RESOLUTION on Deportation of Abkhazs (Abazs) in the 19^th Century, ADOPTED BY THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY - THE PARLIAMENT OF ABKHAZIA

The colonial policy of the Russian empire in the years of Russian-Caucasian war (1817-1864) and in the following period had inflicted irreparable damage upon the Abkhaz(Abazs) nation and its genetic foundation. Part of ethnic Abkhazs have been eliminated for their struggle for the independence of their homeland, while 80% of those survived had been forced to flee to the Ottoman empire.

As a result of the war and the repeated punitive actions, expulsion of Abkhazs from their historical homeland, the north-west and central Abkhazia had become empty. Ethnic groups and territorial communities of Sazds, Akhchipsutsis, Aibegovts, Tsvitghs, Pskhuits, Gumts, Tsebeldians, Dalians and others had vanished completely. The same fate was shared by Ubikhs-relative ethnic group to Abkhazs (Abazs), that used to live on the territory between rivers Khosta and Shakhe, as well as by vast majority of Abkhazs (Abazs) that lived in the northern Caucasus. In Abkhazia remained only small enclaves populated by Bzipians, Abghuians and Samurzakanoians, and ethnic groups of Tapanta and Ashkharua in the northern Caucasus. In accordance with the modern international law, more than 300 000 Abkhazs (Abazs) deported in the 19th century must be qualified as refugees.

Countless disasters and sufferings had befallen the deported people - tens of thousands of people fell victim to hunger, cold and epidemics. The tsarist Russia's accusations of "treachery" towards the deported Abkhazs(Abazs) were unfounded and groundless. They were denied the right to return to their homeland. Thousands of Abkhazs, having overcome unimaginable difficulties to return back to the shores of Abkhazia from Turkey, would be sent back to Turkey by the local administration. Meanwhile, those Abkhazs who remained in Abkhazia were labeled as "guilty" and "temporary" population of the country. They were deprived the right to settle down in the central and coastal Abkhazia and would be subjected to en masse deportation in case of slightest ant-governmental sentiments.

Although in 1907 the Russian Authorities lifted the insulting for national dignity label of "culprit" and "temporary" population from the Abkhazs, nevertheless, neither the tsarist Russia nor the Menshevik regime of the Democratic Republic of Georgia (1918-1921), nor the Authorities of Soviet Georgia or Soviet Union did not solve the problem of repatriation of Abkhazs, numerous individual and collective appeals of deported Abkhaz to the authorities of the aforementioned states, asking for their return to their historical homeland, were, as a matter of fact, ignored. Meanwhile, the Georgian authorities and their patrons in the Kremlin were undertaking purposeful steps toward en masse settlement of Georgians on the territory of Abkhazia and assimilation of those Abkhazs who remained on their historical homeland.

Currently, more than 4 thousand applicant from the Abkhaz Diaspora await answer to their request to be allowed to return to their historical homeland, in order to preserve their native language, national culture, traditions and their national identity, as a whole.

Providing historical and political-legal assessment of the events, fatal for the Abkhaz (Abazs) nation unfolded in the 19th century, the People's Assembly of the Republic of Abkhazia decrees:

1. To qualify the massive extermination and expulsion of Abkhazs (Abazs) to the Ottoman empire in the 19th century as an act of genocide - the gravest crime against humanity.

2. In accordance with the convention of the UN General Assembly of 28 July 1951, to consider the Abkhazs (Abazs) deported in the 19th century as refugees.

3. To acknowledge the undeniable right of descendants of those Abkhazs (Abazs) deported in the 19th century to voluntary and unhindered return to their historical homeland.

4. To appeal to the UN, OSCE, CIS, to other international organizations, the Russian federation as legal successor of the Russian empire and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic with a request to render necessary political, material, and humanitarian support to the process of voluntary and unhindered repatriation and integration of descendants of those Abkhazs (Abazs) deported in the 19th century.

5. To assign the Committee on Legislation and Commission on Inter-parliamentary Relations and Links with Follow Abkhazians of the People's Assembly with a task of elaboration of draft laws related to systematic repatriation of Abkhazs (Abazs).

6. To propose to the President and Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Abkhazia to take into due account, in the process of working out and implementation of major directions of internal and external policy priorities, the crucial importance of repatriation

of descendants of Abkhaz refugees of 19th century, to adopt a comprehensive plan for repatriation and integration of foreign Abkhazs (Abazs).

7. To appeal to all republican and local organs of state authorities, political parties, public organizations, economic and commercial structures to render necessary political, moral-psychological and material assistance to the process of repatriation of Abkhazs (Abazs).

8. To publish this decree in the printed media and broadcast on radio and television.

Speaker of the People's Assembly-

the Parliament of the Republic of Abkhazia S. Jinjolia.

City of Sukhum, 15 October 1997.

(Newspaper “Respublika Abkhazia”, № 109, 5-6 November 1997)