UNPO, Netherlands
May 30 2006

Circassia: Minority Asserts its Identity

Long considered Turkey’s most integrated and harmonious ethnic
minority, the Circassians have recently started claiming more
community rights including own language schools and want the
international community to pressure Russia into recognising what they
say was a “genocide” carried out by Czarist troops in the mid 1860s.
The move coincides with the start of Turkey’s membership talks with
the European Union which has enshrined minority rights in many of its
policies.
According to estimates, some 120,000 Circassians live in Jordan,
45,000 in Syria, and 4,000 in Israel, but the bulk of the diaspora –
3.5 million – live in Turkey. This figure is four times more than the
population living in the Circassians’ traditional homeland in the
North Caucasus, a mountaneous region north of Georgia and Azerbaijan
consisting of several semi-autonomous republics in the Russian
Federation.

Circassians, who are mostly Sunni Muslim, annually commemorate May 21
in rememberance of the mass deportation of their compatriots
beginning on that day in 1864 following the end of the
Russian-Circassian War.

The war ended with the fall of Circassia and was followed by the
forced removal of between 1.2 and 1.5 million Circassians from their
lands. Up to 500,000 died of hunger and illness during the forced
exodus, a deathtoll that Circassian activists say formed part of a
genocidal plan by the Czarist troops to obliterate their nation.

“May 21” commemoration activities have steadily increased in recent
years in different parts of Turkey. The main event this year was an
international conference held in Istanbul last week and attended by
Circassian and Russian intellectuals to discuss the mass
deportations. Titled the International Caucasus Conference, the
gathering was organised by the Caucasus Foundation. Another major
event was a meeting in Kefken a town on the Black Sea coas where the
first Circassians, landed in Turkey after being deported. That
gathering was organised by the Caucasus Federation representing 51
Circassian associations

The recent upsurge in Circassian activism have led some observers to
associate it with attempts by Kurds in Turkey to assert their
autonomy and by Armenian lobbying the international community to
force Turkey to acknowledge as “genocide” the mass deaths of
Armenians during Ottoman rule between 1915-20.

“Circassians have begun realising their identity and painful history
in recent years. There were no such events five years ago,” says
Mehdi Nuzhet Cetinbas, honorary president of the Caucasus Foundation,
in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).

“We are discussing some possible initiatives on the recognition of
the Circassian ‘genocide’ by parliaments around the world. The
Turkish parliament hesitates recognising the Circassian genocide
because of Western pressure on [Ankara to] recognise the Armenian
‘genocide’.

“When the Duma (the lower house of Russia’s parliament) accepted a
proposal about Armenians last year, some Turkish deputies [by way of
retort] suggested recognising the Circassian genocide in return last
year, but it was impossible because of Turkey’s warm economic
relations with Russia,” Cetinbas told AKI.

Last year the Circassian Congress, a nongovernmental organisation
based in Maikop, capital of Adygea Republic (a north Caucasus
traditional home of Circassians), applied to the Duma and the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to
recognise the Circassian genocide. The Russian parliament has to date
given no response so far.

Fehim Tastekin, the founder editor of the Agency Caucasus, a news
agency based in Russia’s Caucasus region, says that Moscow is
increasing the pressure on Circassian’s living in ethnic group’s
traditional regions.

“Russia has recently abolished local constitutions in Circassian
regions such as Adygea, Karachay-Cherkes and Kabardino-Balkaria.
According to new Russia legislation, if Circassians returning home
apply for citizenship, they will only be able to have Russian
citizenship and not Circassian. They will need to speak Russian and
show they have lived in Russian territory for at least five years.

“Also Circassian regions are losing their autonomy rights. Now they
can’t choose their president directly. The Kremlin appoints local
leaders in accordance with the new law,” Tastekin told AKI.

Asked whether Circassians living abroad are seeking land compensation
from Russia, Cetinbas replied: “For now this is not on our agenda. We
know Russia will not help on this point and international communities
will not give their support. But if parliaments recognise that the
genocide took place, this will mark a start that will allow us to
talk about more tangible means of compensation.”

“The Circassian diaspora wants to return home. The young generations
do not speak our language. To change this it is crucial that the
Turkish government supports the opening of Circassian language
schools. It is not enough to give permission for private language
courses to be held. We want positive discrimination because
Circassians see Turkey like their own homeland, and are co-founders
of the modern republic,” Cetinbas said.

While current diplomatic barriers continue to frustate Circassian
attempts for international recognition, Cetinbas remains confident
that circumstances will change in the future. “I hope all nations
will know about the Circassian’s tragedy,” he said.

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