Commenting on my post on the Turkish ban of Circassian researcher Mehmet Sait Uluışık who is studying his people’s role in the Armenian Genocide, a website called “Worldwide Circassian Brotherhood” has posted an article in Russian saying the scholar’s ban is being used for “lobbying [sic] by Armenian nationalist websites.”

Deliberately ignoring my own mention that Mehmet Sait Uluışık is careful not to use the word “genocide,” the “Worldwide Circassian Brotherhood” states that the Circassian professor is not researching the Armenian “extermination” but the general history of the Circassians in Turkey.

Although the website’s response comes as nationalistic, it, nonetheless, seems to attempt making a well-taken point that not all Circassians were involved in the Genocide:

Истории известны имена видных черкесов и даже одной черкешенки, которые в Гамидие, Карсе, Хаджине, Геклуне, Шардере, Азизие и др. пунктах не только не принимали участия в грабежах, но спасли много христиан, иногда и с опасностью для себя. Известно так же, что Каймакам Феки (Вакке), по происхождению черкес – единственное влиятельное административное лицо, в районе которого не было пролито человеческой крови.

[It is known in history the names of important Circassians – and even of one Circassian woman – who not only didn’t participate in lootings in Hamidye, Kars,  Hajin, Gyoklun, Serder and Azizye but saved many Christians [Armenians] sometimes putting their own lives at risk. It is known that Kaymakam Fekki (Vakkı) – from Circassian background – was the only influential administrative official whose region wasn’t shed by human blood.]

The article is right to point out that there were Circassians who saved Armenian lives – just like there were Turks and Kurds who did the same. These Circassians must be honored and remembered for their bravery.

Nonetheless, the “Worldwide Circassian Brotherhood” shouldn’t freak out because a Circassian scholar has decided to find out the role of some of his people in the Armenian Genocide. Instead, they should be proud of him and remind the rest of us – as they already did – that there were also Circassians who helped the Armenians.

Coming to Prof. Uluışık’s particular research and his interest in the Armenian Genocide, I am not at liberty to disclose the sources of my information.