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Circassian representatives demand Russia an autonomous republic
07/06/2010
A congress held last weekend called for the split of the Republic of Karachaevo-Cherkessia, where Circassians are a minority · Tension has been mounting in the last months due to clashes between Karachais and Circassians.
The Republic of Karachaevo-Cherkessia, in the northern Caucasus, is the scenario of growing tension between Karachais and Circassians -the second and the third largest ethnic community's in the republic. As a result of that, 800 members of the Circassian communities living throughout the Caucasus agreed to call for the Kremlin to divide the current republic and establish an autonomous Circassian republic.
Circassian delegates met in the city of Cherkessk and called for Moscow to transitory replace the current president Boris Ebzeiev, a Karachai, with an ethnic Russian -the largest national community in Karachevo-Cherkessia- until the new republic is set up.
According to The Moscow Times, a spokesman for the Duma said that possibilities to establish a new autonomous republic are scarce, but added that the republic's "social problems" must be addressed. At least 2 prominent people belonging to the Circassian community have been assassinated this year: the activist Aslan Zhukov and Fral Shebzukhov, a councilor of the president of the republic. In addition, violent clashes between the 2 ethnic groups are common in the streets of the republic.
The Circassian group consists of Cherkessians, Kabardins and Adygeis. They live mainly in the republics of Karachaevo-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Abkhazia, the republic that broke away from Georgia. Circassians enjoyed an autonomous regime known as Cherkess Autonomous Oblast between 1928 and 1957. As many other Caucasian ethnic groups, they were deported by Stalin to Central Asia during the Second World War. Then the remaining Circassian population was soon included, together with Karachais and dozens of different national communities, into the Republic of Karachaevo-Cherkessia.
Presently, Circassians believe they are politically misrepresented, particularly after president Ebezeiev disregarded tacit rules in relation to the representation system, which establish that the president must be a Karachai, the prime minister a Circassian and the spokesperson of the Parliament a Russian. Circassians also denounce their economic and cultural exclusion.
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