I can imagine your surprise and astonishment of such a headline,
and I could imagine you saying: “WOW, what is this talk!”
If I was one of those who never visited the mother land and read
such a headline, I would imagine myself saying the same thing
“WOW, what is this talk!” or something close to it. But now the
situation is totally different.
In my last visit to Maykop, I told our elder “T’hamada” Najdat
Hatam Mashfash the same thing: “We should not allow Circassians
living in the Diaspora to return back, and if we don’t have a
choice, they should undergo a strict scrutiny and screening”.
There is no nation in this world that would turn its back on its
mother land, and at the same time claiming patriotism like us
Circassians. No nation would hold onto knots in history and
embrace it like our nation. No nation has any consideration,
scrutiny, or even balance to its statements, and rushes into
judging matters like our nation. We don’t admit our mistakes, and
we criticize everything and everybody viciously and without any
consideration. We insist on living in isolation and confinement to
our self.
For example, precisely two days ago in Turkey, two of our
prominent elders who are considered frontiers in the Circassian
national movement, posted a heavy banner around their necks with a
statement that was spread among our people, claiming that the
Ubikh tribe who lives among us are foreigners and do not belong to
our Circassian nation.
I hope you would not think such a banner is the first of its kind.
Many more preexisted, but unfortunately the majority of us
consider everything written is a historic fact, thus we accept
such deception without questioning or scrutiny.
And now if we claim that the “Caucasian Genocide” did not occur in
the way it is commonly presented, the heaven will rise up and
down. And if we claim that there was indeed a coercive deportation
but not in the manner that is commonly perceived, we would spend
an excessive time and effort to convince one of ten Circassians
who would claim we are Russian agents that indeed we are not and
will never be.
It is hopeless to expect from a nation that does not possess its
historians and who rely on Russian, British, and Turkish
historians in evaluating and assessing its history to assess its
current status quo in a correct, rational, and civilized manner to
serve its own interest. And it is even a useless effort to try to
achieve such a thing, and certainly feels like swimming against
the tide.
Hence, you should not be surprised or astonished and say “what is
this talk!” if one day you read someone writing on our history and
claiming this time that the Shapsough tribe are not indigenous
Circassians. And one day your response to such a claim might be
that you actually read such a thing somewhere, and such a response
would actually become a reasonable and show of courtesy.
A while ago, in the recent Circassian Center board meeting, an
argument occurred between me and our dear elder “T’hamada” Jawdat
Hapi regarding Circassian TV and the issue of broadcasting in
Circassian language. He was convinced that the Russians are
controlling and dictating broadcasting materials and hours. But
due to my profession in TV broadcasting and my involvement in a
recent study conducted to research the possibility of developing
the Circassian TV, I was fully aware of the actual situation
regarding this matter. One day - and in a typical Circassian
Diaspora manner- I asked the general director of the Circassian TV
why don’t they expand their broadcasting hours in the Circassian
language. Thank God the Director did not have a Circassian
Diaspora’s mentality and had a high manner and was very polite and
humble as he replied to me calmly and said:
“My brother Kuban, what we are broadcasting is the things we are
getting for free. If we had the resources and the sources that we
can rely on, we would have broadcasted 24 hours in the Circassian
language and no one would prohibit us from doing that”
I was speechless and all I could do is to nod my head.
How will the Circassian Diaspora impact the motherland with all
the residues brought in from the places they grew in that are
still affecting their mentality?
Why can’t they stay where they are and leave everything in the
motherland as it is, instead of changing what is positive with
their negative attitude and pessimism?
The elder “T’hamata” Jawdat Hapi’s response was similar to mine
when I told him of the incident, but unfortunately, he is still
persistent on his perception and criticism of other issues. What I
told him did not matter at all and hopefully his perception will
change once we have our next board member meeting in Maykop.
I encourage the Circassian Diaspora to visit the motherland as
tourists, but I’m against granting them citizenship or anything
similar to it. It is in the best interest of the motherland not to
influence it by our mentality and behaviors, or even our way of
life.
And if you are questioning the reason behind this view, I would
respond with this question: “if the Russian Federation parliament
made a decision, and announced to the world the following
resolutions, what in your mind you think would happen?
-
We, the Russian Federation Parliament, confess the genocidal act
and the massacre of the Circassian nation that exceeded the
holocaust in atrocity, and we announce to the world our deepest
apology to the Circassian nation.
-
Following the massacre and the mass killing, we coercively
deported what left of those who we were unable to annihilate to
the Ottoman Empire; hence we apologize to the Circassian nation
in front of the whole world.
-
Being the reason behind all that, we decided to put into
restoration the 1800 territorial boundaries. All ethnic Russians
living on those territories will be evacuated and nobody from
the Russian Federation will be allowed inside the Circassian
Republics territories without a prior approval of the republics.
-
We conquered the Circassian land since the 18th
century, and although this would not compensate every aspect, we
decided to deposit in Circassians central banks a compensation
of 18 trillion and 640 billion Dollars
-
Unfortunately, we cannot bring back or compensate those who
perished, hence we decided to establish a memorial twice the
size of Eiffel tower to become a memorial and lesson in history
and will be engraved in those words: “ because of the massacre
of the Circassian nation, we pledge forgiveness and redemption
from the whole world”
Now, what do you think will happen? Considering and evaluating the
status of the Circassian Diaspora, how will this change our
situation? And what are the sorts of issues that we will start to
present immediately afterward?
Now, I feel I have to say the following, knowing that some of you
might get upset or outraged …..
If I am a major member of a Federation, why should I object the
federation or try to separate from it. Is it plausible that Spain
or any other European country for example would want to drop its
membership in the EU?
Yes we endured massacres
Yes we endured deportation
Yes we greatly suffered
We were dispersed
We lost our language and we cannot speak it
Yes, more and more
There is no end of crying, weeping, sorrows on our past
How many people believe that it is time to stop crying and starts
acting in every possible way develop the motherland, and how many
do realize that this is their duty and they should act on it to
the best of their ability? Unfortunately and without any doubt,
not so much realize that.
And why should we bother ourselves with all this effort if there
is an easier appear as a public figure among Circassian like
promoting the notion that “Ubikhs are not Circassian” for
instance. Isn’t this enough to show the degree of intellect and
knowledge on Circassian national issues and at the end it will
earn you the status of elder “T’hamata” among the Circassian
community?
We should go out and allocate material resources, then acquire a
visa from the Russian Embassy to enter the motherland. Once we
have that, we have to travel to the motherland and resolve all
issues regarding the rules and regulations of the country.
Afterward, we might establish a factory or a workshop. And from
there, you are able to participate in developing the economy and
raise the standard of living. Once that is achieved, our respected
elder “T’hamata” Jawdat Hapi might get his 24 hour daily TV
broadcast in Circassian language.
To develop the socio-economic environment everybody should
participate in a relentless hard work. Is what I’m asking for is
unreasonable or a sort of madness. To ask someone who is sitting
on his couch in his comfortable house theorizing, criticizing, and
directing what should be done in the motherland without even
bothering himself to visit it at least one time.
I’m pretty sure that a lot of Circassian in the Diaspora would not
like what I wrote and they will feel abstain from what I said. And
finally, the true Circassian is the one who believe that
withholding effort especially at this time is our first and
primary enemy. |