Chairman of the public movement Khase of Kabardino-Balkaria Ibragim Khasanbovich Yaganov was born in 1963 in the village of Nartan of the Chegem district. He graduated from the Baku school of police (militsia) and the law faculty of the Sukhumi University. He is a vice-president of the Federation of Equestrian sport of the Kabardino-Balkaria and an owner of the horse breeding farm of the unique Kabardian breed.
During the nineties conflict in Abkhazia very young Ibragim Yaganov led a volunteer battalion and was awarded a status of the hero of Abkhazia. He is an authorized representative of Abkhazia in Kabardino-Balkaria. In December 2009 and April 2010 unidentified persons carried out terrorist attacks against Ibragim Yaganov.
Those who are interested in problems of Abkhazia and the north Caucasus would be interested to know views and assessments of a person of such biography on processes that are taking place in the Caucasus region. Some of them may be unacceptable but others really deserve to be paid attention as they reflect respect towards the Caucasian traditions and future prospects are clearly and honestly represented.
"We do not think that the rest of life we should be in feud with Georgia. In the nineties a handful of adventurers set these two peoples against each other. We do not have any problems with the Georgian people". These words of Yaganov are a serious indication for those politicians who are building Chinese walls to separate from the Georgian people and are declaring eternal hostility with them.
A few day ago when media representatives asked him a question he did not shy away from giving direct words and stated that representatives of the Russian authorities were in all state structures of independent Abkhazia. He said that the Russian ambassador attended all government meetings and meetings with the president. Russian officers were included in all units of the defence ministry. Russian forces were deployed on the entire territory of Abkhazia up till the border of Gali. According to him this was more an occupation rather than assistance. At any time, if Abkhazia was to refuse to fulfill demands of the government of the Russian Federation these forces would be used immediately. He said that against this background complete degradation of the Abkhazian army took place. And that it could be said that the Abkhazian army no longer existed and several Abkhazian military units that were still there had no role at all.
Yaganov mentioned that powerful economic expansion was taking place. The Federal government demanded transfer of important facilities, including former state dachas. He was sure that in no case this was to be permitted. That they could be leased but not given in ownership of the Russian government bodies. The Russian Olympic committee that was carrying out construction in Sochi very aggressively demanded crossing over the state border. There he talked about transfer of 160 square kilometers of Abga and on moving of the border 40 km into the deep of Abkhazia. This aimed at moving of the state border away from the Olympic zone. He believes that all this could be assessed as Russia's expansion and handing of the Abkhazian independence over to the Russian federal structures.
Yaganov noted that given the political and economic realities Abkhazia had to take into account the Russian authorities. He noted that practically Abkhazians, like the republics of the North Caucasus were on the financial "needle" and entirely dependent on the Kremlin. He was sure that this was a temporary case and in future the main stronghold of Abkhazia would be North Caucasian republics and especially Kabarda. As to the Abkhazian authorities, he believes that authorities come and go but people and history remain.
He noted that great historical monuments of Circassian people had been destroyed and were still being destroyed in the Krasanaya Polyana. And that their ancestors lived there and he could not agree to holding of the Olympic Games on their bones and graves.
He said that he believed that Georgia's recognition of the Circassian genocide was the first step forwards for the international community. The Circassian issue had been locked in the inside circle until now. Now it emerged on the political arena. He believes that it will soon become a subject of discussion of the EU and the European Parliament. It will not be left without attention either by the Baltic States or by Finland and Poland. In his words the recognition of the genocide opened new horizons for the Circassian people and especially for youth. That it would give them opportunity to move to those countries that recognized the genocide and get higher education there.
He believes that Georgia has already played its role. And in his opinion it is now necessary to restore old close and friendly relations with Georgia.
Yaganov notes that Circassians have not asked Abkhazians to recognize the genocide as this request would put them in a very awkward position in relations with Russia.
He thinks that there was no self- interest in Georgia's recognition of the Circassian genocide. In this issue political interests of Georgia and Circassia coincided. He believes that authors of the thank-you letter that was sent to the Georgian Parliament did not undertake any obligations and nothing but thank you is to be paid for it.
He talked also that the era of Colonialism was the thing of the past and that many colonial powers got rid of their colonial past and apologized to people of their former colonies. Unfortunately, he notes, Russia has difficulties with overcoming this barrier. He believes that there still prevail imperial ambitions there and today this tears up and destroys this country. That Russia is on the brink of collapse. Imperial ambitions of the Russian authorities are apparent not only towards the Caucasians but also towards its own people as well. Population of the richest country of the world that is spread over the vast territory is on the brink of extreme poverty everywhere except Moscow. In his view it is due to attitude of the Metropolis towards its colonies which the Russian authorities do not want to acknowledge.
This is quite bold attitude and realistic view of Ibragim Yaganov of the situation in Abkhazia and Russia.
We intended to put a full stop here and let a reader see just short sections from extensive answers of Mister Yaganov. But those who are acquainted with the full text may feel that the text was used one-sidedly, and that many painful issues were sidestepped. Yes sirs, it is not without this. We did not want to return to mutual accusations and principle of relaying blame for everything on the other party that go back to the nineties. All the more that neither Yaganov itself is inclined to do this.
It is necessary Circassians to start restoration of close and friendly relations with Georgians, says Yaganov, although he is hesitant to come to Georgia when he is invited here.
We should not put aside for other generations to resolve these problems that we have accumulated, and mostly involuntarily. And we should not let the history make judgment without the participation of the parties themselves. For small nations this perspective is quite real.
Dialogue and exchange of opinions would be the first step to start desirable process.
Get over yourself Mister Yaganov and come visit Georgia. We here still respect people that do not tend to break their oath and words they have given. Georgians continue to pay respect to Georgian Poet Vazha-Pshavela who thought generations to respect and love Caucasian traditions. It was Vazha-Pshavela who said in one of his poems which is roughly translated as "he's our guest today even if he owes us a sea of blood" (" Host and Guest" by Vazha-Pshavela).
Mister Yaganov, we invite you to Georgia. Maybe your visit will become the start of the great turn and mutual forgiveness that our peoples are so much in need of.
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