Valozhyn: Lukashenka's bagman Chyzh to build aparts houses on Jews' mass grave


Belarus is officially holding celebrations over the 70th anniversary of the liberation from German invaders. But in fact, the authorities show absolute indifference to victims of the Second World War. In the town of Valozhyn blocks of flats are to be built on the site of mass execution. Human remains are being dug up with the help of excavators.

This is an old army stadium in Valozhyn, Minsk region. Once Nazis killed hundreds of Valozhyn residents, mainly Jews, here. To save time they chased people into pits and shot them on the spot. These days Belarusian soldiers are digging their bones out without further ado.

PAVEL PRAKAPOVICH, Belarusian Christian Democracy: “A company is raking everything out at a great pace – I just can’t phrase it in other way – and putting into usual transparent plastic bags, Shoes into one, bones into another.”

The local authorities gave permission to use this site as building land to pig farm ‘Danprod’ and LLC Triple owned by President Lukashenka‘s bagman Yury Czyzh. Some apartments were expected to be given to regular officers serving in Valozhyn. But under the pressure of public opinion – particularly activists’ and old residents’ who witnessed Nazis’ executing Jews the authorities asked a local search battalion for help. The help in the shape of an excavator came.

LYUDMILA NIKANOVICH, Valozhyn recruiting office: “Yes, there are bones, a lot of human remains, gold teeth. If I’m not mistaken, by Friday [remains of] 60 people had been found”.

They were found but left out in the open.

ANDREY SAFONAU, senior lieutenant, search battalion:

“We have got the work done. Now we are waiting for a decision; as soon as we get an order we’ll leave.”

The locals are aware of the mass grave and disapprove of such dig.

RESIDENTS OF VALOZHYN:

“It’s scary and terrible, it hasn’t been done in a humane way.”

“They should have designated this place by something … by fence, for example”

They also might have re-buried the remains in a humane way, observing proper religious ceremonies and paying respect to the killed. They might even have established the identity of executed. But it is the Defence Ministry that has a monopoly on such excavation. And everything is organised in the way the Ministry is accustomed to – with the help of an excavator.

Yaraslau Stseshyk

www.belsat.eu/en

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