04:07, 14 November 2014

Circassian activists urge Polish leadership to recognize Circassian genocide

Day of Circassian Flag, Taksim square, Istanbul. Photo: http://www.cherkessia.net/images/gallery/byrkgn/b21.jpg

Activists of Circassian public organizations have appealed to the leadership of Poland asking to recognize the genocide of Circassians in the 19^th century. The appeal was initiated by the International Organization "Patriots of Circassia", whose headquarters is in Istanbul.

The message about the activists' appeal arrived at the SMS-service of the "Caucasian Knot".

The Caucasian War, which lasted from 1763 to 1864, put Circassians on the brink of extinction. After the War and the mass deportation of Circassians to the Ottoman Empire, the number of those who stayed in the homeland was a little more than 50,000 people. The Russian authorities still have made no decision to recognize the genocide of Circassians during the Caucasian War. In 2011, participants of the expanded meeting of the Executive Committee of the "Adyge Khase" of Adygea supported the proposal to declare 2014 the year of mourning and memory throughout the Circassian world.

The appeal was dated to the Independence Day of Poland, marked on November 11, and was disseminated on that very day. Its addressees include the Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, the Sejm Speaker Radoslaw Sikorski, the Senate Chairman Bogdan Borusewicz, and the Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz.

The appeal that may be found on the website natpress.info was signed by 52 activists from nine countries – Turkey, Russia, Jordan, USA, Israel, Germany, Sweden, Holland and France.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.

Author: Asya Kapaeva

Source: CK correspondent