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| The hushing up of Stalin's role in the deportation of the Karachays was an attempt to distort history | |
| 2025-05-11 | |
| Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited. [KavkazUzel] Key issues of the Karachay
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the celebration of the day of the revival of the Karachay people this year echoes the 80th anniversary of the Victory. The participants of the celebration recalled the participation of the Karachays in the Great Patriotic War, while the relatives of the fighters were deported. On May 3, the authorities reported on rallies, collective prayers, horse races, cultural and gastronomic events. The deportation of the Karachays began in the USSR on November 2, 1943, resulting in the deportation of 69,267 people (15,980 families). In total, 79,000 people of Karachay nationality were deported during the pre-war and war periods. Most of the repressed - more than 43,000 people, including 22,000 children - died on the road and in the places of resettlement. In modern Karachay-Cherkessia, November 2 is considered the Day of Deportation of the Karachay People. On May 3, 1957, the first Karachay families returned to their homeland from the places of deportation. This day is annually celebrated in Karachay-Cherkessia as the Day of Revival of the Karachay People, according to the reference material of the "Caucasian Knot" "Day of Revival of the Karachay People: Difficulties of Rehabilitation". COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS WERE HELD WITH FEWER RESTRICTIONS This year, the events dedicated to the Day of Revival were held at a decent level - both in terms of scale and in terms of the participation of the authorities, believes the Chairman of the Congress of the Karachay People and Deputy Chairman of the Union of Repressed Peoples of Russia, Kady-hadzhi Khalkechev . According to him, unlike in previous years, the authorities did not interfere, but on the contrary, "met the public organizations halfway," and the key events ended in Cherkessk on the "Green Island." "The head of the republic and spiritual leaders took part there, a prayer was held, a historical background was given, and a concert was held. There were also horse races with the participation of the Karachai breed of horses in the districts, and events in the communities - including in St. Petersburg with the support of the governor. Everything went without a hitch, it would be better if there were fewer such celebrations - let there be no reason," Khalkechev told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. WE OURSELVES MUST SPEAK THE BITTER TRUTH. However, he noted that despite this external support, key historical issues are being hushed up. In particular, according to Khalkechev, Stalin's name and his role in the deportation of the Karachays in 1943 are still not mentioned in official rhetoric. He points out that this is not just forgetfulness, but a deliberate and systematic silence. "Things must be called by their proper names. Lies multiply over time and displace the truth. The enemies of the country take advantage of this. We ourselves must speak the bitter truth," says Khalkechev. The Soviet government justified the deportations of peoples with myths about mass betrayal and desertion of their representatives. Under Stalin, mass arrests, deportations and executions were carried out on the basis of nationality, as stated in the "Caucasian Knot" report " 10 myths about Stalin's role in the Great Patriotic War." He emphasizes that modern policy regarding the memory of the repressed is contradictory: on the one hand, there are cultural holidays, on the other, there is a refusal to recognize the genocide. "This is especially evident against the backdrop of the return of Stalinist symbols. The repressed peoples were much more loyal to the state than those who were not affected by the repressions. Today, everything is interpreted differently. Although normative acts were adopted at all levels - including the Declaration of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, which recognized deportations as criminal, and the law "On the rehabilitation of repressed peoples", directly qualifying these actions as "illegal, violent and criminal" - all this remains only on paper. Even Article 4 of the law, which prohibits obstructing rehabilitation and provides for liability for such actions, is not actually applied. All this was condemned at the time even by the party leadership. It would seem that the topic is closed, but today we are seeing how history is gradually beginning to "slide" in the other direction," the interlocutor points out. As for the educational aspect, Khalkechev notes that this year there have been shifts: "events have begun to include historical components." He recalls that May 3 has been celebrated as a day of remembrance since 1997, back when the republic was led by Vladimir Khubiev (the first head of Karachay-Cherkessia, who led the republic from 1995 to 1999, — note from "Caucasian Knot"), and November 2 — Deportation Day — is recognized as an official date in the republic, and working hours are reduced on this day. "This time, national newspapers are covering it, showing living witnesses: women, grandmothers, those who were deported as children. The Council of Elders of the Congress of the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic - Djukaev Bibert-Khadzhi with an ensemble held performances. He himself is 80 years old, and the oldest participant is over 90. They restored old songs, including those dedicated to the deportation, traveled around the districts, collecting material. Previously, they were almost not given a platform, but this time - they performed in all the districts, showed their repertoire," says Khalkechev, calling it "important in order to pass on the memory." In 2023, May 3 was declared a non-working day in Karachay-Cherkessia in connection with the 66th anniversary of the return of the Karachay people from places of deportation. At the same time, the procession that usually took place in Karachayevsk on the Day of the Revival of the Karachay People was cancelled for security reasons. From a formal point of view, the Karachays have been fully rehabilitated, but the process cannot be considered complete, historians interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" pointed out. KARACHAYS FACE ATTEMPTS TO DISCREDIT THEM AND UNRESOLVED ISSUES OF RESTITUTION At the same time, Khalkechev pointed out serious and still unresolved problems. One of them is systemic discrediting. As an example, he cites the book "In the Name of the Cheka", which contains false accusations against the Karachays. According to him, the Congress contacted the prosecutor's office, the materials were checked, and the accusations against the Karachays were not confirmed. "Even the KGB of the USSR recommended to confiscate