Several organizations representing the Tatar people, the second largest community after majority Russians, have launched a campaign to seek from Moscow greater recognition for their language and respect for the sovereignty of the federated Republic of Tatarstan. According to RFE/RL, an organization called Uzebez (Ourselves) and the Youth Tatar Forum have launched an online petition to have the Duma, the Russian federal parliament, declare Tatar as the second official language in the Federation. The organizations claim that theirs is the second most spoken language in Russia, and take the case of the recognition of Swedish language in Finland as an example.

Paul Goble, a longtime specialist on ethnic and religious questions in Eurasia, indicates in his blog that the campaign is not only aimed at getting language recognition from the State, but also reversing "recent cutbacks in Tatar language use outside of the Republic of Tatarstan" -since the language is only recognized within the republic. Goble says that the online petition will both raise national awareness among Tatars all across Russia and challenge Moscow's policies on education.

According to RFE/RL, another organization, the Azatliq Tatar Youth Union, has criticized the pressure from Moscow on the sovereignty of the Republic of Tatarstan, the only territory where the Tatar community is in the majority.

The Tatars are a Turkic people living mainly in Russia, Kazakhstan and the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine, as well as other Caucasian and Asiatic states. Being as they are 5'5 million in Russia, they are the largest ethnic and language minority in the Federation and, as Paul Goble points out, "serve as Russia's bridge to other Turkic-speaking peoples". As for today, Russian is the only language in the Federation holding official status.

Further information:

• RFE/RL: Tatar Youth Groups Seek Official-Language Status In Russia
• Window on Eurasia: Kazan Tatars, Muslims and Shamans Present Three New Challenges to Moscow
• Minority Rights Group: Tatar people