English translation of Chairman Kenan Kaplan's speech.

 

Circassians are one of the oldest nations in history. They were forced to leave their country by losing the war of independence that lasted for 101 years without interruption, which they started to defend their homeland, Circassia, against the invasion of the Russian Tsardom. Russia, which signed an absolute ethnic genocide that led to the brutal murder of many people with various practices ranging from the murder of children, women and the elderly who could not fight, to the destruction of settlements by burning completely, caused the dispersal of the remaining Circassians to all over the world by exiling them from their homeland. Although the Circassians, who remained in very few numbers in their homeland Circassia in the first years of the Soviet Union gained various rights, these rights were tried to be taken away from them in time.

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The Russian Federation has been transformed from a federative to a unitary state today. With this transformation, the Circassian Nation continues to lose its limited rights day by day. The appointment of the governors the autonomous republics, where the Circassians are densely populated, not by the votes of the citizens but directly by Moscow, the restriction of education opportunities in the mother tongue, the imposition of extraordinarily difficult conditions for the Circassians who desire to return to Circassia, and the discrimination of non-Russian ethnic elements on the grounds of the articles added to the constitution, can be given as examples of the unlawful assimilation policies implemented by the Russian Federation. Apart from this, activists, thought leaders, academics and journalists who are struggling for existence on behalf of the Circassian Nation are murdered with unsolved murders and convicted as a result of conspiracies. In addition, the deportation of the Circassians, who returned from the diaspora to their homeland and lived under difficult conditions, is another fascistic practice that shows how Circassia and the Circassian Nation are under pressure.

 

Circassians, who are exposed to all these inhuman practices, are often subjected to various humiliations by Russian state officials or civilians through the written and verbal media. The Circassian Nation has been living under pressure since the first day when the Russians, who aimed to reach the warm seas, began to penetrate Circassia for imperial purposes. Although Circassians have made various attempts to inform the world public about the problems they are experiencing, because of various reasons they have not been able to make their voices heard enough to the world public opinion. The Ukraine-Russia War, which has been going on for about a year, has once again shown to the whole world that the Russian Federation still recklessly continues its inhumane practices.

 

Despite the fact that more than 159 years have passed between the occupation of Ukraine and the occupation of Circassia, it is noteworthy that there has been no change in Russia's aggressive attitude. This has made it clear that the universal legal system, which characterizes genocide as a crime against humanity, has not been successful in preventing Russia. The Circassian Nation, expressing its will to keep its existence alive, to carry it to the future, to live freely in its homeland, is able to protect its language, culture, national existence, to be the owner of its homeland and to protect its future in the face of the assimilation and ethnic genocide policies implemented by Russia in order to destroy the Circassians and any element that determines the Circassian identity.

 

The Circassians concluded that the only way to protect the language, culture and national existence of the Circassian Nation, to be the owner of its homeland and to protect its future, is the establishment of an independent Circassian state on the territory of Circassia. In the light of these facts, with the participation of delegates from the motherland and the Circassian diaspora, the Council of United Circassia, whose ultimate aim is to found independent Circassia, was established. There is a change, transformation and power struggle in Ukraine, in the Russian Federation, in the homeland and all over the world. It is vitally important for the Circassian Nation to survive, to protect its homeland, to express the Circassian genocide and the national problems of the Circassian people to parliaments, diplomatic missions and other international organizations in the international arena. The Council of United Circassia will undertake this mission and act as the leading organization of the Circassian struggle for existence. 

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Kenan KAPLAN

Chairman of the Council of United Circassia

21st January 2023