The Reality of Circassian Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide
By: Adel Bashqawi
7, February, 2013
Another attempt is being performed nowadays to turn the wheel of history to a reverse course, with the fact that whole world closing their eyes and ears leaving the Circassians and their legitimate rights in the status that can be described as “blowing in the winds” of authoritarianism, injustice, acquisition and assault on the freedom of an oppressed nation that had its homeland being occupied for more than 148 years now; but as time passes as the will to retrieve the violated rights strengthens!
”Adyghe Hekum and Mak. Voice of Circassia” Website, quoted kavkasia.net as citing an informed source, and published that the Georgian News Agency “GHN” (http://ghn.ge/news-82836.html), has reported: “Russia categorically demanded from Georgia in the Georgian-Russian negotiations to repudiate the recognition of the Circassian Genocide and to stop the promotion for the topic”. According to other sources, Russia also desires to remove the monument erected on the shore of the Black Sea resort of Anaklia, Georgia, commemorating the victims of the unequal and unfair war that took place between hundreds of thousands of well trained soldiers and mercenaries of the Tsarist Russian Empire against the indigenous nation of Circassia, which lead to occupying the entire Circassian homeland after a brutal war that lasted for almost 100 years, with all its associated disastrous consequences.
Even if it is true, and Georgians have acquiesced to pressure exercised on them by the Russian State, that would not change facts and realities, because the logic obliges the Georgian State to abide by the ethical rules of thumb, which should not allow withdrawing from promises and covenants which should be abided by, out of State self-respect and dignity of the nation, which is under examination in this live-example. Not following the ethical principles would take the case to look as if showing a surrender to the Russian demands dictating others what to do and what to say, in a method showing that they are in the lead and on top of events, in a manner giving themselves a “license to disrespect”.
The article claimed that former senior Georgian officials have urged Circassians to refuse allowing Georgia to reconsider recognition of the genocide as a result of Russian pressure imposed on the newly elected party or coalition that formed the present Georgian government. The Logic imposes non-interference in the internal affairs of Georgia, the way that others are trying to interfere in Georgian own affairs and policies, because the Georgian government and parliament are equally responsible and morally obliged, not only to support the legitimate rights of Circassians, but also to respect Georgian commitments concerning its self esteem and towards another Caucasian nation.
An article was published by “http://youinjordan.com/” in the summer of 2012, written by Billy Hadaway (http://youinjordan.com/the-ethnic-cleansing-of-the-circassians-a-silent-genocide/), in the title of “The Ethnic Cleansing of the Circassians – A Silent Genocide?”, refers to atrocities suffered by Circassians, which highlighted elements of the Circassian Plight, and mentioned in one of its paragraphs: “Before the end of the wars in 1864, the Circassians (or Adyghe in their own language) that survived the massacres began to be rounded up by the Russian army and driven to ports on the Black Sea, where ships provided by the neighboring Ottoman Empire awaited them. From here the majority of Circassians were expelled, to be resettled away from their homeland to lands within the Ottoman Empire. Historians estimate that around 90% of the Circassian people were killed or exiled during this little-known genocide. Today, the Circassians number around 7 million people spread across the world, with the majority living in exile. Only 750,000 remain in their indigenous regions of the Northern Caucasus”.
If Georgians appear fragile and frail, then the Russian negotiators backed by the Russian authorities would emerge more impulsive and aggressive, and the “relations with the nations and peoples of the North Caucasus” will be effected, and the Georgian image and reputation will be shaken; but if Georgia shows solidarity with other Caucasian nations, and to the principles of freedom and human rights in accordance with national sovereignty, its solid Caucasian presence and positive effects would be felt among the Pan Caucasus space. It is no secret to know that Russia’s main purpose at present time is to get away with holding 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi “most of all do not like promoting themes of genocide of the Circassian people in the West”, to try, to appear in front of the world at large, as a civilized state, while maintaining with the Circassians and the other Caucasian peoples its real well-known blatant face!
Wherever the trend of change would lead, the ball now is in the Georgians’ court, which they have to come up with the proper reaction; but the principles, values and international laws and norms necessitate that Georgia should be up to its legitimate leaders’ “word of honor” to the Circassians.
In brief, the Georgian recognition progression went through the following sequence of stages:
-It started with contact and interaction between Circassian activists and Georgian leaders.
-Two Circassian conferences were held in Tbilisi in the year, 2010, which were in March and November in the title of: “Hidden Nations, Enduring Crimes: The Circassians and the People of the North Caucasus Between Past and Future”.
-In March, 2010, (http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=22231) the Circassian activists participating in the first Circassian conference in Tbilisi had signed an official letter was signed and directed to the Georgian Parliament requesting to recognize the Circassian Genocide, based on the documented facts.
– The Georgian authorities had allowed Circassians to access the documents kept in Tbilisi Archives, which were written and kept by the Tsarist Russian military leaders and officers of the Southern Russian Command, when Tbilisi was occupied by the Russian Empire and Russia started attacking Circassia from the Southeastern side (http://www.circassian-genocide.com/TbilisiIndex.php).
-The Georgian Parliament within its committees (http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=22961) had studied the Circassian fair demands, and formed specialized scientific committees consisted of scholars, historians, specialists and academicians from different origins even from Russia itself, which they attended special hearings, scientific presentations and legitimate documents (http://www.parliament.ge/files/1544_32742_536746_genocidi-en.pdf) proving the occurrence of the Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing inflicted on Circassians.
-On the 11th of June, 2010, public hearings took place in the Georgian Parliament about the Circassian Question. It was broadcasted live publicly on Georgian national TV, which was viewed by many Georgians. Two famous Georgian Historians, Bejan Chorava and Merab Chukhua, spoke and testified in front of the Georgian Parliament on historic facts. It was shocking to listen to their testimonies and the evidence presented.
-14 months after presenting the Circassian letter, Georgian parliamentary committees endorsed on 19, May, 2011, (http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23466) a draft resolution recognizing the 19th century massacre and deportation of Circassians, which the Georgian Parliament held a session in 20, May, 2011, (http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23472) and voted on a draft resolution that resulted in the approval of recognizing the Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing (http://justicefornorthcaucasus.info/?p=1251656096) inflicted on the Circassian nation in the 19th Century.
-In 21, May, 2012, (http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=24790) the Circassian Genocide Monument was inaugurated after it was erected on the shore of the Black Sea resort of Anaklia, Georgia, to commemorate (http://diaspora.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=124&info_id=2698) the Circassian victims, together with holding a conference on the Circassian Question. Participants of all mentioned events were attending from different Diaspora countries and the North Caucasus.
Circassians have constantly showed honesty and patience. They always hoped for the best, but prepared for the worst, as they have often confronted different parties practicing covenant denunciation and/or withdrawal from promises and assurances, which they always have the daring to withstand consequences, courageously and persistently. They didn’t wait for good things to happen to them; they instead worked hard to achieve their objectives.
