The Circassian National Movement’s Statement about Recent Fallacies of the Russian State
Jordanian Association of Caucasus Circassian Friends (JACCF)
Circassian Nationalist Movement
(Circassian Nationalist Movement’s statement about recent fallacies of the Russian state regarding the repatriation of Circassians of Syria to their historical homeland Circassia)
News reports from the Russian capital, Moscow and the central government stated that the response of the Russian Duma to the request made by the Head of the Adigha Khasa, the Circassian Association in the Republic of Adygea, Adam Shoaib Boghos about helping Circassians of Syria to return to their historical homeland Circassia, due to the dire situation they are in as a result of the ongoing war in Syria that is ravishing the country, the response stated: “Syrian Circassians are descendents of families of Adyghe people from the North and West Caucasus that have not adopted the Russian citizenship and made a voluntary choice to leave the region after the Caucasus War (1817 – 1864). Thus, ancestors of the Syrian Circassians living in the territories, until their resettlement in 1864 in the Ottoman Empire were not part of the Russian state, and under paragraph 3 of Article 1 of the Federal law cannot be considered as immigrants, in addition to details regarding the considerations formulated by what was called the Russian Federal Law, the Russian Duma stated also that “the implementation of the governmental program for supporting the citizens residing abroad for their return to homeland, which established in its new format with the Presidential Decree No. 1289 of 14, September, 2012, furthermore, the inclusion of Syrian Circassians under the presidential decree 1298, as compatriots living abroad, requires a comprehensive study in cooperation with the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russian Federal Migration Service.”
Based on this response from the Duma, the Circassian Nationalist Movement emanating from the Jordanian Association of Caucasus Circassian Friends (JACCF) would like to clarify the following:
– The Duma response contradicts the historical facts and realities on one hand and the Russian Constitution and laws in force on the other hand, and what came in the response, does not only allude to ignore the rights of the Circassian people (Circassian nation) as one of the indigenous or authentic nations in the North Caucasus, but even ignores their human rights, UN principles, legislations of Human Rights, and International Law.
– There is persistence on the Russian side on labeling the Russian / Circassian war as the Caucasian war, which leads to ignoring its real name, and to divert attention and interests to read between the lines in an effort to distort reality and change the facts.
– The Russian / Circassian war which extended for one hundred and one year (1763-1864), which is referred to falsely as: “military operations of the Caucasian war (1817-1864)”, which contradicts with its real name and historical facts, leading to confusion in meaning and purpose.
– There is a contradiction in the documented and verbal Russian promises that did not come to light in a serious and balanced form, starting from remarks by former Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1996 and the subsequent Russian authorities dealing with the Nalchik-based International Circassian Association ICA, and ending with the impasse regarding the humanitarian plight the Circassians of Syria are facing now as a result of the ongoing violence in Syria, and the Russian authorities’ unwillingness and refusal to cooperate in this repetitive tragic circumstance.
– The unprecedented recognition by the Russian Federation State Duma”, Affairs in the Russian Duma,” shows beyond any reasonable doubt that the Circassians of Adyge origin who form 90% of the Circassian nation has been displaced after systematical genocide, ethnic cleansing in tragic circumstances outside their historical homeland, the Russian statement describes the descendents of current Circassians of Syria lived in territories that were not within the Russian Federation until their deportation in 1864 to the Ottoman Empire and cannot be considered as immigrants from the Russian state, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 1 of federal law, and this unprecedented admission proves and declares that Russia has occupied their homeland in 1864, therefore, how can the citizens of occupied territories become citizens of the state which occupied their country?
– Thus, the Russian State Duma admitted that the Circassian nation did not voluntarily join the Russian Empire 450 years ago, contradicting the official Russian claims, of which the Russian government celebrated the event accordingly in September / 2007 with the participation of Circassian parties who are considered as part of the Russian public administration in the North Caucasus and some Diaspora Circassians associated with the International Circassian Association(ICA), and also means that the Russian Duma acknowledged that the Circassian Homeland was not at that time as part of the Russian Empire but was occupied by the Tsarist Russian Empire in the nineteenth century after a destructive and atrocious war.
The Circassian Nationalist Movement would like to point out that “what was a right one day, remains a right forever”, and there is no statute of limitations on heinous crimes against nations.
The Circassian Nationalist Movement believes that Circassia which was historically and still is the homeland of Circassians will remain a Circassians homeland forever.
The Circassian National Movement
Amman- Jordan
6.2.2013
