Tatar people never stopped bleeding. The only change is that we have an additional oppressor, Ukraine who failed to protect the innocent Crimean Tatars, and arrest and punish the known perpetrators.

We remember today and always Numan Celebicihan' s enormous sacrifices he made for his people and his nation. We promise today that we will follow the noble path he selected to elevate his nation and people to a higher civilized level of democracy, freedom and equality. I bow my head in great respect and honor of our legendary and courageous leader Numan Celebicihan' s memory! May Allah bless him, and may he rest in peace forever!

Mubeyyin Batu Altan

Crimean Tatar Research and Information Center
N. Bethesda, MD
February 23, 2009