the book, and the prosecutor's office also suggested to remove it from circulation, but no formal ban followed. Copies still surface and continue to cause harm. People read, believe, suffer - although all this has long been refuted," says Khalkechev. According to data as of 17:50 Moscow time on May 10, the book "In the Name of the Cheka", published in 1982, is being sold on at least one second-hand bookstore with the authors' autographs. Khalkechev notes that such materials appear especially actively on the eve of tragic dates, and calls this a deliberate attempt to "destabilize the moral state of the people." In recent years, he says, it has been possible to stop publications through complaints to supervisory authorities, but this is a fight against symptoms. "The material pain is no less acute: what has been acquired over centuries has been plundered. The property of the Karachays, museum valuables, and cultural heritage have been scattered across neighboring republics. For example, the grave of the Alan king, found in the Zelenchuksky District, was transferred to the Stavropol Territory. All attempts to return it to the Karachay-Cherkess Museum have been fruitless. It seems that all issues have been resolved, but at the last moment a refusal is received. This is an unfinished business," Khalkechev said. In summary, Khalkechev stated that “without recognition of the truth, without systemic rehabilitation – historical, legal and cultural – it is impossible to talk about justice.” The cult of Stalin remains the most painful topic in the issue of tragic memory of the peoples of the Caucasus The absence of Stalin's name in official events on May 3 is neither accidental nor diplomatic restraint, says Karachay blogger Ruslan Kipkeev. According to him, "this is a conscious directive, handed down from above." The speeches, articles, and even rallies did not mention the main thing: the deportation of the Karachays in 1943 was an act of state genocide, organized by direct order of Joseph Stalin. "Representatives of the authorities, leaders of organizations, and the intelligentsia were directly informed: Stalin's name and his personal responsibility for the genocide, disguised as deportation, should not be heard publicly," he said in a comment to a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. The result of this attitude, Kipkeev points out, was "complete and demonstrative silence." "The main thing was not mentioned in speeches, articles, and even at rallies: the deportation of the Karachays in 1943 was an act of state genocide, organized by direct order of Joseph Stalin. This silence is part of the modern policy of his rehabilitation," the blogger stated, including pointing to such symbolic gestures as the renaming of the Volgograd airport. On April 29, Volgograd Region Governor Andrei Bocharov told President Vladimir Putin that the veteran community was asking to rename Volgograd Airport to Stalingrad Airport, and Putin signed the corresponding decree that same day. The airport's renaming fits into a series of conscious and unconscious attempts to rehabilitate Stalin's name, but there is no real public demand for this, according to historians and human rights activists interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot." "Until the authorities - both federal and regional - have the courage to call things by their proper names, the people will remain hostage not only to historical violence, but also to the lies of the present," says Kipkeev. He is convinced that today's government is becoming not just the heir, but the ideological continuer of Stalin's course, essentially turning into Stalin's "accomplice," the blogger said. According to him, the Karachay people see in what is happening an attempt to "reprogram memory, distort identity, and gut consciousness." But, as Kipkeev emphasizes, "this project is doomed - since the Karachays have neither a moral breakdown nor psychological capitulation." Speaking about the format of the events for the Day of Revival, he calls their entertainment bias in the absence of educational content superficial and offensive. The joy of revival, in his opinion, should go hand in hand with the truth about the genocide. "Karachay is not only ayran and horse racing. It is historical pain, destruction, return. The educational component is vitally important," the blogger points out. He believes it is important for young people to know not only about the deportation, but also that it was the Red Army and the NKVD, not the Nazis, who were behind it. This knowledge, he says, will protect them from imperial myths and involvement in other people's adventures. "Memory, reinforced by knowledge, gives Revival Day meaning - both for the present and for the future," he said. Speaking about the main consequences of the deportation, Kipkeev emphasized that the Karachays have still not restored their statehood. "Until 1943, there was the Karachay Autonomous Region, with a titular people and its own system of governance. After the return in 1957, it was not restored. Instead, a multinational structure was imposed with five titular peoples, where the Karachays lost control and were forced to share everything, from resources to television," says Kipkeev. He lists strategic facilities located on Karachay land - a cement plant, a mining and processing plant, reservoirs, tourist zones - and points out that "income, access to the economy and infrastructure are not distributed in favor of the Karachays." According to him, the people are effectively deprived of the right to manage their territory without the consent of everyone else. As for rehabilitation, he claims that there was none: "no legal recognition of the crime, no compensation, no restoration of rights." "Moreover, before returning from Kazakhstan, people were forced to sign a waiver of property. This is a direct violation of all possible rights. In parallel, there is a media and academic revision - articles and books appear that once again present the Karachays as a "guilty people". Today, there is no progress in solving these problems. On the contrary, the state is becoming increasingly suspicious of small peoples with a strong identity. Moscow fears the strengthening of the Turkic factor, especially against the backdrop of Turkey's strengthening. An example is the construction of the Arkhyz airport, deliberately on the outskirts, far from territories with Karachay dominance. This is being done to isolate Karachay, weaken its influence, and eliminate any geopolitical risks," the source believes. He emphasizes that there is no such model in any other North Caucasian republic. "As long as the current system remains in place, there is no point in expecting either rehabilitation or justice. The only chance is to create our own state structure and dismantle artificial political barriers," concluded Ruslan Kipkeev. | |
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