Declaring Circassia a Republic
By: Adel Bashqawi
16 January, 2019
I came across an interesting article that I liked its subject in the title of “Sochi and the Circassian Issue”(1), dated 27 February 2014. I am attracted and struck by what is published and stated in one of the sub-titles of the article, in the title of “Capital of Circassia”, which elaborated on declaring a Circassian republic. “As the Russian military forces exceeded the Circassian forces by many times, the Confederation faced the necessity of creating a more efficient state. On June 13, 1861, Circassia became a federative republic, with three federal districts: Ubykh, Shapsug, and Natukhai. Fifteen members were elected to the parliament (called the Majlis), which was established in Sochi. The New York Times on September 4, 1861, announced that the {Circassians proclaimed a Republic}.”(2)
Realities have emerged from the womb of the Russian-Circassian-War and the associated tragedies, destruction and devastation that plagued the entire Circassian homeland. Logic and common sense dictate steadfastness on the firm national positions to claim legitimate rights, and to reveal the facts that can only be denied by ungrateful and opportunists. Those few individuals who are helpless, narcissistic and cynical skeptics. At the same time, they are willing to pursue their personal and selfish goals to take the fragile, dubious positions and questionable legitimacy that are not legal in dealing with the consequences of the occupation of the homeland. Not to mention the forced displacement, which is the duty of the occupying state to address in accordance with the international laws and norms.
The above is in the interest and at the core of the assertion and consolidation of Circassian rights, while reality cannot be ignored and cannot hide the concrete facts. The final stages of the conquest of Circassia, the supremacy mentality and the aggressive tone reminiscent of the Mongol invasion and capture of the Russian regions for more than two hundred years, and the rule of iron and fire, which Russians didn’t learn lessons from, did not make them less deadly and brutal than those who dealt with them and enslaved them in cruel and inhuman ways and means.
In the same article and under “A Murdered Nation” subtitle, more information is verified. “Fearing interference from European powers, the Russian government made a final push to resolve the Circassian question. War Minister Dmitri Milyutin openly stated in 1863 that {if the mountaineers cannot be civilized, they have to be exterminated}. Recent research has revealed documents showing similar evidence that high-ranking Russian decision makers were prepared to commit mass murder. Scholar Walter Richmond quotes general field marshal Aleksandr Bariatinskii, an active participant in the Caucasus Wars, as saying, {We must assume that we will need to exterminate the mountaineers before they agree to our demands} (Richmond 2013, 71).”(3)
The above is in the interest and in the core of confirming and consolidating the Circassian rights. “Circassia was not born out of circumstances, whims, or fantasies, nor was it built by conquering the innocent and oppressed. On the contrary, it is known in history as the homeland of the indigenous Circassian people who participated in the process of the advancement of human civilization. During this process, they had to endure a high cost of self-preservation and existence as one of the nations of the Caucasus while being identified by their distinctive homeland.”(4)
It is obvious that reality cannot be ignored and tangible facts cannot be hidden. An Arab proverb says: “You cannot hide the sun with a sieve.”(5) Ghassan Kanafani wrote in one of his letters to Ghada Al-Samman: “I will continue to strive for the restoration of the homeland because it is exclusively, my right, my past and my future … because I have a tree, a cloud, a shadow, a glowing sun, clouds raining fertile … and roots, which are hard to uproot.”(6) It is possible to be optimistic and to believe that “there will be Circassia”.
References:
(1) (https://imrussia.org/en/nation/676-sochi-and-the-circassian-issue)
(2) (https://imrussia.org/en/nation/676-sochi-and-the-circassian-issue)
(3) (https://imrussia.org/en/nation/676-sochi-and-the-circassian-issue)
(4) (Page # 2, Circassia: Born to be Free, by: Adel Bashqawi)
(5) (http://arabproverb.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post.html)
(6) (https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/475169)
