M. Khafitse: «There is less than a year and a half left until the next presidential elections in Kabardino-Balkaria, and a new round of struggle for power starts in the republic» 

The other day in the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria took place a «presentation» of the republican social movement «Khase». As stated by the leaders of the new movement, they are ready to cooperate with all the sound forces of the republic, and do not intend to oppose themselves to other public organizations. 
A somewhat different view on this subject has the thamada (head) of «Adyghe Khase» of KBR, Vice President of the Adyghian (Circassian) Academy of Sciences, Editor-in-chief of the newspaper «Adyghe psale» Mukhamed Khafitse. 
- Within a few months a number of public organizations of Kabardino-Balkaria have been engaged in preparations for the congress of the Kabardian people, the participants of which were to discuss the problems of the republic - primarily, the issues of application of a highly controversial 131st («land») Law and ways of achieving inter-ethnic accord. 
In February, the Organizing Committee held a «round table», in the course of which representatives of all public organizations and movements of KBR were able to express their views, identify their position on the issues discussed. The Forum was held in Nalchik on 4 April at the State Concert Hall. 188 of the 200 deputies claimed, attended the forum. Until the very last moment, all the public organizations were unanimous in their opinions regarding the ways of solving the existing problems, but almost before the very forum a leader of the public organization «Dzhe mak» («Call») Gumar Murzakanov has unexpectedly announced the presence of a «dissenting opinion» and the intention to leave the Organizing Committee. However, a representative of «Dzhe mak», an owner of a stud farm Ibraghim Yaganov still made a speech at the forum... 5 days later, having voiced his opinion on the disagreement with the position of the Organizing Committee, which had ostensibly «laid under the authority», he declared the creation of a new national movement, which included «Dzhe mak» and the public organization «Worldwide Circassian Brotherhood». 
Soon in the media began emerging materials discrediting the former associates – the Organizing Committee (now Board of Coordination of the Kabardian [Adyghian] public organizations), directly «Adyghe Khase» of Kabardino-Balkaria. In fact, the claims of «Khase» are completely set out in the recently issued statement of the «Adyghe Khase of the Republic of Abkhazia» (AHRA): 
«We, the Adyghs (Circassians) of the Republic of Abkhazia, are citizens of the Russian Federation, and what is happening in Kabardino-Balkaria concerns us in the same way as the Adyghs living in the republic. We are extremely angered by the inaction of Adyghe Khase of Kabardino-Balkaria, which has in fact betrayed the interests of the Adyghian people, though it should be its representing body. Tied to the chariot of the power structures and the «elite», Adyghe Khase of Kabardino-Balkaria under its present-day leadership has finally discredited itself in the eyes of the public and is contributing to plundering of public lands by its own unscrupulousness. The same can be applied to other «national» organizations that are not supported by the people and use the national map for personal gain. Someone is getting bonuses before the authorities, someone is looking to become a member of parliament or the state structures, while others simply work off the wages of certain services». 
It is no secret that behind this statement stands the leader of «Khase» Ibraghim Yaganov, who categorically does not accept the actions of the authorities, aimed at stabilizing the situation in the republic. 
Proceeding from the official statements of «Khase», the whole essence of our «discrepancies» lies precisely in the attitude to the methods of tackling the existing problems: we - the members of the Board of Coordination of the Kabardian (Adyghian) public organizations of KBR - are convinced that these problems must be addressed in «a bundle» with the authorities, the «Khase» movement is convinced in the opposite. 
If to analyze the events of recent months, there is such an impression that, to put it mildly, something is not clear here. First of all, the essence of accusations of inactivity, attempts to solve personal problems, etc, put forth by «Adyghe Khase» is alarming. The organization that I head does not advertise its work, but gentlemen Yaganov and Murzakanov should know how much we are doing to save the Kabardian language and culture, addressing the most pressing problems of our people. These points have been repeatedly discussed at the meetings of the Organizing Committee, and the activities of «Adyghe Khase» of the republic has been highly appreciated. In principle, it is enough to reveal the file of the newspaper «Adyghe psale» to make sure: every year we hold from 120 to 150 serious events. 
Our work on the application of the 131st Law «On the organization of local self-government» was also not a secret to anybody. Only due to the efforts of our Organizing Committee the local law was not passed by the Parliament of KBR and a commission for conciliation has been established for its improvement with the participation of all the interested parties. 
Of all this are well aware the leaders of the «Khase» movement and it never caused any complaints before. At the same forum of the Kabardian people the leader of the «Worldwide Circassian Brotherhood» Zamir Shukhov has publicly stated that his organization wishes to become a «youth wing» of the «Adyghe Khase» of KBR. Within a few days his position has cardinally changed. 
Last year at the İnal-Ipa readings in Sukhum and at the meeting of our Organizing Committee this January I met with Anzor Gohov and Aslan Beshtoyev, who are heading the AHRA, and they expressed then a sincere, as I hope, admiration for the work carried out by the «Adyghe Khase» of KBR. What has happened now? 
I am confident: a serious political order on discrediting the Adyghian public organization existing in KBR has been received. Certain forces stand behind these people, which seek to split the Kabardian society and thus destabilize the situation in the republic. Their only aim is the power. There is less than a year and a half left until the next presidential elections in Kabardino-Balkaria, and a new round of struggle for power starts in the republic. It is my firm conviction that the scandalously famous letters of the State Duma Deputy M. Zalikhanov and the present speeches of «Khase» and AHRA are links in one chain.