10 March 2004, 15:54
Confrontation between Meskhetian Turks and local population in Krasnodar Territory continues
A new incident happened on the eve of International Women's Day. The Caucasian Knot correspondent learnt about it from the Novorossiysk City Committee on Human Rights.
On 7 March, some 30 Cossacks met Meskhetian Turks who came to the market in the village of Kholmskaya, the Abinsk district, and did not let them go to their trade places, referring to the regional authorities' instruction. The Cossacks incited the Meskhetian Turks to scuffle. Police and tax officers silently watched what was happening.
The local leader, Tienshan Svanidze, carried on long negotiations, and the Turks were allowed to trade in the latter half of the day. The increase in extremism on the part of the Cossacks is reportedly caused by the story about Meskhetian Turks shown by the TV channel NTV (Namedni program).
Author: Yana Lobastova, CK correspondent Source: Caucasian Knot
