Deportation anniversary mourning rally planned in ChechnyaTimur Aliyev, North Caucasus – The Chechen human rights movement “Nokhchiin Nanoi” (“Mothers of Chechnya”) has proposed that a rally of national mourning be held in Grozny on February 23, dedicated to the victims of the Russian-Stalinist regime. The announcement was made in an appeal to the Chechen people, distributed by the movement.
The rally is planned for the day of the 61st anniversary of the deportation of the Chechen and Ingush peoples (February 23, 1944) outside the “Koman Ziyarat” complex in Grozny.
The movement intends to time this commemorative event to coincide with a protest demonstration against the continuing military operations in Chechnya, and to demand “the cessation of this insanely cruel and senseless war.”
In addition, “at the rally it is proposed to hold discussions of such issues as the abduction of people and compensation payments to the victims of deportation, and to take resolutions on these issues,” the appeal states.
To this end, the “Mothers of Chechnya” call on the following to join them: “the victims of deportation who are still alive; citizens of the republic who were born in exile; the mothers, widows, sisters of those who have been abducted, together with their portraits, and all others who still retain a faith in the triumph of justice, and a sense of their own dignity and that of the nation.”
The movement has issued a separate appeal to people around the world which calls on them “to support us in our just demands and to come out on to the streets and squares of [your] cities, towns and villages with slogans demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from our territory and their replacement by an international military peacekeeping contingent under the aegis of the UN.”
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