The Masty Authorities are against Initiatives and Memory

[Apr 18]:

The Masty local executive committee did not allow toplace a monument at the place of Jewish ghetto in Lunna (Masty region). The local association of F. Skaryna Society of Belarusian Language made this proposal one and a half year ago; the proposal was seconded by local residents as well as the session of Lunna village council.

In 1942, Lunna ghetto was liquidated by German occupants, more than 1,5 thousand people were sent to concentration camps of Asventsin and Treblink where they perished. The initiative of F. Skaryna Society of Belarusian Language and local residents to perpetuate the memory of countrymen was seconded by associations of Party of Belarusian Communists and Conservative Christian party BNF. The session of Lunna village council seconded the public initiative and appealed to Masty local executive committee for approval.

It was planned that the monument should be placed by the sixtieth anniversary of liberation of Belarus. But the officials did not approve of this referring to the fact that there was no information from the archives that confirmed existence of ghetto. However the ghetto is mentioned in historical literature as well as in ‘Pamiat. Masty Region’ edition. When such information was presented in the middle of March, Georgy Karobka, head of Masty local council informed everyone that the village council had no right to make such a decision. He referred to the resolution of Constitutional Court that allegedly was adopted in February, however he did not presented the document. In this situation the initiative group decided to make an inquiry in the Constitutional Court, on April 8 the answer was received in which it was stated that the village council has the right to make such decisions.

It is obvious that the local authorities not only selectively treat those who became victims of the war, but they do not approve of reasonable public activity, commented Liavon Karpovic, member of local association of F. Skaryna Society of Belarusian Language, - If we get another refusal, we will raise money for creation of the monument and will put it in my kitchen garden, near the road. We will immortalize the memory of our countrymen and the monument will remind about heartlessness of the authorities towards these people. No one can forbid me to do this and I will not allow to destroy the monument.’


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