"Adyge Khasse" wants to find out who prohibited Adyge Dzhegu on New Year night in Maikop

The public organization "Adyge Khasse" has sent a letter to President of Adygea Aslan Tkhakushinov in connection with the incident, when militia stopped the national dance Adyge Dzhegu in the central square of Maikop on the New Year night. The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed about it by Arambi Khapai, leader of the organization.

"We look forward to hearing from the President. Then, we'll think what to do next. The militia prohibited dances. Guys obeyed and stopped celebration. Activists of our organization were at the place at once and prevented a possible conflict. People felt hurtful but obeyed," Mr Khapai said.

Liudmila Bage, assistant of the President of the Republic of Adygea on interethnic and inter-confessional matters, told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "We received this letter. The participants of the event state violation of their constitutional rights. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) asserts that there was no conflict. We now wait for response to our inquiry from the MIA head to compare two points of view."

"Nobody had warned about a rally. But there were people's open air celebrations; they should not be applied for under the law. When should people dance if not on the New Year night? If about one hundred persons were offended, certainly, it's wrong. Members of "Adyge Khasse" believe that some order arrived from above to prevent the national celebratory actions. This is the reason of discontent of the authors of the letter," Ms Bage told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"We received no information about any offences," the UVD (Interior Department) of Maikop reported, in its turn. "We know nothing about any actions and about any ban on them."

The "Adyge Khasse" is not going to go to court against illegal actions of the militia. "Only direct participants of the dances can file a suit," said Arambi Khapai. "We don't know whether some of them did. We don't provoke or push anybody to go to court."