Can Elif Eralp Help with Circassian Issues?

 

Elif Eralp (who is of Circassian descent), the leader of the Left Party in the city-state of Berlin, intends to form a coalition and assemble the Berlin government—which she will lead—in the coming days. News of her party securing 25 percent of the vote has spread rapidly through Circassian media outlets and social media groups.

Naturally, Circassians rejoiced at Elif’s victory, with dozens of people offering their congratulations via Circassian websites and social media platforms.

There were, of course, varied reactions from Circassian activists; some questioned whether Elif is familiar with the issues and challenges facing the Circassian people and whether she is actually in a position to assist with them. 

As is well known, Circassians face numerous problems stemming from their global dispersal following the Russo-Circassian War (1763-1864) and the genocide perpetrated against them by the Russian Empire. Issues of assimilation exist not only in the diaspora but also in the Circassian homeland, driven by the policies of the Russian administration, which rules the region with an iron fist.

There is no doubt that, in her capacity as the head of the Berlin city-state, Elif Eralp could assist the Circassian community in many areas. However, the key lies in knowing how to approach her and understanding exactly which issues she is best positioned to help address. 

We must face the truth: unfortunately, Circassians currently lack the experience and knowledge required to operate at this level. Here is an example illustrating just how unprepared Circassians are for the international stage.

 

In 2006, the German-Circassian politician Cem Özdemir opened a door for Circassians at the European Parliament. A "Circassian Culture Day" was established as an annual event there, providing an excellent opportunity to gain firsthand insight into European institutions and to leverage those connections to advance Circassian causes in the future. 

Regrettably, due to the political inexperience—and perhaps the foolishness—of the event's organizers, the initiative was cancelled after just a 7 years. This occurred when the Circassian organizers for that particular year held an "Abkhazia Culture Day" instead of the previously agreed-upon Circassian event. 

Europe does not recognize Abkhazia, viewing it instead as part of Georgia. The Circassian organizers' attempt to legitimize Abkhazia by bringing it into the European Parliament failed miserably, resulting in the cancellation of the Circassian Culture Day.

The example cited above clearly demonstrates the inexperience—and even gross foolishness—of the Circassian organizers. From this, we can conclude that the Circassians are not yet ready to engage effectively with Circassian politicians holding key positions in various countries—such as the German-Circassian politician Elif Iralp. Moreover, it is not enough to focus solely on Circassian figures; one must also know how to work with politicians from nations across the globe. 

This does not mean that such high-level engagement should be avoided; rather, it requires thorough preparation, deep reflection, and careful planning before taking action.