Tatars

Mr. Leopoldo Niilus has reminded me of an interesting letter he received ten years ago from the leader of Estonia's Tatar community. The letter, which is still on my old site at the URL http://www.halldor.demon.co.uk/tatars.htm, makes interesting reading in today's international political climate - in many ways I'm inclined to think that, where Timur Seifullen's comments about Russia are concerned, not much has really changed:

Translation from the original Estonian

SITUATION OF MINORITIES IN ESTONIA

OPEN LETTER

TIMUR SEIFULLEN

CHAIRMAN OF THE ESTONIAN ISLAMIC COMMUNITY


Tallinn, March 31, 1994

Dear Mr. Leopoldo J. Niilus,

I address this letter to you personally with the request that you inform the leadership of the Lutheran World Federation, its membership and the broader public opinion about the recent past and current reality of the Republic of Estonia, seen by me as a foreigner, that is, from a non-Estonian perspective. I am of Tartar nationality. Having been elected by my co-nationals as their community leader in 1987, I am thoroughly familiar with the recent Tartar history as well as with the problems Estonia is facing. Since September l988, when the Union of the Peoples of Estonia (Eestimaa Rahvuste Ühendus) was created, our community is one of its members. In 1993 I was elected vice chairman of that Union, and I am fully aware of both the work and aspirations as well as of the sorrows and joys of some twenty national organizations.

In March 1994, the Islamic national communities living in Estonia elected me chairman of the Islamic Community in Estonia. I have listed all the above, not with the aim of glorifying myself personally (in my activities I have missed out many things and committed mistakes and I have had to face tasks for which my strength has been insufficient), but with the purpose of giving some of the background on which this note is based.

We have, thus, the Tartars in Estonia. The history of the current Tartar community in this country begins with the years following the Great Socialist October Revolution. When the Russian Empire, under the pretext of civil war, reached with its conquering quests the Tartar Republic and again occupied it (or, in other words, instituted there the Soviet regime), massive repressions began. A quite common feature was the locking of intellectuals and religious leaders into mosques and to burn them alive. A wave of refugees became unleashed. Tartars were scattered all over the world - reaching among other places Finland and Estonia. In Estonia, Narva and Tallinn witnessed the main concentrations of these war refugees. These Tartars who had been able almost miraculously to cross Russia, were war refugees, totally deprived of any means, frequently having lost their health. Many of them - those from the rural districts and particularly the women - spoke no language beside Tartar. From among the men some people had some Russian, mostly of a very faulty kind.

In what shape was Estonia of that time? It had been a tiny a poor province of the Russian Empire. Estonia and the Estonians had cruelly suffered during World War I, reaching the very limits of hardship during the War of Liberation. In actual fact, at the time of gaining its independence, Estonia was totally ruined. But what was the attitude of the Estonians and that of the Republic of Estonia in such pitiful conditions? It took under its protection the war refugees of several nationalities (from among them the Tartars), that is, people who, in addition to everything else, also had lost their homelands.

Estonia is a Christian country. Islam here is and will remain a phenomenon that is alien or even out of place or unbecoming. In spite of this, I would want to witness here to the tolerance of the Estonians. At the request of those of Islamic faith, separate cemeteries were granted to them. Islamic cemeteries were established in the Tallinn center town cemetery, in the cemeteries of Rakvere and Narva. The constitution of the Islamic faith community was registered in 1928. The faith communities in Narva and in Tallinn either owned buildings or took them in rent. During the 1920-1940 period, the people of Islamic faith living in Estonia suffered no restrictions or hindrances. This I bear witness to based on written or oral memories of the oldest members of our community. Parallel to the improvement of the situation in Estonia, the life of the Tartars here became better as well. According to their capabilities, they found areas of work and employment. Successful merchants put the basis of a wealthier sector. Youth was oriented towards acquiring higher education and Tartars took great pride in such of their young people who went to study in the University of Tartu.

Then comes the summer of 1940 and all this takes an end. The tiny Republic of Estonia is unable to defend the Estonians or its citizens of other nationalities. Estonia is occupied by Soviet Russia - massacres and deportations begin immediately (that is, a replay of what the older Tartars already had once witnessed).

War began in Estonia in the summer of 1940 and, in actual fact, it has not yet come to an end to this very day. The Republic of Estonia was reconstituted under conditions of occupation: in it an organization, known world wide as the KGB, continues functioning; a Russian occupation army is still in place; Russia denies the legitimate border of Estonia and subjects it to a brutal pressure through scores of different means.

