Another Circassian Organization Breaks with Moscow-Controlled Group

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Jan. 24 – Two weeks ago, the Kayseri Hase, one of the largest Circassian groups in Turkey, resigned from KAFFED to protest the actions of the latter umbrella group of North Caucasian organizations there that have led it to become little more than a mouthpiece for the Moscow-controlled International Circassian Organization.

            When Kasyeri Hase took this action, Circassian activists like Martin Kochesoko predicted that this would lead other Circassian groups in the diaspora to take similar actions (windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2024/01/independent-circassian-group-resigns.html and windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2024/01/circassians-abroad-to-follow-kayseri.html).

            That has now happened. The Istanbul Association of Caucasus Culture has broken its ties with KAFFED, the Federation of Caucasus Organizations in Tukey, complaining of the latter’s slavish following of the ICA and its pro-Moscow positions (kavkazr.com/a/esche-odna-krupneyshaya-cherkesskaya-organizatsiya-v-turtsii-vyshla-iz-federatsii-kavkazskih-assotsiatsiy/32791623.html).

            Given that there are several million Circassians in Turkey and that they constitute the largest diaspora community of that nation, these actions seriously weaken the ICA and its Moscow controllers and likely presage an upsurge in Circassian activism first in the diaspora and then in the North Caucasus homeland.