In Karachay-Cherkessia, police suppresses actions on Circassian Flag Day

In Karachay-Cherkessia, upcoming events on Circassian Flag Day were stopped by the police. This was reported from place by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The "Caucasian Knot" reported that at 10 a.m., about 15 representatives of Circassian youth started equestrian journey from the village of Zhako of the Khabez District of Karachay-Cherkessia.

"Till the village of Bavuko, no incidents occurred. However, on their way from the village of Bavuko and up to their entering the city of Cherkessk, riders were stopped by the police. The young people were forbidden to enter the city of Cherkessk on horses," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told by a member of the organizing committee on preparation for the Circassian Flag Day in Karachay-Cherkessia.

As a result, at 4:00 p.m. Moscow time, the event of Adyge Djegu (Circassian dance contest, note of the "Caucasian Knot"), which was to be held in the city of Cherkessk at the Stela of People's Friendship, failed to begin, since in accordance to the tradition, participants of the equestrian journey were to provide participants of the dance contest with the national flag.

At that time, about 50 persons, including schoolchildren, gathered near the Stela of People's Friendship. "I have brought children to this place to introduce them our customs and traditions," said a teacher of the Gymnasium No. 5 of the city of Cherkessk.

At about 5:00 p.m., participants of the equestrian journey reached through forest the Park of Culture and Rest "Zeleny Ostrov" (Green Island) of the city of Cherkessk, located downwards from the Stela of People's Friendship.

They went up to the Stela, where festive dance contest was to begin; however, at the orders of the police they were forced to immediately come down back to the park area.

After that, there was a conflict between the representatives of the Circassian community and the police.

"Let them pass by in peace. We would have gone home long ago, if you were not here. Let them pass by, they will form a circle, hand over the flag and leave," said Svetlana Dyshekova, the head of the library of the Karachay-Cherkessian Institute of Humanitarian Studies. She explained that, according to the Circassian traditions, the horsemen were to form a circle of honour, pass the flag to the participants of the traditional Circassian dance contest "Adyge Djegu" and return home.

"We need to comply with requirements of the law. We do not want to offend you in any way. However, horses should not walk within the territory of the city. It is a violation of the law. Dance, celebrate, nobody forbids you," said one of the policemen.

As a result, the Circassian horsemen were forced to leave the city, failing to perform the traditional ceremony of transfer of the flag.

According to social activist Vitaly Abidov, the Circassian Flag Day celebration in Cherkessk was in fact suppressed. "Perhaps, the organizers of the events made a mistake, when they failed to coordinate the events with the authorities. In any case, the authorities should have not hampered the holiday events, but after that they should have taken steps to raise awareness and prevent such incidents, and, may be, even punish the organizers in public understanding. However, they should have not suppressed the event itself," states Vitaly Abidov.

Meanwhile, at 6:00 p.m., the traditional Circassian event "Adyge Djegu" started near the Stela of People's Friendship. According to the participants of the event, festive dances were organized and held without any incidents.