Turkey and the North Caucasus: an Analysis of Internal and Domestic Relations
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Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive DSpace Repository Theses and Dissertations Thesis and Dissertation Collection 2013-12 Turkey and the North Caucasus: an analysis of internal and domestic relations Ilgener, Ahmet Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/38953 Downloaded from NPS Archive: Calhoun NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS TURKEY AND THE NORTH CAUCASUS: AN ANALYSIS OF INTERNAL AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS by Ahmet Ilgener December 2013 Thesis Advisor: Ryan Gingeras Second Reader: Mikhail Tsypkin Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704–0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202–4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704–0188) Washington, DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED December 2013 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS TURKEY AND THE NORTH CAUCASUS: AN ANALYSIS OF INTERNAL AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS 6. AUTHOR(S) AHMET ILGENER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgraduate School REPORT NUMBER Monterey, CA 93943–5000 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING N/A AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. IRB protocol number ____N/A____. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited A 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) This thesis examines the Circassian history starting from their deportation in 1860s from Russian Empire to Ottoman lands to the present day. Although the Circassian minority constitutes a significant part of Turkey’s population, the actual history of this small nation is disproportionately not well known both within the Circassian diaspora and the Turkish population at large. This thesis investigates the evaluation of Circassian identity and diaspora during late Ottoman Era and during the Republic of Turkey from a theoretical, historical and practical view and evaluates the role of the various domestic and international factors in the course of current diaspora structure in Turkey. This thesis also traces the role of Circassian association and organizations over the establishment of diaspora identity and representation of this ethnic group both within the Turkish population and within the state structure. 14. SUBJECT TERMS Circassian, Adyge, Adige, North Caucasus, Caucasus, Cerkes, 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 175 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU NSN 7540–01–280–5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2–89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239–18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited TURKEY AND THE NORTH CAUCASUS: AN ANALYSIS OF INTERNAL AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS Ahmet Ilgener Captain, Turkish Army B.S., Turkish Military Academy, 2004 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN SECURITY STUDIES (EUROPE AND EURASIA) from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL December 2013 Author: Ahmet Ilgener Approved by: Ryan Gingeras Thesis Advisor Mikhail Tsypkin Second Reader Mohammed Hafez Chair, Department of National Security Affairs iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT This thesis examines the Circassian history starting from their deportation in 1860s from Russian Empire to Ottoman lands to the present day. Although the Circassian minority constitutes a significant part of Turkey’s population, the actual history of this small nation is disproportionately not well known both within the Circassian diaspora and the Turkish population at large. This thesis investigates the evaluation of Circassian identity and diaspora during late Ottoman Era and during the Republic of Turkey from a theoretical, historical and practical view and evaluates the role of the various domestic and international factors in the course of current diaspora structure in Turkey. This thesis also traces the role of Circassian association and organizations over the establishment of diaspora identity and representation of this ethnic group both within the Turkish population and within the state structure. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 A. THE GOAL OF THE STUDY AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS ............ 1 B. SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY ................................................................. 1 C. PROBLEMS AND HYPOTHESIS ........................................................ 5 D. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................ 6 E. METHODS AND SOURCES .............................................................. 16 F. RESEARCH DESIGN ......................................................................... 17 G. WHO ARE THE CIRCASSIANS? ...................................................... 18 1. People and Country ............................................................... 18 2. Demography ........................................................................... 19 3. Language ................................................................................ 21 4. Religion................................................................................... 22 5. Socio-Political Structure ....................................................... 23 6. Xabze (Habze) ........................................................................ 24 7. Economy................................................................................. 25 II. A SHORT CIRCASSIAN HISTORY .............................................................. 27 A. FROM 1ST MILLENIUM BC TO 18TH CENTURY ............................... 27 B. THE RUSSIAN-CIRCASSIAN WAR TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION .................................................................................. 29 C. THE WAY TO 1864, AND THE FINAL BATTLE ............................... 33 D. RUSSIAN CONQUEST OF CIRCASSIANS ...................................... 35 E. OTTOMAN POLICY TOWARD THE NORTH CAUCASUS ............... 38 F. LIFE IN THE OTTOMAN LANDS....................................................... 41 G. ABDULHAMID II AND CIRCASSIANS .............................................. 49 H. CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 51 III. CIRCASSIAN IDENTITY FROM LATE OTTOMAN ERA TO PRESENT ..... 55 A. CIRCASSIANS AS A DIASPORIC COMMUNITY ............................. 56 B. CIRCASSIANS IN NATIONALIST DISCOURSE ............................... 61 C. CIRCASSIANS AND TURKISH NATIONALISM DURING THE OTTOMAN ERA ................................................................................. 62 D. KEMALIST DEFINITION OF NATIONALISM AND CIRCASSIANS .. 67 E. CIRCASSIAN ELITE .......................................................................... 76 F. PARA-MILITARISM AND THE CERKES ETHEM AFFAIR ............... 78 G. NATIONALISM AFTER MUSTAFA KEMAL ..................................... 85 H. EXTREME NATIONALISM IN TURKEY AND CIRCASSIANS .......... 87 I. IDENTITY IN TRANSITION: KEMALISM UNDER STRAIN (1990S AND 2000S) ....................................................................................... 93 J. RISE OF THE ISLAM IN MODERN TURKEY (1990S AND 2000S) .. 94 K. CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 95 IV. NORTH CAUCASUS ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS IN TURKEY ....................................................................................................... 97 vii A. CIRCASSIAN ASSOCIATIONS IN THE OTTOMAN ERA ................. 98 B. RE-CREATION OF CIRCASSIAN ASSOCIATIONS: 1950S TO 1980 ................................................................................................. 105 C. MILITARY COUP IN 1980 AND CIRCASSIAN DIASPORA POLITICS THEREAFTER ................................................................ 109 D. CIRCASSIAN DIASPORA FROM 2000 TO PRESENT ................... 122 E. ROAD TO SOCHI............................................................................. 127 F. CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 134 V. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................ 137 LIST OF REFERENCES ........................................................................................ 149 INITIAL DISTRIBUTION LIST ............................................................................... 161 viii LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS