Similarities between Circassia and Ukraine
Adel Bashqawi
January 20, 2024
There is a unified expansionist colonial policy applied by the successive Russian regimes against the neighboring nations and beyond, since the time of Ivan the Terrible to the present day. A colonial dementia still committing a policy of taming dozens of peoples and nations for the intention of controlling their destinies for as long as possible. A common denominator for all the acquisition projects is to follow reckless manners consistent with Russian known imperial policies followed at all times and places. In all their military campaigns they commit murder, annihilation, occupation and subjugation, displacement, ethnic cleansing and finally forced annexation.
Note that the following two links have been used to explain the facts mentioned below:
— Closer Look at Circassia [1]
— Circassian Genocide Recognition Being Key Factor For Rights Restoration [2]
Circassia
• Circassia is a small indigenous European nation. It existed and lived since ancient times, for thousands of years in the Northwestern Caucasus, located in Southeastern Europe. Thanks to Russia’s colonial policy, death and destruction were brought to Circassia for hundreds of years without the slightest legal and moral obligation. The Russian Empire invaded and eventually fully occupied in May 1864, after 101 years of destruction and extermination war. The nation was exposed to fateful challenges through exposure to brutal invasion, occupation, genocide and displacement. Thus it was forcibly annexed since then to the Russian Empire.
• The population when the war of annihilation started in 1763 was four million. Half of them were annihilated. 90% of the remaining inhabitants were deported across the Black Sea to the Ottoman Empire. Currently, their population is approximately 5 (five) million, distributed in more than 30 countries of the world. Only 10% (approx. 700,000) have remained in their historic homeland. They are living in five divided and non-contiguous areas of their original homeland, in which three of them are considered autonomous republics. This leads to grave consequences, especially for language and culture, in the present and the future of a nation that is deprived of its legitimate right to exist. Circassians were subjected to the fiercest war of aggression and was exposed to the ‘largest genocide in the world that occurred in the nineteenth century.’
• The successive Russian regimes’ policies in Circassia are in direct and clear violation of all internationally related laws and norms. Most notably the United Nations Charter, [3] the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, [4] International Law and Justice, [5] the right of peoples to self-determination [6] the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries, [7] the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples [8] and the Right of Return. [9]
• Thanks to Russia’s colonial policy, death and destruction were brought to Circassia and others for hundreds of years without the slightest legal and moral obligation. The Circassians and other non-Russian nations appealed to the whole world to promote knowledge about the crimes committed against dozens of nations, when there was no multimedia to publish such brutal wrong-doings. The Circassians will be able eventually to rise from the ashes again, like the phoenix, to claim their legitimate rights.
• The Circassians in their homeland, backed by their diaspora compatriots, are outraged at the apathetic Russian stance of ignoring them, their language, culture, the rightful demands for the right of return of their compatriots and the right to self-determination. Knowing that they are still scattered around the world, due to the crimes committed by the Russian consecutive regimes since Evan the terrible until now. No doubt, they are compatible with international laws and norms, and even with the Russian laws themselves.
• It is necessary to expose these rude practices of bullying, which are considered uncivilized, practiced by the ruling junta in the Circassian homeland against the citizens who “grasp onto hot embers,” and live in their original homeland, Circassia; but they did not hesitate to protect their heritage, civilized values values and national identity, and thus defend their dignity, language and authentic culture.
Ukraine
• At the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the world has witnessed brutal behavior that included a massive exodus of refugees from the country. Exhausted and fearful women queuing at the neighbouring countries’ western borders, holding terrified children, aiming to cross to a safer environment. Different peoples of the world seemed resentful of the attack on an independent and sovereign country, and thus the drums of war are heard beating at the gates of Europe in the twenty-first century.
• The mass population relocation is at levels not seen since World War ll. According to reliable sources, since the war broke out on Feb. 24, 2022, approx. one third of the 44 million total population are displaced, ending up in dozens of countries. More than 6 million, of which more than one million children under 18 years of age are internally displaced in Ukraine. More than 9 million Ukrainians have registered as refugees in Europe. Another war crime is the fact that more than 3 million Ukrainian refugees were sent to Russia. Some of them were reportedly transferred by force.
• The Ukrainian people heroically defended its sovereignty and territorial integrity. An epic resistance to the Russian brutal invasion. The Russian troops committed extermination against defenseless civilians in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Mariupol, Kharkiv, Izyum, Sumy, Bucha, Kherson and other locations. This reminds of wars of atrocities, and genocide committed by Russia against the Circassian nation that passed so far without accountability. The Russian state, still in total denial to recognize at least the moral responsibility.
• There is a characteristic that characterizes the Russian regimes from others. Typical mass population displacement is witnessed during any waged Russian conflict and/or war. In addition, the subjugated nations will be annexed to their tyrannical colonial entity. They prepare conditions to launch sudden military operations. Consequently, they help perpetuate famine, spread epidemics, and manage artificial disasters, in addition to spreading lies and propaganda. Not to mention the ‘divide and rule policy.’
• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows indifference, naivety and improvidence in applying a typical expansionist Russian policy against the neighbors in all directions. Such military operations assert that the successive Russian regimes intend to implement drawn and projected blueprints. It is an exclusionary colonial approach that inflicts negative consequences and harm that befalls civilians and peaceful people.
• This proves beyond any doubt that the policy of colonial acquisition proceeds to achieve its goals without concern for what may result out of it. Despite that, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is trying to entice different nationalities to support its colonial policies to occupy the territories of an independent and sovereign state, without regard to the neighborhood values and international laws and norms.
Conclusion
The torrent reached its peak, and enough is enough. This colonial state has become older, and the time has come for the seas of blood to dry up and the Russian colonial tide to recede. It is time for a humanitarian response to the groans and pain of the victims. Normally, civilized countries live in peace and harmony with their neighboring regions and countries. Accordingly, Russian violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms must be put to an end. The Circassians, the nations of the North Caucasus, and certainly Ukraine, have suffered enough, while they embrace freedom, national dignity and independence that must be guaranteed. There is no doubt that the Russians committed aggressive acts and violated the borders, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of their neighbors, with the aim of dominating and controlling the homelands of others. As a result, Russia’s usual colonial policy is to annex the territories and homelands it occupies. Accordingly, Russians tend to change the demographic character and establish abhorrent settler colonialism characterized by racism. Thence, functional authorities are appointed in the occupied territories to represent the occupiers and implement their policies. Common sense requires that colonized peoples and nations be qualified to regain freedom, self-determination and independence.
References:
[1] https://justicefornorthcaucasus.info/?p=1251682649
[2] https://justicefornorthcaucasus.info/?p=1251684125
[3] https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text
[4] https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
[5] https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/international-law-and-justice
[6] https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/784873?ln=fr#record-files-collapse-header
[7] https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/dicc/dicc.html
[9] https://prrn.mcgill.ca/research/papers/agterhuis.pdf
