World Circassian Council calls for repatriation, protection of indigenous rights At Shusha conference

Respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and the preservation of their languages and historical memory are essential for long-term stability and peace in the Caucasus and Caspian region, Fatimat Kardanova-Yanonene, co-founder and chair of the World Circassian Council in Lithuania, said at an international conference in Azerbaijan's city of Shusha.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the conference, "Cultural and Ethnic Diversity: Lessons of History, Contemporary Challenges," Kardanova-Yanonene said the repatriation of displaced indigenous peoples should be viewed as an integral part of the global decolonisation process, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

"We call on friendly states, international institutions, and the peoples of the Caucasus to facilitate the creation of peaceful legal mechanisms that guarantee the Circassian people the right to remedy the consequences of deportation and restore their connection with their historical homeland," she said.

Kardanova-Yanonene stressed that the concept of ethnocultural return was not aimed at revising existing borders.

"This is not a utopia and not an attempt to revise existing borders. It is about creating a modern, open, and secure space in the Caucasus, free from colonial practices, where the rights of indigenous peoples are reliably protected under international law," she stated.

She said the World Circassian Council seeks to serve as a platform for dialogue, expert analysis and cooperation among constructive forces and peoples across the Caucasus.

"The Circassian question shows the true attitude of imperial centres toward cultural diversity. The history of our people proves that historical traumas and injustice have no statute of limitations. Attempts to erase people from the map of history or assimilate them are doomed to fail as long as national consciousness and the desire for freedom persist," Kardanova-Yanonene said.

She added that the experience of the Circassian people demonstrates the need for international legal and political decolonisation mechanisms to protect ethnocultural diversity in the 21st century.

By Sabina Mammadli