By Vestnik Kavkaza
Recently representatives of the Georgian non-governmental organization “Historic heritage” together with professors, sociologists, and political scientists expressed a hope that the new government would reconsider the decision made by the former authorities of Georgia in 2011 on the recognition of “the genocide of Circassians” during the Caucasus war of 1763-1864. Participants of the conference “Recognition by Georgia of the so-called genocide of the Circassians: goals and results” agreed that “recognition of the genocide was Saakashvili’s decision who accused Russia of awful deeds and worsened relations between the countries.”
The vice-principal of Kabardino-Balkaria State University, Artur Kazharov, spoke about the attitude toward the Circassian issue of the Circassian elites at the conference “The Caucasus war of the 19th century: Realpolitick and “the war of memory” which took place yesterday in Ankara.
According to him, “the political-ideological context over the Circassian issue causes concern among the Circassian elites. Its actualization and politicization can lead to destabilization of the Russian-Circassian unity under certain conditions, while the unity is an important condition for preservation and improvement of ethnic identity of the Circassians.
The importance of integration of the Circassian ethnic and cultural world into the Russian civilization process is realized by the majority of the Circassian Diaspora outside Russia. Despite their numerical superiority over the Russian segment of the Circassian peoples, the improvement and the development of the ethnic culture in the historic motherland is a moral and psychological basis for the internal faith in prospects of their ethnic and historic development for them.”
Kazharov is sure that “the Circassians, their social organizations and ethnic elites determined their historic estimation of the Caucasus war and its results long ago. This is an objective fact of the ethnic and political world outlook. However, the demand to share the view cannot and must not mean accusation of the current Russian state of the tragedy of the Circassian people. The scale of the Circassian tragedy which was committed due to the Circassian elites of the Caucasus War’s period as well is so huge that it is almost impossible to settle it without national consolidation and relying on the state support.
The Circassian elite should remember that the current Russian state is a product of long historic development, but the key phase of its development took place in the 20th century. The Russian Circassians directly participated in establishing its key parameters not as a political object, but as an active participant of the national processes. The Circassians’ striving for establishing “non-Russian” forms of ethnic or religious state development after the end of the Caucasus War was poorly marked and didn’t lead to any political or ideological results. It was a civilization choice.”
According to the vice-principal, “the modern conditions of the Circassian people confirm that the choice was right. The Russian Circassians has their ethnic statehood, continentally educated national elite, well-known in the world scientists, artists, and sports. The Circassians become familiar with the European and the world culture through the Russian and Soviet culture. It was a result of development and enrichment of the ethnic culture.
The Circassian elite which respect the historic choice of its peoples should contribute to development of a compromise for settlement of the Circassian issue exaggeration of which can lead to disastrous consequences for the Circassians.”
