Circassian War, a Forgotten Genocide?

Circassians or Cherkess people are an ethnic group of the Northwestern Caucasus region. They belong to the North-West Caucasian people. The Circassians classified as three peoples: the Kabarda, the Cherkess, and the Adygey. Historically they lived at region comprised the southern half of the current Krasnodar territory and most of the interior of the current Stavropol territory. Today, only a minority of Circassians live in their divided ancestral homeland, mainly in three republics of the Russian Federation (Kabardino Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia and Adygheya). There are a significant number of Circassians live in diaspora (approximately 4 million people), primarily due to the Muhajirism, an exodus of Muslim population from Caucasus since 1863 after the Caucasian War. They are found in various areas of the old Ottoman Empire. There are also large communities in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kosovo, Egypt, Israel and United States (New York and New Jersey).

From 1763 to 1864 the Circassians fought against the Russians in the Russo-Circassian war. This war were part of the Russian Empire's conquest of the Caucasus. Starting under the reign of Tsar Peter the Great and being completed in 1864 (approximately 150 years). Russian Empire had made up her mind to open a window towards the warm seas. They would require shipyards on the Black Sea, which made Circassia, with its coastline, a target. The Circassian war began in 1763 with the arrival of Russian occupation forces in the Circassian region itself.

In 1822, Russia stripped off the Kabardinian princes of the right to rule in their own land (East Circassia) and subjected them. Then, The entirety of Kabardia (eastern Circassia) was now declared Russian territory. In this period, Military forces were sent into Kabardia, killing cattle and causing large numbers of inhabitants to flee into the mountains.

The next target of Russia was the occupation of Cape Adler. On April 13, 1838, Russian forces engaged the west Circassian army in the estuary of River Sochi, and on May 12, 1838 the Russians landed at Tuapse. On February 7, 1840, huge Circassian groups surrounded fort Lazarev (on the shores of the Black Sea). The capture of fort Lazarev strongly encouraged the Circassians. But, in 1859, Imam Shamil, a rebel religious leader, was captured by Dmitry Milyutin. This freed the Russian forces that had fought there to join the hostilities in Circassia. The Circassian war,ended on June 2, 1864 in Kbaada village, with the signing of loyalty oaths by Circassian leaders. Great Prince Michail, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army in the Caucasus, ascertained in the order of the day the final "conquest of the Western Caucasus and the end of the Circassian War."

There are many civilian cassualties in this war. The Tsar Alexandr II approved a decision to deport and exile the entire Circassian people. Thats why, from 1860 to 1864 the Northwest Caucasus and the Black Sea coast were virtually emptied of Muslim villagers. Then, entire Circassian tribal groups were dispersed, resettled, or killed en masse. They set the villages on fire and exiling the autochthon people from their homelands after the war. Many Circassians caught epidemic illnesses from starvation, they were dying in the way to Ottoman Empire. The coastal regions were full with people who are dead or on the verge of dying. Karl Friedrich Neumann (German orientalist) estimated the Circassian casualties to be around one and a half million.

Slavs and other Christians, including Russians, Ukrainians and Georgians were being settled in the lands that is emptied from Circassians. Thats why, today, only a minority of Circassians live in their divided ancestral homeland. In The Kabardino-Balkar Republic, Circassians make up only 55.3% of the republic's population, while in The Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, Circassians are only 11.3% of total population, and in The Republic of Adygheya, Circassians are only 24.2% of total popullation. The depopulated Circassian lands and resettled by numerous ethnic groups, is a factor later contributing to friction between the two ethnic groups (Slav and Circassians) and the resulting War in Abkhazia.