The Sochi Winter Olympics and the Caucasian Islamist cause
By Benjamin Shapiro,--Prague Watchdog--
April 1st 2010


Circassian nationalists are currently demanding from Moscow their own Circassian republic, which would combine the current republics of Kabardino-Balkaria, Adgye and Karachai-Cherkessia into what in Soviet times was called "Greater Circassia". Many Circassian groups are also calling for the cancellation of the Winter Olympics. "Circassians argue the Sochi Games are as insensitive as hosting a sporting competition on the grounds of the Nazi death camp Auschwitz", according to Reuters. The Circassians are attempting to push Moscow into officially recognizing Tsarist Russia's mass deportations of Circassian people as genocide. 2014 will mark the 150th anniversary of the military operation in which Tsarist Russia forced 300,000 Circassians out of the land in and around Sochi, the city that is to host the winter games. It seems that in this respect the Caucasus Emirate shares the same priorities with many Circassians, though with a different agenda. (con.)