Kumyks condemn inscription replacement on monument to Turkish warriors in Dagestan

On January 3, the inscription on the marble slab of the monument to the soldiers of the Caucasian Islamic Army erected in the Dagestan village of Agachaul was changed without authors' consent, members of seven Kumyk organizations have stated. They demanded to restore the original text.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 15, 2018, in the village of Agachaul, near Makhachkala, a monument was erected to the soldiers of the Ottoman Empire, who drove, 100 years ago, the troops of General Lazar Bicherakhov out of Dagestan. Locals associate Bicherakhov's troops with violence, and perceive Turks as liberators.

On January 3, the inscription on the marble slab in three languages (Kumyk, Turkish and Russian) of the monument was replaced by another Russian-language one, says the statement of the above Kumyk organizations released today.

"In memory of the warriors who perished in the battles for the freedom of Russia and Dagestan on Tarki-Tau Mount near the village of Agachaul in 1918. Let their souls rest in peace," says the new inscription, the photo of which accompanies the statement, as well as a photo of the original inscription that read: "To the sacred memory of soldiers of the Ottoman Army who died a heroic death on November 5-7, 1918, in the battles for the liberation of Anzhikaly (Port Petrovsk) from the occupational troops of General L. Bicherakhov. Let their souls rest in peace."

Activists of the Kumyk organizations have accused officials of forgery. "Thus, not only the replacement of the text was made, but also a forgery, since the names of our organizations are indicated below it, although we have nothing to do with the new text; and we are stating it in a categorical form," the statement says, adding the demand of the meeting of activists of Kumyk communities from the municipal authorities to promptly restore the original text of the inscription.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on January 5, 2019 at 10:13 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.