Russian State Duma did not recognize genocide  against Adygeyan (Circassian) nation 

On the inquiry about recognition of the genocide against Adygeyan (Circassian) nation "Circassian congress" of Adygeya has received the negative reply from the State Duma of Russian Federation.

After a rather long silence the Committee of the State Duma on affairs of nationalities replied to "Circassian congress" of Adygeya in relation to the inquiry concerned recognition of the genocide against Adygeyan (Circassian) people during and after the Russian-Caucasian war of the XIX century. The letter has been received today, on January 27th, as the chairman of the organization Murat Berzegov informed IА REGNUM correspondent.

Note: the reference of "Circassian congress" was handed over in the reception of the State Duma on July 1st, 2005, and the term of its consideration made one month. We shall remind also that after that reference to the Russian parliament it was sent several other references to support to the first one - from the public organizations of Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Circassia, Adygeya, Black sea Shapsugia, the foreign Circassian Diaspora.

In the received reply it was spoken: "the Committee of the State Duma on affairs of nationalities considered your reference to the chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russian Federation Boris Gryzlov concerning recognition of the fact of the genocide committed, in your opinion, by the Russian empire against Adygeysky (Circassian) ethnos, and informs the following.

According to the Institute of Russian history of the Russian Academy of Science during the Soviet period 16 ethnoses were undergone to reprisals under national attribute; another 45 ethnoses were touched by reprisals partially. Adygeyans (Circassians) did not appear in that list. During liquidation of consequences of the personal cult since the second half of 1950s in the USSR laws and decisions restoring historical justice concerning those people began passing. In 1991 the Supreme body of the RSFSR adopted the law "About rehabilitation of the repressed nations". On the legal base created in these years the state had been carried out practical measures on rehabilitation of the victims.

In our opinion, the modern realities demand new forms of activities on observance of the collective rights of peoples, and we suppose that today all of us should search for the common thing that unites the peoples of Russian Federation. Without that any perfection of our domestic statehood, strengthening of the interethnic world and the civil consent in the country is impossible".

"First of all, - said Berzegov, making comments on the reply of the State Duma, - it was the question of not about "Adygeysky (Circassian)", and about Adygeyan (Circassian) ethnos. The term "Adygeyan" is applied to designation of the nation been once unitary, and nowadays -separated nation - Kabardians, Circassians, Adygs, Shapsugs. Secondly, we’ve been waiting not for their reminder on reprisals of the XX century, and the legal estimation of the events happened with our people earlier. And those events in the historical science are characterized as a genocide which from the point of view of law has no any limitation period".

The negative answer is a result, too, as the chairman of "Circassian congress" considered. Now the organizations - participants of the campaign have a right (including moral one) to address the international instances.

IА REGNUM