Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Hosted by TOBB, the premiere was honoured by Bülent Arınç, Deputy Prime Minister, M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, Prof. Dr. Davut Dursun, President of RTÜK, İbrahim Şahin, General Director of TRT, Mustafa Abdülcemil Kırımoğlu, whose life and struggle was narrated in the documentary, who stayed more than 15 years in Soviet prisons, and is now the President of Crimean Tatar National Council, and a famous human rights activist, and among the participants of the premiere were representatives of political parties, deputies, mayors, bureaucrats, ambassadors, guests from USA, Romania, Russia, Germany and Ukraine, and members of the press and the media.    

Delivering the keynote speech, M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, said that Mustafa Abdülcemil Kırımoğlu did not speak any language other than the language of peace in his rightful cause, and defended his rights with his opinion, not with violence although he was subject to unbearable tortures. 

Stating that they attached great importance to the documentary, Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, said, “We have had times in the past when our history was not taught us well, and we could not convey the realities of history to the young generations.   The most important figures in this area were not valued as they deserved.  However, it is not possible for us to raise a consciousness of history in the new generations without creating such works.  It is not either possible for us to express ourselves to the world, let alone the new generation.”

“Without such works, you cannot overcome the prejudices about you, carry out lobbying activities for your rightful cause and manage the perceptions of the world", said Hisarcıklıoğlu and added, “Prof. Dr. Joseph Nay, a political scientist of Harvard says:  ‘Cultural, artistic, intellectual and social factors are more effective in international relations than military, political and economical factors.’ When you look at all the countries who have strong lobbying activities internationally, you see that they all use these factors.”

Hisarcıklıoğlu pointed out that very important steps were taken in this area in the recent years, and the government introduced a great change of vision, and the institutions underwent transformations under that vision. 

Extending his gratitude to Bülent Arınç, Deputy Prime Minister, for his sensitiveness to the issue, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, "We are using our best efforts as the umbrella organization of the Turkish business world.  While undertaking cultural studies on the one side, we are lending all kinds of support, including restoration works, in order to protect our historical culture, on the other side.”
“He defended his rights with his opinions, not with violence”

Saying that he was happy to see the documentary in which the great struggle of Crimea and Mustafa Abdülcemil Kırımoğlu is narrated, Hisarcıklıoğlu, President of TOBB, “He was the true description of love for the Country and love for the Nation for our generation.  For me, Mustafa Abdülcemil is an elder brother, and the symbol of standing upright. He endured very sort of suffering in his rightful cause, and did not take a step back.  In his rightful cause, he did not speak any language other than the language of peace even when he was subject to unbearable tortures.  He defended his rights with his opinions, not with violence.

He is a true man of struggle who has won all positions in the name of the Crimean people, not with violence, but with the realities he relied upon.  Remember what he says:  If the blood of an innocent child is shed in any struggle, it is not an achievement.”

Underscoring the fact that there were many lessons to be learned by all segments of the society from the struggle of Mustafa Abdülcemil Kırımoğlu, Hisarcıklıoğlu said:  “I hope the young generation and the entire Turkey will know this great man closer and take him as an example thanks to this valuable work. I would again like to extend my gratitude to everybody who has a role in the creation of this work, including in particularly, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç.   I embrace all our Crimean brothers with all my heart here in the presence of our elder brother Mustafa Abdülcemil, and say that your cause is our cause, and I greet all of you with respect.”

-Deputy Prime Minister Arınç

In respect of the documentary Kırımoğlu: The Struggle of a People”, Deputy Prime Minister Arınç said, “We do not expect any congratulation, but we wanted a sign to exist, showing how patiently and resolutely thousands of people who gave this struggle in Crimea and survived today brought this rightful cause to the present, and wanted this work to be displayed in the whole world.”  

Stating that the production of this documentary was a duty for them, Arınç said, "It was not a duty which only fall onto us, or TRT but every one of the 75 million individuals of this noble nation.” 

Saying that he knew Kırımoğlu very well from the high school and university years, and followed his rightful struggle with tears in his eyes, Arınç said:  “We owe loyalty and gratitude to him and his friends, to those who lost their lives in the cruel exiles of the Bolshevik regime and to everybody who struggled to keep a people alive."    We had to create a valuable work narrating the life of Kırımoğlu, their leading figure, to be dedicated to our valuable people who passed away, lost their lives in exile and in sorrow.”  

Reminding that TRT had a documentary channel among its 15 channels, Arınç said the channel released important documentaries, and they showed a special interest in the subject. 

Pointing out that they assigned very important names to this work, and they deemed it a duty of the Turkish Government, Arınç said they were proud of this work.  Arınç said, “We do not expect any congratulation, but we wanted a sign to exist, showing how patiently and resolutely thousands of people who gave this struggle in Crimea and survived today brought this rightful cause to the present, and wanted this work to be displayed in the whole world.”  

Saying that the documentary consisted of 9 parts, and would be released on Thursdays, Arınç said TRT was broadcast in two thirds of the world with its 15 channels, and added, “The whole world watches TV through the satellite.  If Allah allows, we want to dub the documentary, translated it to several languages and release it on all our channels”.

Arınç said they would use great efforts to display the documentary world-wide. 

-Şahin, General Director of TRT

İbrahim Şahin, General Director of TRT, pointed out that TRT completed a mission successfully in the name of the nation, and that he was proud of it. 

Telling that the events in Crimea were very dramatic, Şahin recommended those who will watch the documentary to keep a handkerchief near them.  

Stating that Crimean Turks tolerated staying in the street seeing that other people lived in their houses when they returned from exile, and did not employ violence, Şahin reminded that the struggle which they gave in the most cruel period of the Soviet reign was admired by the whole world. 

Şahin said they tried to reflect the reality as it was, and they planned to produce a high quality TV series based on this work. 

-Kırımoğlu: “Thank Allah, we have seen these days.”

Telling the difficulties they suffered, Mustafa Cemil Kırımlıoğlu, President of Crimean – Tatar National Council and Ukrainian Deputy, said they believed that the hard days would pass, and did not expect to see the outcome when they were alive.  Kırımoğlu said, “It was our greatest dream, we prayed Allah to allow us to die at home”. Thank Allah, we have seen these days.” 

Pointing out that no work as careful and detailed as this one had been made about their struggle, Kırımoğlu said he was grateful to the Republic of Turkey and TRT. 

Drawing the attention to the fact that the work was of great importance of the cause of Crimean Turks, Kırımoğlu said the release of the documentary in other languages would contribute to their struggle.  Kırımoğlu, ''I wish that all democratic struggles end in peace without shedding blood".