Russia and the South Caucasus have often raised the issue of separated peoples, such as the Cherkessians, Lezgins and Ossetians. Some radicals have proposed reunions of peoples at conferences. Nogais living in Dagestan, Chechnya, Stavropol Territory, other Russian regions and abroad consider themselves separated people. The largest diaspora lives in Turkey, consisting of 5 million people. They have the Nogaisky District in Dagestan with 47,000 Nogais. The Nogaisky District had a conference on May 29, 2011. The Nogais consider the decree of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR in 1957 to be unconstitutional and anti-ethnic. They want to establish a commission administrative-territorial unit of Russia. This would require for self-identification of people to form an apportioning northern territories of Dagestan. Supporters of Lezgistan would want to be apportioned part of northern Azerbaijan. Experts speak out against the initiative. They note that Dagestan is the only republic in the Caucasus without inter-ethnic conflicts. Separation of the republic would become a precedent for others.
Tamerlan Gajiyev, a professor at Dagestan State University, says that the Dagestanis are an ancient nation that had their own statehood in very early times (Caucasian Albania, Sarir, Hazar Kaganat, the confederation of free communities and khanates, the theocratic state of Imamat).
Restoration of old administrative territories will lead to disputes at best or bloody conflicts at worst. The Nogaisky District is inhabited by the Avars, Dargins, Kumyks, Russians and Lezgins, who do not want separation. The territory of the Lezgins has Azerbaijanis, Tats and Russians. Over 120,000 Azerbaijanis live in Dagestan. However, none from the Azerbaijani community have proposed separation from Russia.
The problem of the Lezgins and the Azerbaijanis may become more tense in the near future. There have been no attempts to restore ties with border crossing. There are not enough crossing points with a Lezgin radicals. The main problem causing inter-ethnic tensions is the simplified control procedure. Reaching a nearby Lezgin village in Azerbaijan and Dagestan requires by-passing Baku or Kuba (a major city in Azerbaijan 165 km north of the capital – editor’s note). This means thousands of kilometers.
Musa Musayev, Makhachkala. Exclusively for VK
