Paul
Goble
Staunton, March 26 – Since the end
of Soviet times, Circassians in their North Caucasus homeland and even more
Circassians in the diaspora have sought international recognition for their belief
that the crimes committed by the tsarist authorities against them in 1864 constitute
acts of genocide.
They have had some success,
garnering support for their position from among others the Republic of Georgia
in 2011, but recently, Circassian groups have redirected their efforts to try
to help Circassians in war-torn portions of the Middle East. Now, however, and
in response to Vladimir Putin’s proposed constitutional amendments, they are raising
the genocide issue again.
They have done so, the Turkey-based
Patriots of Circassia organization says, because they are convinced that what
Putin is trying to do represents yet another attack on the rights of their
nation and all other non-Russians living within the current borders of the Russian
Federation (natpressru.info/index.php?newsid=11951).
They are calling on the UN to take
this action because Putin’s actions resemble those of the tsars and believe
that “recognition of the genocide of Adygs
(Circassians) will serve not only the revival of one people, but will also
become an incentive for others to free them from lawlessness – both in the
national and in a wider sense.”
“This,
we hope, will serve as the major factor in helping the Russian Federation return
to the path of democratic rebirth.” Given Moscow’s veto in the UN Security
Council and the reluctance of many countries to label any action before the 20th
century a genocide, the Circassians face an uphill battle in their struggle for
justice.
But
as so often in the past, the Circassians are being clever. By linking their
calls for the recognition of the genocide visited against them to the desire of
many countries for Russia to turn away from authoritarian rule and back toward
democracy, it is possible they will pick up some support in unexpected
places.
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