137
Therefore, the North Caucasian intellectuals felt themselves to take this
issue particularly and more seriously. For a first time, Barasbi Baytugan analyzed
the nationality issue in Gortsy Kavkaza in reference to the psychological
motives.
362
He looked all the relationship between nation and union and
emphasized that this kind of an amalgamation already existed in the North
Caucasus. He pointed out that the common historical destiny, neighbourhood, and
close connections for centuries were the main cements of this union.
The most comprehensive article on the issue was Balo Bilatti’s ‘Milli
Hareketlerin İdeolojik Esasları’ (The Ideological Principles of the National
Movements). He wrote it in an academic manner, and discussed whether the North
Caucasian nation is existed or not.
363
In this article, Bilatti asserted ‘the nations’ right to independence’ or self-
determination as the core of his argumentation. In the first part, he analyzed the
development and transformation of this right from 17
th
century’s philosophers,
Locke, Voltaire, Diderot, and D’Alemberte to the principles of Wilson. According
to him, in the 19
th
century there were two main currents. The first, was brought into
existence by small ‘prisoner nationalities’, to free themselves from the yoke of big
imperial powers, such as the secessionist movements of 19
th
century in Turkey and
Russia. The other was the current of small states aiming to unify to create a single
powerful political entity, like the unification of the Germans and the Italians.
362
Barasbi Baytugan, January/February 1933. “Uzun Geçmişimiz Hakkında Birkaç Söz,” Gortsy
Kavkaza, (Warsaw), 35/36: 26-30.
363
Balo Bilatti, April 1934. “Milli Hareketlerin İdeolojik Esasları,” Gortsy Kavkaza, (Warsaw), 50:
5-11. It was reprinted in Birleşik Kafkasya, (İstanbul), November-December-January 1965-66, 2(6):
1-10. Hereafter “Milli”.
138
From this perspective, Bilatti suggested that the struggle of the North
Caucasians against the Russian Empire was an example of the first type. It was
based on the principle of the nations’ right to self-determination. Additionally, it
depended mainly on the understanding of the ‘national unification of the
mountaineers’. The Russians however, despite their strong support for the struggles
of small nationalities in Europe, were inexorably fighting with all the nationalities
that were struggling for their independence within the boundaries of Russia and
Eastern Europe. Nevertheless Bilatti argues, the notion of the ‘sovereignty of
nations’ reached its peak in the principles of Wilson. He believed that “this right
could only be turned into a dynamic power, under the condition that, when a group
of people associate themselves with a common interest and they accordingly define
themselves as a nation”
364
Therefore, the key point was the creation of a nation. For this reason, in
order to determine the ideological pillars of the North Caucasian independence
movement, the phenomenon of ‘national sentiment’ and ‘nation’ have to be defined
clearly. In the second part of his article Bilatti focused on the historical evolution of
these terms. With the help of the main contenders like Mazzini, and E. Renan he
reached his definition of a nation, which was mainly subjective in content. “The
nation, first and foremost means a common sentiment and purpose, a spirit which
disguised within a common historical past, and a will on the common destiny.”
365
According to Bilatti, this definition was in full compliance with the realities
of the North Caucasus. Despite the existence of ‘tribal differences’, the North
364
Bilatti, “Milli,” 5.
365
Bilatti, “Milli,” 9.
139
Caucasians have common historical background which was accepted as
‘consecrated’ by each and every Mountaineer.
“Civil and cultural values are the products of the common life continuing
for centuries within the identical borders. At last, the ultimate objective of
these values is living within the borders of the national boundaries
collectively.
The sole inconvenient condition in front of the North Caucasian national
unity is the lack of common language. However, …the common language is
not an indispensable instrument and has no important role over the
establishment of a national union. Being a multi-lingual nation could not be
disturbed anyone so much. Following the removal of the factors that are
hampering the development of the North Caucasus, the language problem
could be solved easily. The strength of the elements of the ‘national unity’
would help to solve this problem.”
366
Later on, in his article ‘Şimali Kafkasyalılar’ın Esareti,’ (The Captivity of
the North Caucasians) which was published in Gortsy Kavkaza, Abat
367
argued the
issue from a different perspective and analyzed the reasons for the failure to
establish a union or a nation in the North Caucasus.
368
He particularly stressed that
the indispensable and necessary conditions, which bind members of a nation
together, such as religion, customs, language, race, and unified fatherland were,
absent in the North Caucasus. Moreover, he pointed out, it was almost impossible
to speak about the existence of ‘common enlightenment’, which was the main
reason for the North Caucasians’ captivity.
According to Abat, religion, language, blood and race, compatriotizm and
common customs are the complementary elements of a nation. For the North
366
Bilatti, “Milli,” 10.
367
Abat was one of the pennames of Tevfik Çiper (1901-72), an Abkhaz. He was born in the village
of Akpınar, Adana. Following his graduation from the İstanbul University Law Faculty, he has been
worked for Turkish Ministry of Justice.
368
Abat, September-October 1933. “Şimali Kafkasyalılar’ın Esareti,” Gortsy Kavkaza, (Warsaw),
43: 5-18 and 44: 2-6. It was reprinted in Kuzey Kafkasya Kültür Dergisi, (İstanbul), 14: 76/78,
January-July 1990, 20-27. Hereafter “Esaret”.
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