Circassian Destiny: To Remind Those Whose Memory Has Betrayed (2)
Adel Bashqawi
October 14, 2024
This is the second article in a series as indicated by the title above.
Genocide and Extermination
It is undeniable that the Russian Empire was adept at seizing the homelands of oppressed peoples and nations. It orchestrated one of the largest thefts and acquisitions of territories, resources, and homelands in the history of humankind. The occupation, which followed a brutal invasion, led to the establishment of intruder settlements according to a planned strategy designed to populate these lands with foreign settlers. Strangers replaced the indigenous populations, as villages and permanent residences of the locals were either partially or completely destroyed by burning and other methods.
Atrocities Committed
Russian generals, along with colonial invasion forces and their mercenaries, employed a scorched-earth policy, engaging in treachery, deception, and the killing of all inhabitants. They targeted residential and urban centers, grain stores, livestock, horses, and both private and public property. These atrocities paved the way for the invading forces and their accompanying mercenaries to commit genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced displacement. The forced and illegal annexation of Circassia was imposed without consulting the rightful stakeholders — the indigenous Circassian people.
When the Russian Empire decided to wage a brutal war in Circassia, the Circassian population, estimated at four million in the early 18th century, suffered all the disastrous consequences of this conflict. Approximately two million people fell victim to genocide and extermination during the Russo-Circassian War, which lasted for over a century. As Russia sought Circassia without Circassians, the displacement began even before the war officially ended.
The Circassian forces defending their homeland fought valiantly and withstood violent assaults for decades, preventing the Russian Empire from achieving its colonial goals. In response, Russia employed heinous methods that rendered normal life impossible for citizens in their own country. Ottoman envoys also played a role, encouraging Circassian tribes, clans, and families to emigrate to the Ottoman state. Mass deportation was implemented after Russia declared the end of the war on May 21, 1864, which it referred to as the Caucasus War.
The military forces and their mercenaries committed crimes against humanity systematically and on a large scale, occupying lands that did not belong to them and subjugating peoples who owed them no allegiance. Orders for such actions came from the emperor, generals, and military leaders, who supervised the killing, genocide, and systematic destruction with unprecedented disregard for human life. Ethnic cleansing and forced displacement outside the homeland were carried out, and a strategy of demographic change was implemented to drastically alter the region’s population makeup.
“According to an 1830 census, prior to deportation, the Circassian population was approximately four million. Karl Freidrick Neuman, a German orientalist, cites Ottoman correspondence stating that 1.5 million Circassians attempted to sail to Turkey, with 500,000 dying en route. An additional 500,000 Circassians died of disease in the camps on Turkish shores, and 200,000 fled voluntarily to Turkey in 1858 before the deportations. In 1864, Russia reassigned Circassian lands to pro-Russian ethnic groups and forcibly resettled around 120-150,000 Circassians who were spared by accepting Russian cultural assimilation. Russian assimilation programs and deportations to Turkey only account for approximately half of the Circassian population. Corroboration between Turkish and Russian documents estimates Circassian deaths due to military operations and planned massacres to be between 1.5 – 2 million.” [1]
Mass displacement took place across the Black Sea to Turkish ports and some Balkan ports, which were under Ottoman rule at the time. Approximately 50% of the total population died as a result of the war and associated hardships, while 90% of the survivors were deported to the Ottoman Empire. The environmental and epidemiological conditions of the displaced, along with unsuitable and poorly maintained ships, caused many to perish on the journey of suffering.
Article II of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide states:
“In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group as such:
- Killing members of the group;
- Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
- Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
- Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
- Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.” [2]
Genocide Recognition
Following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Circassians remained in destinations such as Jordan and Syria, while the majority settled in Turkey. Today, more than 160 years later, 10% of total Circassians, approximately 800,000 live in their original homeland. They live in fragmented and non-contiguous areas of their original homeland. While, over seven million reside in Turkey and more than 30 countries worldwide.
Common sense dictates that Russia, which has occupied and forcibly annexed Circassian lands for more than 160 years, should acknowledge the crimes committed by the Russian Empire’s military forces. According to international laws and norms, Russia is obligated to return the legitimate rights that do not have a statute of limitations.
“Russia’s obstinacy reflects a deep-seated grudge against all that pertains to the Caucasus and Circassia. They overlook that justice must inevitably be served, and all sides will regain their rights. It is regrettable that some people maintain strong ties of friendship with those who do not recognize the Circassians’ legitimate rights, even denying them the right to their homeland, as recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and even Russian laws.” [3]
“In light of contemporary Russian colonial ambitions of this context that have emerged to the world, there are developments that have emerged regarding the peoples and nations colonized by the Russian state, since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, especially after Georgia’s Parliament recognition of the Circassian genocide on May 20, 2011, and the erection on May 21, 2012 in Anaklia on the Black Sea, a meaningful memorial to commemorate the victims of Genocide and Deportation. {Genocide is considered the main issue out of many others of the Circassian Question}. (Circassia: Born to be Free, by Adel Bashqawi p. 441) During the past few years since the Russian forces occupied the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and the war of Russia’s attempted takeover of Ukraine since February 2022, a possibility has emerged for comparing and bridging between what is currently happening in Ukraine and what has happened to the Circassian nation and other peoples and nations since the nineteenth century. Nevertheless, achieving these colonial goals remains in the form of implementing the Russian state’s plans against neighbors and beyond.” [4]
The Link between Democide and Genocide
To enrich the topic cognitively and legally, its worth mentioning “democide” in comparison with “genocide”. The “democide is any murder by government–by officials acting under the authority of government. That is, they act according to explicit or implicit government policy or with the implicit or explicit approval of the highest officials. [5] While, the legal definition of genocide, according to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, is often translated as {extermination}, {massacre}, or {mass murder} in some languages. These translations fail to capture the full range of destructive acts included in the legal definition of genocide. [6]
Conclusion
Russia remains resistant to acknowledging the crimes of its past regimes and refuses to follow civilized means of restoring legitimate rights. It seems that only pressure from the international community will compel Russia to fulfill its obligations. Such arbitrary and tyrannical behavior cannot be accepted by the civilized world.
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References
[2] http://www.preventgenocide.org/law/convention/text.htm
[3] (Circassia: Born to be Free, by Adel Bashqawi pp. 146 & 147)
[4] https://justicefornorthcaucasus.info/?p=1251685183
[6] http://www.preventgenocide.org/genocide/languages.htm
