Coverage of The tragedy of the Circassian People in

Contemporary Georgian Public Thought (later half of the 19^th century)

            By  professor Niko  Javakhishvili

Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University

Muhajirism (< Arab. – "displacement”) has been one of the tragic pages in the history of the fre­e­dom-loving mountaineer peoples of the Caucasus. After the imprisonment of Imam Shamil (1859), the leader of the national-liberating war of the Muslim mountaineers, and the end of the war in Chechnya and Dagestan, Russia’s positions in the North-East Caucasus were finally enhanced. In effect, the ruling circles of Russia did their best to take over the north-western part of the Caucasus; however, they regarded the local Muslim population as the principal obstacle for the fulfillment of their objectives. Therefore, they decided to expel disobedient mountaineers from their homeland and to deport them to the Ottoman Empire, ...

Grassroots Activism Among Circassians in Russia Remains on the Rise

Circassian rally in support of Syrian Circassian refugees being repatriated to the North Caucasus, Moscow, December 2 (Source: Caucasian Knot)

On December 2, over 100 people held a rally in downtown Moscow in support of Syria’s Circassians. The participants called on the Russian government to intervene and allow the estimated 100,000 ethnic Circassians who live in Syria to repatriate to the Russian North Caucasus. The rally was the biggest event so far held by Circassian activists in Moscow. The city authorities initially did not grant permission for the rally because it supposedly interfered in another country’s internal affairs, but permission was eventually granted for up to 300 participants (http://www.kavkaz-uzel.ru/articles/216604/). Circassian activists argue that the Russian law on compatriots entitles Syrian Circassians to Russian government assistance. However, Moscow has been reluctant ...

Russians Fleeing Adygea, Threatening Moscow’s Control of Region

Since the end of Soviet times, the percentage of ethnic Russians in the Circassian republic of Adygea has fallen from 78 percent to 52 percent, the result of the dominance of the minority Circassians in republic institutions and the failure of Moscow to address the issue in any serious way. Now, the Adygeis are seeking the repatriation of 60,000–160,000 of their fellow Circassians from Syria, a group whose arrival would tip the ethnic balance in their favor, accelerate the departure of more ethnic Russians and set the stage for the Adygeis to join with other Circassian groups and form Greater Circassia (see EDM April 18, September 5).

Such a chain of events would end with Russia’s loss not only of the Circassian regions but also of the entire North Caucasus, analysts say. ...

Turkey, Russia agree to differ on Syria, cement ties

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in historic Dolmabahçe Palace in İstanbul on Monday. (Photo: AA, Metin Pala)

3 December 2012 / TODAY'S ZAMAN WITH WIRES, İSTANBUL

Turkey and Russia aired their differences on Syria but decided to set them aside to protect their robust business and energy ties.

At a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in İstanbul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at length about Turkish-Russian economic cooperation before praising the Russian policies on the Palestinian conflict.

He said the foreign ministers of the two countries -- who had separate talks earlier in the day on Syria -- will work together "more intensively” over Syria.

Putin said both Russia and Turkey share the same goals for the future of Syria but differ on methods on how to reach these goals.

"The positions of the ...