27 December 2003, 22:13
Radical criticism directed at Abkhazian leadership from U.S.
The leader of the Abkhazian Diaspora in the U.S., Inal Kazanba, appeared with a radical criticism of the leadership of the unrecognized Abkhazian Republic in his article "The Power Does Not Want Diaspora's Return", which was published in the Necessary Newspaper in Sukhumi.
In his article Mr. Kazanba points out that "the Diaspora has provided considerable financial and economic support to its motherland" but "in spite of this during the last decade the present regime in Sukhumi has never treated them as its equals, it means true Abkhazians." The reason is that "the present authorities do not want the Diaspora to come back as they are afraid our numerical superiority will change their positions and influence," the author says.
The Abkhazian Diaspora, the larger part of which lives in Turkey, consists of the descendants of so called Mahajirs - the Abkhazian population the majority of which was deported by the Russian Empire in the 19th century in the course of the Caucasian War.
Source: REGNUM News Agency