By Ayder Muzhdabaev
05.05.2014 Facebook
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

“I am Jewish, and maybe that is why when I start reading about what’s happening in Crimea to Crimean Tatars, it awakens my genetic memory…”

An unknown woman sent me this message on Facebook. Her name is Elena Artaryan. I asked her, and she gave me, permission to repost it publicly. I almost never do this, but I think that she hasn’t written it to me–but to all of us.

“Greetings, Ayder!

I’d like to extend words of sympathy to you. When this dreadful referendum took place, and when what happened happened­–I thought it couldn’t get any worse, but at the same time the public authorities will continue flirting with the Crimean Tatars.

I have no words for what is happening now. This is savagery; this is the Middle Ages. They found new Jews for themselves in our Reich. I’m a realist and understand that unfortunately there will be no common love between different ethnicities, but to humiliate all of the [Tatar] peoples so openly…instead of trying to hide or veil it somehow, they boast and brag about it.

You know, people often write banalities like “night is the darkest before dawn.” As in–a little bit more and then there’s dawn. I don’t know… The feeling of  a noose around my neck keeps getting stronger day by day.

I am Jewish, and maybe that is why when I start reading about what’s happening in Crimea to Crimean Tatars, my genetic memory awakens. Since childhood, these memories have taught me how to “distinguish the bad from the good.”

Every one of your posts about this hurts me. Ayder, maybe it won’t bring much solace to you, but I pray for all of you, I think about you, and I believe that this savagery won’t last long. Please hang on.”

Source: Ayder Muzhdabaev FB