Istanbul/Agency Caucasus – Thousands of Circassians and Caucasians gathered in Istanbul’s Taksim Square and made protest in front of Russian Consulate on Istiklal Main Street on 147 anniversary of Circassian genocide of 21 May 1864.
The protest in Turkey was organized by ‘Kafkasya Forumu’ as a part of the protests organized in USA, Germany, Israel and Jordan with the call of Global Initiative of May21. Different Non-Governmental Organizations, initiatives, university groups and a lot of people from other cities participated in the protest.
The group of protesters, which started to gather after 12:00 p.m and had a number above two thousands, started marching holding placards: “Russia, we came”, “Recognize Circassian Genocide”, “Free Circassia now!”, “Joint Campaign Joint Future! Free Abkhazia, Free Circassia!”, “No to Sochi Olympics”, “No life without struggle”, “We did not forget genocide, we will not let you forget”.
Group members carrying flags of Adygea, Abkhazia, Osetia, Chechnya and Republic of North Caucasia (1918-1921) marched toward Consulate General of Russian Federation, shouting slogans “Murderer Russia get out of Caucasia”, “21 May the day of resistance”, “Free Circassia, Free Caucasia”, “Caucasia will be grave for fascism”, “Gagra is Abkhazia, Abkhazia is Gagra”,” We do not want Olympics in Sochi”.
In front of consulate, stickers in the shape of arrow mark were pasted to the ground pointing at the building of 
consulate and on the stickers there were questions: “Who want to annex Abkhazia?”, “Who is the murderer of 1,5 million people?”, “Who is the responsible of Circassian genocide?”, “Who want to organize bloody Olympic Games in Sochi?”. Cardboards symbolizing tombstones with Circassian family marks and “21 May 1864” date were placed in front of placards during the press release.
Before the press release, representatives of Diaspora from other countries took the floor and stated their corporation with Circassians living in different countries of the world and their determination to maintain the struggle of making people recognize Circassian Genocide.
The press release red by Mkanba Çağlar Konukman, member of ‘Kafkasya Forumu’ says:
“Today as thousands of Circassians and Caucasians with sense of unity, we gathered in front of representation offices of Russian Federation in different places of the world to protest a historical tragedy and unchanging policy. We are together to show that we did not forget, what Russia is making and made us to go through today and yesterday and we protect our reality. In spite of the denials of Russia that convicted the whole world and especially herself to a policy formed of lies, we will not stop shouting the reality every year with an increasing power!
In spite of all these negative conditions, Russia’s capability to dare to organize Olympics in Sochi, is a part of Russia’s policy of lies. The Olympics is taking place in spite of Circassians. We know the reason laying behind Russia’s insistence for Olympics, in spite of the circle of fire encircling whole Caucasia. The Olympic Games is a project to abstract colonized regions of Caucasia from their own history, just like how Russia aimed at Gagra, the last point of Abkhazian resistance against Russia, in 19 century. The aim of this project is to move Sochi out of Caucasia in political means and ignore its history. Sochi is the capital of Circassia and the symbol city of our memories of genocide. We will never give up defending our lands and memories.
On the way for an environment of political freedom to determine our future with our independent will, we call Russia to face herself and we shout:
We will not be deceived by your lies!”
The protest in which media showed intense interest ended without any incidents. YA/CY
