Oppositionists punished for memorial crosses
3- 24.09.2009, 9:19
On September 9 near Vilejka a memorial cross was erected with the words “To heroes of Belarus”.
Administrative reports for participation in an unsanctioned event were drawn up against the democratic activists from Vilejka (Minsk region), who initiated construction of crosses in the place of execution of the founder and leader of Myadzel-Smarhon illegal youth anti-Soviet organisation, Rastsislau Lapitski.
BelaPAN was informed about that by the chairman of Vileyka branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Alyaksei Syudak.
As said by him, on September 1, on the birthday of Lapitski, community leaders set up two wooden crosses near the village of Krasny Berazhok. Plates with the words were attached to the crosses: “Rastsislau Lapitski (1.09.1928—28.10.1950). Fighter for independence of Belarus”, and “To victims of repressions from dwellers of Smarhon”. On September 9 a third memorial cross with the words “To heroes of Belarus” was placed there. All the crosses were about 4-metre high. They were made by local activists and sanctified.
On September 10 representatives of local authorities pulled down these crosses. “That is why activists of the BPF party Ales Narkevich, Alyaksandar Syrakvash and Syarhei Frol, as well as a UCP activist Uladzimir Malyarchuk, wrote a complaint to the police department of Vileyka concerning the destruction of the crosses. However, on September 19 me, Narkevich and Malyarchyk were summoned to police department. A district police officer drew up a report regarding an administrative violation. The justification for that was an application of local authorities and a director of Vileyka’s regional forestry,” Syudak said.
Putting up crosses in the forest and laying flowers in the place of Lapitski’s execution cannot be called a meeting, he noted, as people express their demands at meetings, discuss issues of political and social nature, focus on problems. “In our speeches participants of the ceremony spoke only about commemoration of Lapitski’s memory, and that Belarusian citizens should remember their heroes,” Syudak underlined.
We informed that a memorial stone in the place of Lapitski’s execution was destroyed last April.
According to witnesses, Rastsislau Lapitski refused pardon and was shot by officers of Soviet law-enforcing agencies in the forest near Vileyka overnight October 28, 1950.
