129 Days to the Circassian Genocide 150th year Commemoration
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posted by eagle on January, 2014 as Genocide Crime
128 Days to the Circassian Genocide 150th year CommemorationDocument 97Circassia’s Declaration of Independence In 1835, in connection with the extremely difficult circumstances during the Caucasian War, the leaders of the Adiga tribes united and developed a "Declaration of independence", which was sent to the monarchs of Europe and Asia. This act had significant implications in the international Diplomacy.
"The Declaration" was published in the same year in various foreign editions. The following text has been translated from one of the English editions To Russian Language:
"The Caucasians are not Russian subjects and are not even in peace with Russia, but for many years now are embroiled in war with it, going through this war without any assistance. They never received any assistance or support from any government. While the Sultan, as the spiritual head of the Muslims, exercises his rule in these areas, the residents of the Black Sea Coast, whom are professing that belief, were left to protect themselves on their own, and recently the Ports betrayed them repeatedly and left them without any assistance. One Pasha opened the Anapa gates (for gold in return) to allow Muscovites to plunder ruthlessly, telling the Circassians that the Russians came as friends to support the Sultan against the rebellion of Armenian Leaders. Another Pasha again betrayed them and abandoned them all at a sudden.
Since then, the Circassians repeatedly sent their deputies to the Sultan, expressing their loyalty and asking for assistance, but they were greeted bluntly. With the same manner they turned to Persia, and finally to Mohamed Ali, who accepted their loyalty, but refused to help.
In all these cases, the deputies from Circassia were instructed to tell all those who, being at a distance, did not know how serious the Russian pressure was, as it is inimical to the customs, faith and happiness of all people. Otherwise why would the Circassians fight against it for all that period of time? How treacherous its Generals were and how ruthless its soldiers were.
It is not of anyone’s interest to destroy the Circassians. Rather, it is in the interest of all to support them. Hundreds of thousands of Muscovite troops are engaged in war against us, so that they’ll attack you next. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers are scattered in our sterile land and steep slopes, in which they’re fighting against our brave mountaineers, so that later on they will fill your rich plains and enslave you.
Our mountains have been the stronghold of Persia and Turkey, and without them it can be an accessible gateway to both countries, for those mountains are not only a cover for them, they represent a door to the home, which only by closing it the heart is protected.
But, in fact, Circassian blood flows in the Sultan’s veins. His mother is a Circassian, his harem consist of Circassians; also his Ministers and Generals. He’s the Leader of our faith, as well as our people, he captures our hearts, and we offer him our total commitment and loyalty. We are asking, in the name of all those connections and relations, for his sympathy and support, and if he refuses or is unable to protect our children and citizens, let them consider the grandchildren of the Crimean khans that are living among us.
Those were the words of our deputies that they were entrusted to say but were not heard. This wouldn’t have happened if the Sultan knew how many hearts and swords he could have lead, if he only ended his friendship with the Muscovites.
We know that Russia is not the only state in the world, we know that there are greater states than Russia, and in spite their great power, they are configured with goodwill, they educate the ignorant and protect the weak, and they do not play well with Russia, but rather feuding with it, while they are not enemies to the Sultan but actually friends.
We know that England and France are the first nations in the world and have been great and powerful, yet when Russians came to us in small boats and asked our permission to fish in the Sea of Azov. We thought that England and France have no interest in such a simple and poor people like us, at the same time no doubt derives that those wise nations know that we are not Russians. And while we are badly trained and have no artillery, generals, organization, ships or wealth; we are honest and peaceful people, when we’re left unharmed. We loathe Russians and fight them constantly, and for a serious reason.
And later on, we learned – while feeling enormously insulted- that on European maps, our country is marked as a part of Russia, and treaties we know nothing about were signed by Russia and Turkey, and wants to convey those warriors - of which Russia tumbles- and the mountains –which the Turkish never set foot on - And Russia tells the West that the Circassians are its slaves; barbaric wild bandits whom cannot be shown leniency, and no law can curb them.
