David McDuff
02-26-2004, 12:05 PM
Nationalists Disrupt Meeting on Deportations
By Galina Stolyarova
STAFF WRITER
Photo by Sergey Grachev / SPT
Young nationalists disrupted a solemn St. Petersburg commemoration on Monday of the 60th anniversary of the deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people.
Formerly the Soviet Army Day, Feb. 23 is now called The Day of Defenders of the Fatherland. On the same date in 1944 Stalin deported the North Caucasian ethnic groups, allegedly for collaborating with the German invaders during World War II.
"It is a tragic day for our country," said Sergei Khakhayev, chairman of the local human rights group Memorial. "We are often told not to spoil the holiday, but how many people know that Army Day was used against the Chechens back in 1944: it was an excuse to gather them together so that they could be put in railway wagons and sent away. Every third person died on the way to exile."
Not everyone in Khakhayev's modest audience agreed.
"Those nations [Chechens and Ingush] shouldn't exist at all," a young man suddenly shouted during Khakhayev's speech.
More:
http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/times/946/top/t_11771.htm
By Galina Stolyarova
STAFF WRITER
Photo by Sergey Grachev / SPT
Young nationalists disrupted a solemn St. Petersburg commemoration on Monday of the 60th anniversary of the deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people.
Formerly the Soviet Army Day, Feb. 23 is now called The Day of Defenders of the Fatherland. On the same date in 1944 Stalin deported the North Caucasian ethnic groups, allegedly for collaborating with the German invaders during World War II.
"It is a tragic day for our country," said Sergei Khakhayev, chairman of the local human rights group Memorial. "We are often told not to spoil the holiday, but how many people know that Army Day was used against the Chechens back in 1944: it was an excuse to gather them together so that they could be put in railway wagons and sent away. Every third person died on the way to exile."
Not everyone in Khakhayev's modest audience agreed.
"Those nations [Chechens and Ingush] shouldn't exist at all," a young man suddenly shouted during Khakhayev's speech.
More:
http://www.sptimes.ru/archive/times/946/top/t_11771.htm