IRAK ÇERKESLERİ - orsam

IRAQI CIRCASSIANS (Chechens, Dagestanis, Adyghes)
ORSAM
- The society organized its second congress
in Kirkuk.
- Training courses were organized to contribute
to development of the society
members. In the aforesaid courses, the participants
were informed about the native
language, history and culture. The Khabze
culture, which is the national tradition of
Adyghes, was strived to be taught.
- Besides the financial support provided
during the Ramadan months, Circassian
families and also the families from other
ethnic and religious groups with low-income
are provided with food and financial
support.
- In some schools, stationery and clothing
support is provided for orphan children.
- The members of Al-Tadamun paid visits
to the Circassian Charity Association in
Jordan and also the Circassian Charity Association
in Syria. In Turkey, they visited
North Caucasian associations and federations
in İstanbul, Ankara, Kayseri and
Düzce. There was a participation in conferences
and workshops in places they visited.
On the other hand, in order to teach Adyghe
language, the society has been planning
to open courses in Kirkuk. Particularly in
Kirkuk, the society has been striving to develop
relations among the Turkmen, Arab,
Kurdish and Christian groups.
5. Conclusion
The Circassians, who were settled in current
Iraqi territories during the period of Ottoman
Empire, went through the same fate in
Iraq as they did in almost every other place
they settled in, and they were exposed to the
same oppression and assimilation policies
by the current authoritarian regimes as they
were considered as a part of the Ottoman
Empire. Despite these policies, Circassians
contributed to the countries they lived in to
a great extent. As a result of the local forces’
struggle for power after 2003, the oppression
policies in the Saddam Hussein turned
into the pressure of local forces. Besides, the
ethnical, religious and sectarian polarization
prevailing in Iraq became influential. Striving
to introduce their identities again today, Iraqi
Circassians have been trying to turn it into an
organized structure through this society they
established in 2004. However, it is hard to
suggest that Circassians in Iraq aer regarded
as a different identity. In fact, they have been
deprived of the rights of other minorities (for
instance, the quote in the Iraqi Parliament or
provincial councils), and they do not have opportunity
to contribute to preserving cultural
rights such as education in their native language.
Considering the unstable structure in
Iraq, it is obvious that Iraqi Circassians have
been going through hard times to preserve
their identity. Nevertheless, it is believed that
in order to reinforce the democracy in Iraq,
it is required to fairly recognize the communities
preserving their own language, social
structure and culture.
ORSAM
Report No: 134, November 2012 19