We solemnly express our protest in front of God against such tricks and deceptions; we answer word for word, the word of truth against mendacity. For the past 40 years we resisted their attacks victoriously although the weapons were in their hands. With this ink and the blood that we shed, we declare our independence, enclosing signatures of people who do not know anything higher or more important than their country's decision, people who do not understand the subtle arguments, but know and will use their weapons when the Russians come holding their own weapons against them.
What kind of force can expel us from here? Our loyalty is offered to the Sultan, but if he’s at peace with Russia then he cannot accept it because Circassia is at war with Russia. Our loyalty is a voluntary sense that he cannot sell since it was never bought.
Let the great nation such as England, which our eyes and hands turned to, not think about us at all, if we are unjust or not. Let it refuse any hearsay from cunning Russians before it refuses to hear the cries of Circassians. Let them judge those people for themselves, whom the Russians refer to as "wild and barbaric”, from their actions not from Fabrications.
We are 4,000,000 people, but unfortunately, we are divided into many tribes, languages and faiths, we have different customs, traditions, interests, alliances and divisions. We also never shared the same goal, but we had a semblance of government and custom subordinated commands. The leader elected by each tribe during war, has all the powers, and our senior princes manage each area according to their own customs, with a great authority that you cannot even see in any great neighboring country, but since we do not have one leader, we chose a foreign leader that controls the whole Eastern area. So we voluntarily accept the domination of the Crimean khans, then the Sultan of Constantinople, being our spiritual Leader.
When Russia seized part of our land and won top everywhere, it tried to lower our rank into slaves, recruiting us in its army and making us shed our sweat and blood for their own enrichment. Forced to fight on Russia’s behalf and enslave more people for it even our compatriots and fellow believers. Therefore, hatred grew among us, and bloodshed will not cease, otherwise we would have been subjected by the Muscovite leader long ago.
It would have been a sad and long story to be told, full of brutality and violations of oaths and promises, how Russia surrounded our country from all sides, cutting us from the necessary means of life, as it interrupted our trade and relinquished the last remnants of our homes to their hired assassins and left us without a Leader to follow. How it destroyed entire tribes and villages, and how it bribed the Turkish treacherous agents, and led us to poverty and drove us to hatred and irritation all over the world due to the horrors of which it permitted, while inflicting shame upon us with lies in the eyes of the Christian nations of Europe.
We lost whole tribes, which used to collect hundreds of thousands of soldiers under their banners, but we were all finally united, as one, in the hatred of Russia. 200,000 people from our people only are subordinated to it in this long struggle; and of the remaining, none serve Russia voluntarily. Many children were abducted, and many children of the nobles were taken hostages, but at the first opportunity they fled back to their people. Among us there are people who enjoy the grace and respect of the evasive emperor, but who chose this benefit imperiled their mother country.
Among us there are thousands of Russians who preferred our "barbarity” over their country’s "civilization”. Russia built fortresses on our land, but they do not provide security beyond the reach of their artilleries; 50,000 Russians recently invaded us, and they were defeated.
Only by weapon, but not by words, this country can be seized. If Russia conquers us, it would not be with weapons, but by the suppression of our communications and the use of Turkey and Persia as if they already belonged to it. It would be due to its siege for our coasts and destroying not only our ships but also the friendly ships that anchor in our coast, preventing us from buying salt and gunpowder plus other necessary martial products, not to mention confiscating our hope.
In spite of all that, we are independent and we are fighting and winning. The Emperor Representative, who presents us to Europe as his slaves, and who notes on our country’s map as his own, recently started negotiations with the Circassians, not to stop our resistance, but to trade 20,000 people that we’ve captured, and arrange a prisoners’ exchange. "
From the V.M. Atalikova Publications.
See: Living antiquities. 1992. № 2. Pp 20-23.
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