Public Press Release Regarding Circassians in Syria

[Circassian World Newsletter]

Public Press Release Regarding Circassians in Syria 

The situation in Syria is getting worse with each passing day as violence has been intensified in almost all around the country in spite of the mediation efforts by the UN. The Circassians all around the world follow these developments with great concern, because the Circassians, as a small minority living in Syria, are trapped by fighting, and are in danger of attack and total physical destruction as a result of sectarian and ethnic violence.

The homeland of the Circassians living in Syria is the republics of Kabardino-Balkaria, Adygea and Karachai-Cherkess, the federal objects of the Russian Federation. The parliaments of these republics have taken decisions to provide assistance to the Circassians who would like to repatriate from Syria, but their efforts are severely limited by the lack of resources and legal restrictions. The Russian Federation, however, fails to take necessary measures to facilitate the repatriation of the Circassians living in Syria. The Federation of the Caucasian Associations in Turkey (Kaffed) demands from the Russian Federation that:

* The number of Syrian Circassians to be repatriated should not be restricted by the current immigration quotas of the relevant republics.

* They should be granted the residence permit and citizenship without lengthy procedures.

* The Federal Government should provide emergency aid to satisfy basic needs of new comers (food, accommodation, health and education) that cannot be provided by local republics who lack sufficient resources.

In order to attract the attention of the Russian Federation and the public in general, Kaffed will release a press statement in front of the Russian Federation Embassy in Ankara at 15:00 on January 5, 2013 (Saturday). All people who are concerned about the fate of the Circassians in Syria are welcome to the public press release.

http://www.kaffed.org/index.php/en/news-and-events/item/925-public-press-release-regarding-circassians-in-syria.html