It was erected by order of the Federation of Trade Unions. Meanwhile, the memorial from the authorities did not unite the society.
“A great thing has been done, thank you!” With these words, Mikhail Orda, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and Chairman of the State Union, thanked his colleagues.
Despite the preparations, the opening was not grand. Everything went quietly, without coverage of the event in the state media.
Back in 1989, the BSSR Council of Ministers signed a decree to perpetuate the memory of the victims in Kurapaty. In 1993, the memorial was granted the status of historical and cultural value of international importance. However, after Lukashenka came to power, the Kurapaty topic was silenced. Incidentally, over the last 25 years, the head of the country has never officially visited the place.
Those who in different times defended Kurapaty, were beaten, humiliated, arrested and punished with fines. That is why the officially placed memorial sign did not have a one-sided reaction of historians and activists.
“Calvary is a sacred place, and the crosses and stone that were there should have been enough. There was no need to drag this monument here. It was enough to put it down there. But, nevertheless, an important event, an event which waited almost 30 years to happen,” said Hanna Shaputska.
However, the authorities have still not fully recognized the Stalinist terror against civilians, did not disclose the names of people shot in Kurapaty. But they did allow to build a restaurant in the formerly protection zone.
Yulia Labanava, belsat.eu
