Circassian Center, February 25, 2010
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After decades of misfortunes and
absence from the world’s cultural and political arena, once again, the
old Circassian conservative politics threatens to undermine the
contemporary viable opportunities in advancing Circassian national
objectives in addition to the economic opportunities in the North
Caucasus. The Sochi Olympics in 2014, when it was announced, thought to
be embraced and celebrated among Circassians as a step stone towards
achieving greater national objectives. Yet, quite astonishingly, the
event was met with a fierce opposition by a vocal numbers of
Circassians whether in the motherland or the Diaspora. The majority of
those opponents perceive Sochi Olympics as a Russian conspiracy to
diminish the Circassian identity of the land, where as others refuse
any kind of rapprochement or cooperation with Russia without the full
restoration of Circassian sovereignty over their historic lands.
The latest Protest against Sochi
Olympics in Vancouver can be viewed in a various perspectives in
accordance to the various strategies developed by different Circassians
factions that is thought to better serve achieving our national
objectives. Whether we do support the Sochi Olympics or not, is not the
main issue here rather than the misleading propaganda and tactics that
some Circassian organizations are deploying to draw the support of
Circassians and the rest of the world. From a political perspective, It
is legitimate to argue that someone has to utilize all given
opportunities to advocate his claims especially when there is no real
or vocal competitive in the arena, but doing so to the extent of
presenting misleading facts and false claims of representing the
majority of Circassians including the bulk of the Diaspora in Turkey is
an alarming precedent in our Circassian national movement. The
Circassian participant and organizers of the protest in Vancouver did
not exceed a handful figure, where the rest of the protestors where
drawn on give and take backroom deal from members of other
organizations protesting the Vancouver Olympics. No one can argue or
dispute the tragedy and the misfortunes Circassians faced, however
there is quite disagreement and controversy on the actual causes and
the extent of involvement of each internal and foreign parties in this
tragedy including Circassians themselves. Indeed there are quite vocal
Circassians who appose the Sochi Olympics, but to claim that most
Circassian in the Diaspora including the bulk of the Diaspora in Turkey
are actually opposing the Sochi Olympics is quite misleading
information. In fact the leading Circassian organizations in Turkey are
not opposing the event, not mentioning that a large majority of
Circassians in North Jersey are either neutral or perceive the Olympics
as an opportunity to advance our Circassian national objective if it is
to be utilized properly. Moreover, exploiting the passionate youth
without the intention of educating them but only to exploit their
enthusiasm to advance certain agendas is considered a threshold towards
radicalizing our youth. Like said before, it is quite legitimate to
have different views or perspectives on how to better achieve our
national objective and even being quite vocal in advocating it, but it
is quite unfortunate to present half facts and misleading information
to advance our agendas.
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The rising concern among
neoconservative Western trend’s over Russia’s exceeding power and its
sphere of influence over energy transits is met with a relentless old
cold war strategy to contain Russia. This strategy is evident in most
US conservative politicians’ rhetoric’s and in the conservative media
around all issues concerning and surrounding the region. The Sochi
Olympics itself was protested by US conservative politicians during the
last US presidential election campaign. Back then the opposition was on
the ground of "Russia’s military aggression” against Georgia in the
latest Georgian-Abkhaz conflict and the "breakaway” of Abkhazia’s from
Georgia. Ironically, the same organizations that were and still
associated and involved in delegitimizing Abkhazia’s separation from
Georgia are the same ones who are provoking Circassians in restoring
their national historic rights by planning and aiding in events
directed against Russia such as the protest against Sochi Olympics in
Vancouver. "A just demand aiming for wickedness” as stated by Imam Ali describing the Khawareg’s (Separatist) raised slogan "there is no rule but God’s rule”
in opposing his attempt to negotiate with his rivals over the ruling
legitimacy of the Islamic Empire, which he considered a justified
demand but aiming towards wickedness by creating disorder and
controversy.
If we consider such an event like Sochi
Olympics accruing under different hypothetical circumstances of the
region such as under "sovereign Circassia”, and let us then imagine the
enormous welcoming of such an event among Circassian. Such an event
will indeed bring great economic opportunities by luring foreign
investments and capitals in addition to advancing and promoting local
industries. It will also advance the infrastructure needed to support
such an event. It will generally promote "Circassia” which will have a
great impact on all various aspects of life whether it is cultural,
political, economic, tourism, scientific, education, etc. Hence, we
might all agree that the event it self has a great positive impact but
the current political circumstances of the region makes such an event
perceived negatively by Circassians.
Developing a strategy that considers
reality on the ground along with a dynamic mechanism aiming towards
maintaining and preserving our national objectives is the only viable
strategy for Circassian to optimize their gains and limit the "negative
repercussions” of events surrounding the region "including” events such
as Sochi Olympics. On the other hand let us discuss our issues honestly
instead of blaming the others to clear our conscious from lacking the
will to carry out our duties and responsibilities toward our nation.
One example I can think of is repatriation. How many Circassian
organizations in the Diaspora "except for Turkey” are practically
engaged in rational and practical effort to bring back Circassians to
the mother land? We hear a lot of vocal Circassian pessimists accusing
Russia from their ivory podiums in foreign countries and quite number
of them are not even aware of the real situation on the ground or even
have a conclusive idea of the actual impediments of repatriation
whether within the Diaspora or in the mother land . I even doubt if the
majority of those five star hotel’s opposition even bothered or feel it
is necessary to visit the Caucasus and gather information on the
ground. Does Circassians in the Diaspora have the intention to return
to the mother land? Do they have the will to sacrifice their comfort
and established life and return and build the Caucasus? Do they at
least have a viable strategy to establish a foot ground in the Caucasus
for their future generation to be able to make that decision? Do we at
least have a conducted survey that indicates the actual impediment for
repatriation within the Diaspora itself? It is easy to blame the
Russians for every misfortune of our nation but the only one to blame
is ourselves for the lack of commitment and beliefs in our cause. Our
attachment to the Caucuses should deal with the current issues and the
realities of the region and not limited to a sentimental attachment
engulfed in the tales and pages of history.
Source: Circassian Center
