Paul Goble
Staunton, Nov. 11 – Every time Circassians, who were divided by the Soviets into sub-ethnoses or more precisely into geographic groups, Moscow and its representatives in the North Caucasus have denounced the move as a threat. But this time around, during the census, they have gone further with words that are marked by hysteria but may represent a warning.
In a recent interview, Khauti Sokhrokov, head of the Moscow-controlled International Circassian Association lashed out at his interviewer who said she supported the effort to have all Adygs, Cherkess, Kabards, and Shapsugs declare themselves in the census with the exonym “Circassian” (ekhokavkaza.com/a/31555461.html).
Such campaigns, the ICA head said, represent attempts to deny people the right to declare the nationality they want. This is “very serious,” and “you should be careful” as its smacks “if not of terrorism than at the very least of elements of extremism.” Because such things are punishable by Russian law, this suggestion is potentially very dangerous.
On the one hand, it is clearly an attempt to frighten Circassians from declaring themselves Circassians in the census. But on the other hand, it is also a warning that Moscow may take repressive action against those who do, possibly including heavy fines and even long-term imprisonment.
In reporting this, Circassian writer Murat Gukemukhov traces the history of efforts to have all Circassians identify themselves as such, says that most Circassians are not being intimidated by Sokhrokov’s words, and points out something that is all too often ignored in discussions about their identities.
“In Soviet times,” he writes, the Circassians “were divided not so much according to sub-ethnic markers but by the geography of the forced resettlement after the end of the Caucasus war. As a result of this, a segment of the Kabardins were reclassed as Adygeys or as Cherkess,” a reclassification that makes the common Circassian identifier even more important and justified.
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