Karachay-Cherkessia commemorates deportation victims

Today, the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic (KChR) hosted events dedicated to the 68 anniversary of the deportation of the Karachay nation to Central Asia.

In the town of Karachaevsk, a rally was held; the participants of the rally laid flowers at the memorial to the victims of political repressions. The rally was attended by the Republic's leader Rashid Temrezov, representatives of the clergy and the executive and legislative authorities of the region, the delegations of cities and regions of the republic, and residents of Karachay-Cherkessia.

The rally was opened with a rite "Dua" (memorial prayer, - note of the "Caucasian Knot") in memory of the victims of repressions. The ceremony was performed by Ismail Berdiev, Chairman of the Coordination Council of Muslims of Northern Caucasus, the "Interfax" reports.

In autumn 1943, 70,000 elderly people, women and children were brought to exile in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. They were accused of support of the Hitler's forces. Most of the repressed persons, more than 43,000 people, including 22,000 children, died in exile places from hunger, cold, and diseases. The exile lasted for 14 years and was cancelled in 1957.

After the memorial meeting, Rashid Temrezov, the leader of Karachay-Cherkessia, and all participants laid flowers at the Memorial Complex to the victims of the Karachay nation's deportation, report the websites of the Republic's leader and of the Government of the Karachay-Cherkessian Republic.

Let us remind you that, according to historians, the deportation destroyed about a third of Karachay nation. The Stalin's repressions killed 60 per cent of Karachay children. According to Professor Murat Karaketov, PhD of Historical Science, had the deportation not occurred in 1943, the number of Karachay people in Russia would now reach 400-450 thousand people - twice as much as at present (230-240 thousand people).

"On April 26, 2011, we commemorated the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Law "On rehabilitation of repressed nations". However, despite the long period, the Law failed to become a reality," Akhmat Katchiev, Chairman of the public organization of the Karachay people "Alan", stated earlier.

He believes that the state, which failed to rehabilitate nations suffered from persecution on fabricated reasons, faces objective risk of recurrence of national repression.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that, on March 29, the Karachay public organizations appealed to Rashid Temrezov, President of Karachay-Cherkessia, asking to consider establishment of department or division for repressed Karachay nation. However, such a division was not established.