Said Bargandzhia

Monument to the victims of the Caucasian War was inaugurated in the village of Inzhich-Chukun of Karachay-Cherkessia on July 24.

The idea of constructing a monument to the victims of the Caucasian war among the residents of the village arose more than ten years ago, Fuad Jantemirov, the head of Inzhich-Chukun, said, but only last year the construction was activated with the support of the "Alashara" foundation.

"Almost all villagers, from kids to adults, took part in the construction of the monument. It was very important for us. We need to know our history," said Jantemirov.

Representatives of the World Abaza Congress were invited to the opening ceremony of the monument. The Assistant to the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the WAC, Kan Taniya, noted that the forced exile is the deepest wound in the history of the Abaza and Adyghe peoples.

"It is necessary to honor and remember this tragedy. When we raise monuments to the victims of forced resettlement, we should think about the need for representatives the Abkhaz-Abaza ethnos to create, to unite so that such tragedies never happen to us again," Tania said.

Samir Marchand, a descendant of the Abaza mahadzhirs, came to honor the memory of the victims of the Caucasian war and take part in the opening of the monument in Inzhich-Chukun.

"There are not enough words to describe the tragedy that the Abaza people experienced. I hope that someday all descendants of mahadzhirs will be able to return to their homeland. I am the first representative of our kind who was able to return to his homeland, I hope that the rest of our brothers will also be able to return," Samir Marchand said.

The memory of the victims of the Caucasian War and the forced exile of the mountain peoples of the Caucasus is celebrated annually in Abkhazia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Adygea and many other countries of the world on May 21.