Public activists of Adygea find it reasonable to recognize Circassians' genocide

Most of the Circassians of the world support the idea of recognition of Adygs' genocide, Zaur Zaukozhev, deputy chairman of the Circassian Congress of Adygea believes. He is supported by other Adyg public activists of the republic.

According to Asker Panesh, a historian from the Republic's Institute of Humanitarian Studies, Circassians had addressed the Council of Europe and other international organizations asking to recognize the fact of genocide; and today the issue is at the stage of solution; Russia's position will play a key role here.

"We've addressed Russian leaders for many times asking to recognize this historic fact," Zaur Zaukozhev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "Unfortunately, no reaction so far. If Georgia at present is ready to recognize our genocide, we should agree to it. This is the opinion of the overwhelming majority of Circassian people."

Mr Zaukozhev is sure that Russian government is deliberately drawing a dividing line amidst Adygs (Circassians): "We're divided without that. And the creation of NCFD will still more split our nations. Prior to make this decision, the federal authorities would have asked the local population whether they wanted it."

Zaur Zaukozhev believes that the republics of Northern Caucasus are not full-fledged subjects of the Russian Federation. "Otherwise, how could you explain that fact that our appeal not to hold Olympiad-2014 in the territory, where genocide had been committed and the Circassian problem is still unsolved, was simply ignored by the authorities?!" said the deputy chair of the Circassian Congress.

Anatoly Ivanov, Chairman of the Parliament of the State Council - Khasse of Adygea, is less categorical. "Making comments on this issue is rather difficult, as people differently react to it. I'm sure of one thing: the problem should be addressed, but not to aggravate interethnic relations," he said.

Mr Ivanov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that it had been offered, at the sitting of the Executive Committee, to use Caucasian motives in the symbols of Olympiad-2014, since the Caucasian nations exposed to eradication lived in this territory. "Vancouver did it and lost nothing. I think that this decision could have united the people," he noted.

Ruslan Khadjibiokov, Deputy of the Russian State Duma from the Republic of Adygea, has reminded the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that in the time when he was vice-premier, the leaders of the republic had addressed President Yeltsin with such request.

However, he is categorically against Georgians making decision to this end. "Georgia has and should have nothing to do with this issue," Mr Khadjibiokov said. "There are political forces, which benefit; they are playing the 'Caucasian card'."

Asker Panesh, professor of history at the Adygea Republic's Institute of Humanitarian Studies, believes that the address to the Georgian parliament with a request to recognize the genocide of the Circassian people will make no harm to Russian-Georgian political or economic relations. "It'll be just the first step towards restoration of historical justice," he said.

"The genocide was committed; and it's senseless to challenge this fact," said Asfar Kuyek, a leading scientific worker employee at the Adygea Republic's Institute of Humanitarian Studies and candidate of philology, who also chairs the republic's public movement "Samgur".

In his opinion, the activists of public organizations should not have addressed this sort of request to Georgian MPs. "In spite of the fact that I studied in Tbilisi and Georgians have greatest culture, it's not the proper way to move. Back in the Soviet time, they were overwhelmed by the idea that from Anapa to Tbilisi they have their territory. This psychology had provoked the military actions against Abkhazia. We shouldn't rely on Georgia, if we say that we have common roots with Abkhazians," Mr Kuyek has summed up.