Radio-Adiga posts the important presentation that was made by Ali Berzeg, at the Tbilisi conference that was held on November 19-21 - 2010.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the beginning of my speech I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers of this so important for us Circassians event, Ilia State University and Jamestown Foundation. Thank you very much. It’s been about 9 months since our initial conference when Circassian delegations first time in about twenty years visited Georgia. I personally was doing my fellowship program in Ilia State University working in Georgian Archives collecting the documents describing Circassian Genocide committed by the Russian State in 19th century. Enormous amount of the first-hand sources was generated, and I had a chance to present a brief report on that afterwards.
Currently documents are still in the process of preparation for the planned publication. A lot of things evolved since then.
- The No-Sochi campaign is continually going on. Websites with videos and art-pieces are helping a lot in conveying a message. - We had simultaneous demonstrations in NYC, Istanbul, Antalya, Munich and Hayfa/Israel. And, as you understand, it takes quite an effort to organize all those to be intact.
Our cooperation with Georgian partners led us to build relations with Baltic countries, such as so far Lithuania and Estonia. Right after the first Tbilisi conference I was invited to visit Vilnus to present in Vilnus University the case of Circassian Genocide. Well, Lithuanian public demonstrated a genuine interest in learning the case and some even propose their media assistance at our disposal to promote cause within the country. We maintain very close relation and will definitely continue in that direction. Other Baltic state, the Estonia, went even further to facilitate our struggle. During our latest visit to Tallinn we have got very warm reception and whole the trip was extremely productive. We had multiple meetings with different people, and in the end submitted Circassian appeal to the Estonian Parliament, as we similarly did here before to the Georgian one.
After Tallinn we’ve got the greatest opportunity to visit European Parliament in Brussels, see Estonian MEP Indrek Tarand and discuss our plight on parliamentarian TV. Shortly to say trip was successful. All of those of course couldn’t be ignored by the Russian, as well call them, Circassophobs and several, quite clumsy though, measures were undertaken. Such as seminars and conferences on Circassian topic or discussions Circassian movement actions. But what really was good and noticeable is that there were no Circassians whatsoever to speak expressing renegade ideas. In couple of them were used another Caucasian people…
Most of those events were not even announced within the Circassians in the Circassia, so that most of the people actively involved in learnt of them from the video recording published online. It apparently looks like Russian authorities aren’t ready to address Circassian issue free of prejudices. And that’s the main reason why Circassian movement had to turn towards west in order to seek for sympathy to our cause. In general Circassians believe that west is the power to assist them to resolve the Circassian question. Most of the provocative aspects of circassophobs to be spoken against the movement, besides the axiomatic accusations of cooperation with the western intelligence, are, of course, denial of Genocide case, and less noticeable, but very important, the possibility of Adighe-Turkic conflict. Speculations on the question of Karachay-Balkars in Circassa as an obstacle and kind of last hope for federals to prevent the unification and restoration of the Circassia. Means blackmailing – if Circassians will solidified, then Karachay-Balkars will be triggered to confront against them with Russians peacekeepers and saviors for both.
Speaking, we also should remember that whenever things concerned to any kind of opposition to general line of Putin regime. It also pertains the Russian healthy powers still existing within the society. Everyone against Putin is an American agent. So, in this connection we can freely dismiss this. As it’s getting clear and clear that whatever is wrong with the freedoms in Russia is pictures not an internal fault but fault of the international community. Means worldwide democracy hurts Russia, which is incapable to sustain the challenges. One of the latest Russian responses was eliminating of the title of "President” in the republics. The idea is to eleminate republics at all and starts forceful process of unification of the people. Such inhumane measures as discriminations of one ethnicity and favoring of another were already openly discussed by some of the Russian analysts. Circassians in this respect are divided into Adyghe and Karachay-Balkars. Means these two people have to become antagonists one to another in order to ease Circassian pressure onto Russian Federal authority.
It is obvious that all those land dispute are artificial and instigated by certain individuals of both ethnicities. However Russians so far limit themselves with organization of artificial disagreements, apparently concerned on triggering the conflict into an active phase, as it’s too close to Olympic site and can easily go out of the control. That dilemma urges them to prevent the escalation.
Means too much freedom,
In the same time our antagonists also try to respond the challenges by using let’s say deputies of the Adyghea Parliament. When they send, or better to say were ordered to send to Russian Olympic Committee a request on inclusion of the "Circassian component” into the Olympics program. As we all can definitely expect got immediate affirmative response. Pretty obvious to undermine our effort by this sort of clumsy compromise. So, we addressed that game correspondingly with the open letter, which also was signed by number of Diasporal organizations.
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