We were honored to meet with Ayshe Seitmuratova, who visited Toronto this October. Her entire life, Ayshe-khanum, a victim of the 1944 deportation, fought for the restoration of basic human rights of Crimean Tatars. She advocated for the abolition of restrictions on mobility rights of Crimean Tatars and fought against the state-imposed discrimination. For this, the Soviet government put her in jail in 1966, accusing her of “causing hatred between nationalities”. However, the government’s efforts to silence Ayshe Seitmuratova have failed and she continued the fight.
Despite the unspoken law prohibiting universities from accepting Crimean Tatars to programs in humanities, Ayshe Seitmuratova earned a degree in history in Samarkand University. She was one of the few Crimean Tatars who was able to achieve this. Despite the continued discriminatory treatment of Crimean Tatar applicants, Ayshe Seitmuratova was finally able to enrol in graduate studies in Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. However, she was arrested again when her research work was nearing completion, which prevented her from obtaining the degree. After spending three years in camps in Mordovia, she was rejected from any job she applied for. With this treatment, and with the constant threat of subsequent arrest, it was impossible for Ms. Seitmuratova to continue living in USSR and she eventually had to immigrate to the United States. There, she continued advocating for Crimean Tatars, working to protect other people persecuted by the Soviet Union for voicing their opinion. As soon as she got the opportunity, she returned to Crimea and started charity work to help Crimean Tatars in need. Her strong character and her lifelong fight for freedom and human rights made her a national hero. It was truly an honor to greet Ayshe-khanum in Toronto.
You can read more about Ayshe Seitmuratova here:
http://www.ukrweekly.com/uwwp/ayshe-seitmuratova-a-crimean-tatar-heroine-at-80/
https://ru.krymr.com/a/26842406.html
