08 March 2008, 11:05
In Kabardino-Balkaria, a rally was held in memory of victims of deportation of the Balkar people
Today, in Nalchik at the Memorial to Victims of Repressions against Balkar People, a public rally was organized in memory of the victims of mass deportation of Balkars in 1943.
Magomed Babaev, first deputy chair of the Inter-Regional Public Organization "Balkaria", said addressing to the audience that the rally was held "to commemorate the victims of the violent eviction of the Balkar people from the place of their historical residence to another climatic environment, where more than a third of the population died from cold, famine and illnesses in the first years of exile."
"It happened in those days, when the other part of the nation were sacrificing their lives at the fronts of the Great Patriotic, defending their country; but they were not nominate to state awards, and those who were never got their orders and medals," he has noted.
The speaker said that "some streets of Nalchik bear the names of executioners of Balkar people - Kozlov and Zakharov"; and all our requests to rename them remain unanswered.
Further, Mr Babaev said that the first President of Russia Boris Yeltsin had officially apologized before the Balkar people for the violent damage. The Law was passed "On Rehabilitation of Repressed Nations", and essential monetary resources had been allocated. However, in the opinion of the leader of the NGO, the actual rehabilitation was not completed - four Balkar districts have not been restored. "We would like to know the fate of those enormous financial and material resources allocated for the revival of the Balkar people. The money would have been enough not just for Balkars, but also for Kabardians, Tatars and Cossacks," he has emphasized.
Author: Luiza Orazayeva, CK correspondent
