18.05.2014 Ankara
TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu released a statement in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the oppression, genocide and the largest exile in history, inflicted upon the Circassian people, which came on the tails of the end of the Circassian – Russian wars on May 21st 1864.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said in his message, “The exile and genocide inflicted
upon the Circassian peoples is one of the most cruel and darkest pages in
history.
We will always carry the grief of our Circassian brothers in our
hearts.”
TOBB president Hisarcıklıoğlu said in his message:
“March 21st, 2014, is the anniversary of one of the
historically most anguished days. The Circassian – Russian wars ended on May 21st
1864 in the Kbaada Valley near Sochi, called Krasnaya Polyana today, with a
heavy defeat for the Circassians.
With the end of the war, Tsarist Russia exiled the Circassian peoples as
well as subjecting them to genocide in accordance with the Tsar’s strategic goals.
The Circassian peoples, in their last stand in defense of their historic
homeland of Caucasia, were persecuted grievously and exiled unjustly. Their
heroic struggle against persecution and invasion will never be forgotten.
It is our hope that the way the Circassian peoples were ripped out of
their homeland and exiled, and the wounds thereby inflicted in the hearts of
humanity and history will provide a lesson to prevent a similar purge from
happening again.
We are one and united in Turkey with all of our citizens; Circassian,
Turk, Kurd, Laz, Georgian, Armenian, Greek and a myriad of others.
We are a country which will fight tooth and nail for homeland and a
common future. Every pain in the past is shared by us all. The wound that
bleeds is a wound on the body united.
On behalf of the Turkish business community, we share the pain of our
Circassian brothers and sisters on this, the anniversary of the Great Exile and
express our hope that such tragedy shall never again take place.”