One frequently is confronted with the argument that Estonia was dragged into World War II. This is a wrong way to put it. A number of big countries were dragged into that war. In the case of Estonia it just rolled over it. This is how it happened:

1939: Enter Red Army bases

1940: Total occupation of the Republic of Estonia by Russia, followed by massacres and deportations to Siberia

1941: Enter German occupation forces - exit the Red Army. Follow repressions and concentration camps

1944: Exit the German occupation forces - enters the Red Army (still in place till this very day). Followed again by mass murder, deportations and all conceivable kinds of repression.

Since 1940 till the recent past, Estonia has been constantly ruled by puppet regimes; the Estonians not having had the slightest chance to run their own country. With this in mind, it is totally slanderous to accuse the Estonians for the mass murders and repressions carried out by the different occupying powers.

Here I would like to lift out the fact that the Estonian Muslim Community, dispersed in 1940, was reconstituted in the fall of 194l and their properties returned - certainly not by the Germans but by the Estonians. In 1944 the Red Army totally destroyed the city of Narva (later asking the Germans for compensation), and forbade the return of its original inhabitants to their home city. Thus the Estonians were unable to rebuild their homes in Narva. Nor could those representatives of other nationalities who survived the war return either. Then began the filling of Narva with migrants and the city became totally Russianized. Today, Narva is basically inhabited by people who only speak Russian and whose national ideal is to see Estonia as a tiny portion (province) of Russia, with all the privileges restituted to the Russians, in other words, the status of "victors" given back to them.

Returning now to 1944, we should recall the fact that in the beginning of March of that year the Red Army air force bombed Tallinn. The capital of Estonia was seriously damaged and the building that housed the Estonian Muslim Community was also destroyed. The drainage system in the vicinity of the city's central cemetery was wiped out as well and the Muslim graveyard site there became flooded and unfit for further use.

The entire war front rolled over Estonia. The endlessly long occupation by the so called Soviet power began. For some countries the war had really finished. For many others only the battles had come to an end. In Estonia, the Communists did their own thing that, spelt out, meant mass murders, deportations and repression. For some incomprehensible reason, this period in Estonia is called the Stalin time, although it is true that that particular period was extremely dangerous for all Estonians: witch hunts were carried out, repression applied under any excuse and frequently without one.

Needless to say, the Islamic faith community was again forbidden. But even so, some courageous Tartars applied for a new cemetery in lieu of the one destroyed. And, lo and behold, they did find some Estonians who, in spite of the risk for them and their families, satisfied this request without further ado. The courage of these Estonians cannot be overestimated. Rumor has it that they had to face later on lots of harassment and unpleasantness. But the outcome was a new Muslim burial site at the Tallinn Liiva cemetery. Such, then, was the attitude of the Estonians in regard to us Tartars during the time of the Republic of Estonia, World War II and the "Stalin period."

When I now return to the time of World War II, it is only to note that the Tartar community living in Estonia met with exactly the same fate than the country's population of origins, that is, the Estonians. According to age, men were drafted into the Red Army, into the "work battalions." These battalions were the Soviet equivalent of death camps. Side by side with the Estonian youth also the Estonian Tartars died there of starvation and illnesses. Both also perished senselessly in the battle of Velikye Luki and, in general, anywhere else some fools call the glorious war. Such Estonian youth that became of age during the German occupation were drafted by force unto SS front units.

Part of that Estonian youth were also the Tartars of Estonia. Death bound and separated both to them. The war divided the Estonian youth between "defenders" and "liberators," but in, actual fact, between dead and living, maimed or half-maimed. Women had it better - they only became deprived mothers, widows and orphans. All this is supported by facts: from among the young men born between 1922-1923, out of 100 only 1 or 2 survived. There are no statistics about how many among those who survived became crippled.

Estonia had nothing to win in World War II. It lost each fifth inhabitant. And how many of the Estonians who were forced to fight on the side of the loser were unable to return to their occupied homeland? Those Tartars who served in the German army may have had a clearer picture. They lost for the second time the place they came to call their homeland. They as well had to live with the fate of never being able to meet again their parents, brothers, sisters, wives and children. Add to this the worry for the fate off those related to them as these belonged to the Soviet category of deportees - proven by the events of 1940-1941 and repeated again in 1950.

Up to now I have mainly referred to the life of the Tartar community living in Estonia and their relationship with the Estonians. However, the relations between Estonians and other nationalities living in Estonia is pretty much analogous. What I have written has been retrospective. Let me say now some words about the period during which the Soviet academician (twice awarded the prize of Soviet Heroic Worker) Sakharov manufactured the hydrogen bomb for Stalin till the time the same man received the Nobel Peace Prize. It was during this time period that the Russianization of Estonia took place. During the Republic of Estonia, in 1939, 93,000 Russians (8,2% of the overall population) lived in Estonia. The census of 1987 claimed the figure of 475,000 Russians.

