The number of Meskheitan Turks who left Krasnodar and settled down in the USA is reported more than 5000 and another 4 400 immigration applications were approved.

Meskheitan Turks who were exiled to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan 61 years ago had gone to Russia’s Krasnodar due to hostility in Uzbekistan. They now looking for another place to go because of the cruelty they are subjected to by the local officials in Krasnodar.

Although Meskhetian Turks came to Krasnodar region before the USSR dissolved, Krasnodar officials do not give them Russian citizenship. Despite the law of 1991 which gives the right of Russian Federation citizenship for the USSR citizens who live in Russia, Meskheitan Turks were singled out. Most of them have not got birth certificates. Their land registry contracts are being cancelled because they are not official citizens of Russia. Their education is being blocked because they are regarded as illegal immigrants, just like their health needs. Security forces do regular passport checks and they insult Turks and even beat them. Lootings and killings aiming Meskhetian Turks in Kazak villages do not stop. The situation is getting tenser with the statements of Governor Alexander Tkacev.

Meskhetian Turks of Krasnodar who do not possess residency rights are isolated in their townships and villages. Their homes are regarded illegal, they can not work legally and their marriages are not recognized.

Even selling their homes for Meskhetian Turks is a great problem. Since the village admin warns the buyers saying they would face many problems if they bought Turks’ houses, the buyers disappear following a visit to the village admin house for purchase. That’s why Turks either have to sell their homes for even nothing or leave them without selling them.

"I call it soft ethnic cleansing," said Alexander Ossipov, an analyst at the Institute for Humanities and Political Studies in Moscow. “Local authorities decided which ethnic group they want and which one they do not. Government here is based on a racist ideology”, he added. This statement draws attention since it emphasizes the seriousness of the situation.

On the other hand, the Commissioner for Human rights of Council of Europe Alvaro-Hil Robles told about the situation of Meskhetian Turks of Krasnador region in his report he read before the EU Ministers Council Committee on 20 April 2005 and said as follows: “They are in desperate conditions. Since they have no id cards, their status is illegal. They are subjected to arbitrary applications and insults of local authorities. They are kept out of the basic rights. Racist authorities of Krasnador lie constantly and reject to take positive steps.”

The US Secretary of State human rights reports and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe meetings criticize Krasnador authorities for their actions. But Russian authorities insist Meskhetian Turks are with foreign status and turn a blind eye on the reports that puts forth the violence aiming them. Local authorities of Krasnador defence the idea that Meskhetian Turks had to go back to their original homeland, Georgia. Governor of Krasnador, Alexander Tkachev is quoted to have said in a speech of his that ‘Meskhetians did not wish to leave Krasnador and they must be convinced by applying all kinds of pressure”.

So far told problems of Meskhetian Turks’ prove local authorities’ arbitrary applications which are far from rights, justice and legality, and not presiding over people’s prosperity. The unforgivable thing at this point though, is Moscow’s indifference despite it is aware of the situation in a great deal. Russia is directly responsible for Meskhetian Turks’ problems being solved in a just and humanitarian way. Russia’s stance which does not defend those people’s rights and rejects them is endangering its international respectability.

As a result, those who govern Russia has to change their suspicious, restricting and demolishing mentality at once, own the responsibility of all those crimes committed against Meskhetian Turks and correct the grievance of those people.

This means Russia to review its policies on human rights and democracy.