Memorial party of Vainakhs' deportation in Moscow presents archival documents from special settlements

On February 23, the State Museum of the History of GULAG in Moscow hosted a memorial party dedicated to the 71st anniversary of the deportation of Chechens and Ingushes. There, the archival documents were presented, which cover the life in special settlements; and a film about the deportation was screened. The audience shared their memories about the events of 70 years ago.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that, according to the organizers of the party – members of the Ingush Diaspora in Moscow, – the topical exposition, consisting of books, brochures and copies of documents, will help to understand the essence of the Stalin's crime, as one of the gravest in the country's history of the 20th century.

The operation "Chechevitsa" (Lentils), during which Chechens and Ingushes were deported en masse to Kazakhstan and Central Asia from the territory of the Chechen-Ingush ASSR, was conducted from February 23 to March 9, 1944. It was announced that the repressions were caused by mass desertions, draft evasion during the wartime and preparation of an armed uprising in the Soviet rear. According to the International Society "Memorial", 485,000 people were deported from Chechnya and Ingushetia.

The memorial party was attended by former resettlers, their children and grandchildren, scientists, and members of the Russian Congress of Caucasian Nations.

During the party, the audience watched a film on the deportation of Ingushes. It was made by the members of the above congress, and shows the history of the deportation.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.