The Forgotten 600.000

The Forgotten 600.000

 / 

circassian-genocide

Circassians are not going to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics Games in Sochi. Even though the Games are taking place on their ancestral lands, the International Olympic Committee did not take any stance on the historical background of the region. However, Mr Vladimir Putin took for granted that the organization of the Olympic Games on the territory of Russian Federation will rather ignite discussions about freedom of speech and his policies toward homosexual rights than investigations into the past of the Northern Caucasus region.

In the 19th century during the reign of Alexander II, Russian Empire was expanding itself southwest. That led to many clashes between the indigenous people of the Northern Caucasus, as Cossacks and Circassians (also called Adyghe people, composed of various linguistics and religious groups) that inhabitated the region for centuries. The idea of incorporating the lands north-east off the Black Sea coast germinated in the head of Catherine the Great in the 18th century. By the means of ‘forcible assimilation‘, the tribes were displaced from the mountains to the valleys where they could be easily civilized. Officially the war in Caucasus started in 1817, but it was not until the mid 19th century when Alexander II became the tsar, that the real exodus of Circassians begun.

north-caucasus

Behind the very diplomatic expression of ‘forcible assimilation’ was hidden the real aim of Russian Empire – the destruction of North Caucasus and incorporation of the region into empire. This brought a huge geopolitical consequence, as the Ottoman Empire was competing with Russia in the region, seeking every possible manner to protect muslims in the neighboring lands. The position of Ottoman Empire was somewhat undermined by the Treaty of Adrianople (1829) which recognized the tsarist’s rule over the Circassian territory – modern Krasnodar district with Sochi.

During the Crimean War (1853-1856) British troops and secret agents were inciting Circassians to rebel against Russia, but it ended up in wishful thinking for Circassians, as neither Britian nor Turkey helped them. Moreover the Treaty of Paris (1856) granted Russia the rule over Circassia. The Circassians were deprived of rights and treated as enemies by St. Petersburg.

In 1855 Alexander II takes over the Russian Empire and shifts the policy towards Muslims and the inhabitants of the southwestern lands. Extermination and mass expulsions to the Ottoman Empire took place. The scorched-earth campaign, the pillage of villages and massacres became a daily routine for the tsarist’s army.

Finally in 1864 the last stand of Circassians in Sochi renders to the Russian troops. Exactly 150 years ago a massive exodus of Circassians to the Ottoman Empire started, leaving their ancestral lands in Russian hands.Today 3 700 000 Circassians live mostly in the Middle East, some 2 mln of them in Turkey.

circassian-diaspora-map-300x237

As Walter Richmond cites in his book ”The Circassian Genocide’‘ , ‘Sochi was the site of modern Europe’s first genocide’. 600 000 people were exterminated where the athletes paraded during the opening ceremony on the 7th of February2014. No news were given about the genocide. No help for the people that were displaced only because new sport objects were constructed on their lands. The tragedy of Circassians was pushed into oblivion.

Ulka Skwarek

https://rethinkinglatitudes.wordpress.com/2014/02/10/the-forgotten-600-000/

Share Button