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The Samsun Association of United Caucasus |
HONORABLE PRESIDENT
AND HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
The Samsun Association of United Caucasus, and Caucasians living in the city of Samsun are strongly opposed, for the sake of all universal ideals, to a possible designation of Sochi (Sashe) for hosting the 2014 Olympic winter games. If the Olympic Committee, whose decision will be announced in July 2007 in Guatemala City, designates Sochi as the host town for Olympic games, this would be in contradiction with the spirit of the most important sports manifestation which brings the whole world together and with the Olympic ideal itself.
An important part of the Sochi town and its surroundings, as well as many other areas in the region (North Caucasus), have been inscribed in the world heritage list, and as such, they have received the status of "Protected Natural Sites". All kinds of construction work which will be carried out there for the Olympic games, would cause great damage to the environment and would result in an ecological disaster. This would also be the last blow to a region which has already been stricken by many tragic massacres.
If you take a close look at the recent past of North Caucasus, you would see that different Russian administrations (the Russian Empire of Tsars, the USSR and now the Russian Federation) have fought that region throughout the last two centuries. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the ethno-cultural and socio-political structures of Caucasus have been subject to destruction by all means of inhuman methods; the population that resisted was brought to close extinction at the end of continuous blockades, massacres, deportation and genocide. Even the ecological balance of the area, among the most beautiful ones in the world, suffered irreparable damage. The pitiless and unequal war which has shaken Chechnya in Central Caucasus since 1994, as well as the repressive, undemocratic methods of government in other parts of the region show that the tragedy is still going on. Ethno-cultural extinction and environmental destruction are still realities which continue in front of our eyes, threatening even the future peace, stability and security in the region.
The town of Sochi and Kbaada ("Krasnaya Polyana" by its Russian name) plateau which is going to be an important center for the Olympic games, have been the living witnesses of a 200 year old tragedy. They are the symbols of a resistance fight for freedom. The native people of that region, the Ubihs, lost more than 3/4 of their population in those wars, massacres and genocide, and the few remaining were deported towards the territories of what was then the Ottoman Empire (actual Turkey). All those Caucasians -including a highly considerable number of Ubihs - living today in the Samsun region of Turkey, are the descendants of the people expelled out of their motherland in 1864.
We, the descendants of that Great Exodus, haven't forgotten the tragic but worthy past that we inherited from our grand-fathers and grand-mothers. We are therefore observing with a great pain, anxiety and bitterness all the latest attempts which will inevitably lead to further destruction of Sochi and its surroundings.
Honorable President and Honorable Members of the Olympic Commitee;
For the sake of all "Universal Values" and the "Olympic Spirit", please do not let this last blow strike the Sochi region.
Sochi and Kbaada do not deserve concrete and steel constructions which would destroy their beautiful environment, but maybe a memorial to commemorate the tragic pages of their history, so that such tragedies would not occur any more. A monument in harmony with nature, where one can pray and remember, would be more appropriate for Kbaada (Krasnaya Polyana) .
We remain respectfully yours.
THE SAMSUN ASSOCIATION OF UNITED CAUCASUS
Seyit Ahmet GÜLTEKİN
PRESIDENT