London – July 29, 2012 No Sochi 2014 is at the London Olympics to call attention and protest the next Olympiad- the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Circassians from the United States, Germany, Russia, Jordan, Syria and Turkey will be at Russia’s Sochi Park in Hyde Park adjacent to the Albert Memorial at 12:30 on Sunday July 29, 2012.

London – July 27, 2012 No Sochi 2014 is in London during the Summer 2012 Olympics offering the truth about the next Olympics site in Sochi, Russia. Krasnaya Polyana (translated to Red Hill) – the location of the alpine events in Sochi- derived its name, for the amount of Circassian blood split.

The “Jordanian Association of Caucasus Circassian Friends”, seizes the occasion of the inauguration of the Olympic Games in the Canadian City of Vancouver, to remind the world of the Winter Olympic Games that will be held in the City of Sochi in 2014 that is the occupied city by the Russian Forces since the year 1864.

The Association declares its stance against holding the Winter Olympic Games over the skulls of Circassian ancestors in Sochi, and calls upon the International Olympic Committee that had decided to hold these Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in the year 2014, to reconsider its decision because of prejudice in the natural rights of the Circassian people, in addition to being encroachment against the environment for Russia's action of extermination of important forests in the site, where the territory of Sochi is an integral part of the territories of Circassia (the historical homeland of the Circassian People), and was the last stronghold of the Circassian strongholds that were occupied by the invading Tsarist Russian troops against the Circassian territories which is only few kilometers from (Krasnaya Polyana) that is called (Red Hill) by Russian troops, which will be hosting the Olympic Winter Games, referring to the large amount of Circassian blood that flowed over there in defense of the Circassian land, as Sochi was the Circassian capital city and the land of the Circassian Genocide, which is the historical site of the deportation of over a million Circassians, noting that genocide claimed the lives of one million and a half of men, women and children, where stadiums and touristic villages will be constructed over the Circassian mass graves of people killed with ruthless and relentless attitudes, and the Circassian Genocide is still not recognized by Russia, which lies in the shadows of the civilized world.

In the territory of Circassia that is occupied by Russia, indigenous people still deprived of basic human rights and freedoms, which virtues are more important than the construction of huge sports venues, gold medals, and major Olympic Games' festivals.

For this and for many other things, we could not cite due to lack of space, we would come back and call on the International Olympic Games Committee to reconsider its decision and the transfer of the Olympic Games to be held in Sochi in 2014 out of the territory of occupied Circassia (the historic homeland of the Circassians). 

The Association would call upon liberals of the world, and the human rights organizations to stand by truth and justice, and to work to lift the injustice against human beings, for all mankind alike, to live in well-being and bliss, and for peace to prevail throughout the world. 
Peace be upon those who follow true guidance.

Chairman of the Jordanian Association of Caucasus Circassian Friends,

Dr. Rouhi Sh'haltough

12-February-2010

To the President of the International Olympic Committee
The Honourable Mr. Jaques Rogge

Dear Mr. President:

We write to appeal to you as Circassians, the descendants of the exiled indigenous population of the North-West Caucasus.  While we completely support the honorable goals of the Olympic Committee, and consider this movement as vital for building friendship and mutual understanding, we are strictly opposed to the bid to hold the Winter Olympics in the North-West Caucasus in the area of Sochi.

The region of the Black Sea coast in the North Caucasus saw a monstrous genocide perpetrated against the native Circassians at the hands of the Russian state in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  The Russo-Caucasian war was a bloodbath that resulted in the extermination or exile of more than 90% of the indigenous inhabitants of this region.  Indeed, the Circassian sea coast from Anapa to Abkhazia became a massive cemetery for our nation.

At this time the aim of the Russian Empire was not only the colonization of our homeland, but the full extermination of the Circassian population.  During the war the Russian army annihilated civilian population centers – including children, women, and the elderly.  In the process, thousands of villages were destroyed.  By 1864 the Circassian resistance was smashed, and the Russian army entered a period of unprecedented and inhumane ethnic cleansing.  Massive numbers of the inhabitants of Circassia were drowned up and down the Black Sea coast in the process of violent deportation, while hundreds of thousands of others died from famine, cold, and epidemics.

A policy of mass exile of Circassians continued until 1914, and was only stopped by the onset of the First World War.  Presently, less than 8% of Circassians live in their indigenous homeland, and are divided into different administrative regions of the Russian Federation.  Almost all are deprived of the right to their own lands.

The Circassians have repeatedly appealed to the highest Russian authorities to recognize the facts of the genocide of our nation, and to open an unimpeded path for the return of the descendants of exiled Circassians to their homeland.  These requests have always been ignored or denied.

We are aware from media reports that an appraisal committee of the International Olympic committee has visited Sochi.  Frankly, we are shocked at the cynical behavior or demonstrated by Russian leaders.  While displaying the great beauty of Kransnaya Polyana (meaning Red Valley), these officials did not consider it relevant to explain that it was so named because of the Circassian blood shed in the final battle for independence, or that it is the location of mass graves of the victims of Russian genocide.  Russian leaders are prepared to invest billions of dollars in a bid to hold the Olympic Games, and explain that this is in an effort to strengthen friendship between nations.  However, over four million Circassians live dispersed in fifty countries of the world, and Russia refuses to invest any resources in the return of these exiled peoples to their homeland.  We believe that the restoration of historical justice and the relationship of the Circassian peoples will first and foremost build friendship and mutual understanding between nations.

This land is rightfully ours, and was given to us by the Creator God.  This land is also ours according to standards of international laws that note the rights of indigenous peoples.  As Circassians, we regard the holding of the Olympic Games on our homeland in the places of mass graves and genocide as an act of vandalism.  This clearly does not correspond with the high principles proclaimed by the International Olympic Movement.  Therefore, we respectfully ask the International Olympic Committee to deny the bid of Russia to hold the Olympic Games in 2014.

Radio-Adiga - The Circassian Voice

Nafna -  The Circassian Association of Israel