The Russianization mechanism of Estonia was quite simple and straightforward. Huge apartment buildings coupled to industrial complexes for the employment of outside labor were created. To top it off, a somewhat higher living standard as compared to many other regions of the Soviet Empire, was kept in Estonia. Aliens were attracted to the Baltic states by easily available lodging, decent salaries, better living standards and a host of other benefits. The occupation army officers preferred to remain in Estonia as well as they were acutely aware of the living standards in other parts of the Empire. Alongside the Slavs, also representatives of other nationalities entered Estonia but, comparatively, their numbers were noticeably different: they came in few hundreds or thousands only.

The period during which the Estonian people began the process of reconstituting their independence took the Russians by total surprise. They immediately set off counter-mechanisms. The leadership of Russian factories and enterprises began to launch campaigns in favor of strikes - a somewhat unique phenomenon; the proletariat was supposed to strike at the orders of the directors. Meetings were held to explain the following: Estonia is part of Russia, conquered with the blood of forefathers! The deportation of Estonians to Siberia had been senselessly discontinued and should be immediately retaken. The law protecting the national language was humiliating. No self-respecting Russian should be forced to learn some aboriginal language, especially as the aborigines in question were about to die out anyway. At the same time, numerous fighting groups began to be organized, threatening with immediate blood baths.

The Union of the Peoples of Estonia actively supported the Estonians' quest for independence. Many of the representatives of that Union saw analogous processes taking place in their respective historical homelands. For a series of nationalities however their homelands had remained as ethnographic names only; their compatriots deported, their territories settled with aliens (cf. Crimea and the Tartars).

This support to Estonia by the Union of the Peoples of Estonia has a deep significance. The experience of the minorities living here has shown that their wellbeing depends upon whether Estonians remain the rulers of their own land or whether it is run by occupiers. The positive attitude of the original people, the Estonians, is well known. On the other hand, misery and pain, pogroms and persecutions all unmistakably stem from the basic population of the Russian Empire.

This, indeed, is our peoples' historical memory. We are much aware and remember very well the tragic recent past of our peoples, we know the name of its originator.

Yet, at the time of the rebirth of the Republic of Estonia, a world wide anti-Estonian campaign was launched: In the wake of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic we are now faced with the danger of fascism. Estonians are fascists and dangerous - especially for Jews. Remedy: bring into Estonia the protective Russian tank columns.

The campaign about the alleged Estonian anti-semitism continues to this very day. And, since the day of the reconstitution of the independence, another peculiar phenomenon has seen the light of the day. Estonia is visited by nice individuals and delegations who, under the aegis of various foundations and organizations, come to teach paternalistically how Estonians, from government down to individual persons, would have to show total openness to Russians. At the same time, the prevailing attitude of such visitors to the minorities living in Estonia is deeply contemptuous. It is argued that the developed world no longer engages in such minority practices. Many thanks! Nor does great Russia.

According to these learned visitors it does not much matter whether the non-Estonians living and working in Estonia have even an elementary knowledge of the local language. Back home, of course, the same people could not conceive of a medical doctor or a policeman who would be unable to speak the local language. Having then wisely spent the moneys given for their missions, these elegant gentlemen and ladies take their leave and after that no one any longer knows what may go into their reports and whom these may be passed on to.

What then is left for the Estonians to do, except to sigh and to continue their work, among other things also paying close attention to the day-to-day problems of the minority populations living in Estonia and trying to find solutions to these as well. In fact, the government of the Republic of Estonia has done everything possible within its limited means to support (also financially) the communities of the minorities living in Estonia.

At the same time, old problems have taken on a new face. The earlier Russian "Black Hundreds" (note: a terrorist organization which operated during the 1905 revolutionary period) have suddenly turned into "Russian democrats" of various kinds. Again, the song is familiar: blown up lies, cries for help coupled to threats! Unfounded grievances and outright slander are current. Especially ludicrous is the claim that those people would be protecting all the interests and rights of non-Estonians against the basic aggressivity and nationalism of the basic population of the country.

True enough, outside Estonia there exist enough simple minded people who may believe such lies. Individuals and nations who have not felt in their own flesh the great Russian chauvinism may indeed be induced into confusion. On the other hand, people whose nations have died out or are about to die out, remember well that before that happened came "liberation" by Russia, followed by "brotherly protection and assistance" and, finally, the state of coma.

The whole notion of a "Russian speaking population" is insulting. I would like to call your attention to the fact that it would not be acceptable to any of the representatives of the communities of people living in Estonia to be considered as belonging to the Russian speaking population.

Let me try to illustrate this point. Estonia is also inhabited by Swedes (Estonian Swedes in the local parlance). Older people belonging to this group speak both their own Swedish dialect ("coastal Swedish"), high Swedish, Estonian and Russian. This brings them into a situation where they may be played against the basic Estonian population and counted, against their own wish and will, among the "Russian speaking" population. Consequently, the "Russian democrats" would also would be fighting against them being discriminated against in Estonia.

