Experts: repatriation of Syrian Circassians not to endanger Northern Caucasus
The inflow of Circassians from Syria will not affect the ethnic composition of the republics of Northern Caucasus, and the Kremlin's statements about the threat of penetration in Russia of IS militants under the guise of refugees are groundless. This opinion was expressed by experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".
In Syria, places of residence of Circassians are subjected to bombing and shelling in the course of the armed conflict. Circassians living in Syria have repeatedly appealed to the Russian authorities for help. Syrian Circassians, who arrived in Russia, complained about the poor living conditions.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in September, in Maikop and Nalchik, people held actions demanding from the Russian authorities to pay attention to the problems of Syrian Circassians.
According to Adam Bogus, Chairman of the organization "Adyge Khase" in Adygea, the actions held by Circassian activists have not been effective in attracting the authorities' attention to the problems faced by repatriates.
In September, in his appeal to Vladimir Putin, Maxim Shevchenko, a member of the Human Rights Council, has stated that Adygea, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and the Krasnodar Territory can accommodate 5000-10,000 Syrian Circassians.
Sergey Arutyunov, Associate of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), engaged in the studies of the Caucasus, has stated that the fears of the federal government related to the possible penetration in Russia of IS militants under the guise of refugees cannot justify the refusal to accept repatriates.
Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.