Moscow Must Become Active Participant in Circassian Conversations, Markedonov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 28 – Far too often, the Russian government dismisses debates within national movements like the Circassian as parochial and of little interest to itself, Sergey Markedonov says. But it must become an active participant in these debates pointing out what Circassians and Russians share as well as acknowledging where they differ.

            In the course of an interview to the Caucasus Today portal, the MGIMO scholar who specializes on the North Caucasus says that far too many people in Moscow assume that if the situation there is “more or less stable,” there’s no need to get involved. But that misses the point that as Ernst Renan observed “the nation is a daily plebiscite” (kavtoday.ru/article/6128).

            If Moscow doesn’t participate, others will fill the void; and far from all of those will be taking positions that the Russian government would like, Markedonov continues. That doesn’t mean going on the attack. It means becoming a participant in discussions be they on Islam or on the history and current situation of the Circassians.

            “It is important not to stigmatize Islam as such,” he argues. “It is necessary to understand that most Russian Muslims are loyal citizens of our country, but the radicals who supposedly defend ‘the purity’ of religion in fact are attacking above all Muslims.” Russia needs to become part of this debate rather than standing aside.

            This is equally important in the case of the Circassian peoples, Markedonov says. Russia needs to insert itself “as a moderator” in debates among that nation.  “This doesn’t mean becoming an outside spy” who leaves the scene whenever things seem quiet. It means proceeding from the fact that while there is much that separates us, there is much that unites us.

            Russians must be open about both, acknowledging the conflicts past and present but insisting on the overriding importance of the unifying factors. We must not be silent; we must speak out. And we must understand that within the Circassians, there are debates with some Circassians opposing others. We need to moderate these debates if we can.

            Some of those debates concern past tragedies, but Russia can point out that despite that, Circassians in Russia now have three subjects in which “representatives of the Circassian people are the titular nationality.” That isn’t true in Turkey or in Jordan. And Russians need to speak out about that.

            But Russia can only be effective in this role if it acknowledges the contradictions and conflicts even as it insists on the importance of unifying elements. For Markedonov, both are important elements and the absence of one makes it far more difficult for Moscow to insist on the acceptance of the other.