Let me give you some further background about the past several hundreds of years history of the Estonian Swedes. They have been located along the Estonian coasts, covering several islands as well. For that people deportations were known already from the time of Catherine II. The census of 1920 during the Republic of Estonia registered some 10,000 of such "coastal Swedes." This unique group of people lived here. Undoubtedly they had their problems and difficulties, but the fact remains that they had a number of churches and schools, cemeteries and harbors of their own. They lived according to their traditions and spoke their own language, a language by the way quite unique in the sense that it has preserved many of the characteristics of centuries' old Swedish.

Thus, then, till 1939 when the Russian military bases are installed in the Republic of Estonia, affecting the coast and islands. Part of the coastal Swedes fled to Sweden, some were forced to leave their traditional sites, others were deported to Siberia in 1940-1941. The next refugee wave came in 1943-1944.

In the wake of the German occupation and the beginning of the Soviet re-occupation we find the same familiar picture also in regard to the coastal Swedes: the savage special destruction battalions (villages burned down, people drowned in wells), followed by waves of deportations and resettlements. As the Communists also deported people according to their nationality, many of the non-Estonians, from among them the Swedes, did not dare to confess their own nationality but registered under the name of Estonians. Some further illustrations: Of the 3,000 Estonian Swedes on the island of Vormsi, only a couple of families remained, and now even these have died out. Today only some 300 people live on the island, all of them non-Swedes. The church of Vormsi, used during the Soviet period as a grain silo, has now been restored with Swedish aid.

Another illustration is given by the island of Naissaar. All its inhabitants were removed and a naval base installed. Naissaar became closed area where virtually no one could enter for decades, except military personnel. Recently, accompanied by naval personnel, I visited the island. The local church was being used up for firewood and to the same fate had been subjected the few remaining local buildings. In the cemetery one could see scores of reopened graves. Red Navy officers had sent sailors to "work" there, to look for rings, other jewelry, dental crowns, in other words, gold.

Similar stories could be repeated endlessly. But what we were talking about was the "protection" given by the Russian "democrats" to the "Russian speaking population." The problem is that these Russians have never asked anyone whether such protection was needed or required, because most answers would be negative. Understandably so, as the historical memory of many peoples' end and disappearance is preceded by the words "and then the Russian era began."

Just now the Russian church and its various branches have initiated an international slander campaign against the Republic of Estonia and its Department of Religious Affairs

Coming back again to the actual situation and what happens in Estonia from the point of view of a Muslim living there, I would repeat that Islam in this region is alien and perhaps even inappropriate. Nevertheless, the Tartars were able to register their faith community as soon as they were able to sustain it - already in 1928. This faith community has been repeatedly re-registered due to the Soviet regime's continued prohibitions.

Today it is registered again in the Republic of Estonia and as long as the Estonians remain the rulers in their own land we can rest assured that it will not again be forbidden. In the process of the registration and all the paper work related to it, we have had an immense amount of problems and questions to solve. The Department of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Estonia and chancellor Mr. Tiit Sepp not only have had a positive attitude towards our endeavors but also have actively assisted us in all kinds of ways, have shown us serious concern and spent lots of working time in our benefit. The government of the Republic of Estonia and its prime minister Mr. Mart Laar are trying to find possibilities to satisfy our request for building to house our faith activities. It is obvious that in this country it is clearly understood that if any European is entitled proudly to claim to be a Christian then also any person of Islamic faith who has settled in Estonia has the right, without being ashamed, to call himself a Muslim. I may add that our current endeavors have found support from many different Estonian government instances and political parties, from among them even those who some call "ultra-nationalist."

Finally I would like to call your attention to the fact that the Russian community, the leaders from within which claim to be "harassed" and discriminated against, possesses everything here in Estonia: Russian kindergartens; within all levels (including university) of the educational system so many Russian language departments can be found that they are not fully covered by Russian students; Russian theater; buildings for Russian communal activities; as well as their own church network. What they call "harassment" goes back to the fact that the Estonian language law did not give the Russian language the status of state language; that they were not given immediate and automatic citizenship; lack of pensions for the occupation army officers, etc. In fact, practices which cannot be found elsewhere in the world either. The pretension by Russian leaders to obtain totally inconceivable privileges for themselves here in the Republic of Estonia, occasionally aided and abetted by various western organizations and foundations, cannot be seen as a quest to integrate the Russians into the Estonian society but is tantamount to the attempt of integrating the Estonians and the other peoples living in Estonia into the Russian community.

May the Almighty protect the Estonians and their Republic.

Yours sincerely


Timur Seifullen

Chairman of the Estonian Islamic Community (Congregation)