Scientists not allowed to visit excavations of repression victims’ burials :: Charter'97 :: News

The public organization committee on perpetuation of Stalinism victims addressed the Gomel region executive committee proposing to list scientists to the state commission on identification of excavations materials in the tracts Try Stalby and Borki in the territory of Brybytki village council of Gomel district, told July 9 secretary of the organization committee session Uladzimir Ramanouski.

The organization committee sent a letter to deputy chairperson of the district executive committee, chairperson of the commission on research and reburial of the remains discovered in non-registered burial grounds Natallia Aksionava, which contains a proposal to include two scientists - PhD in history Anatol Valakhanovich from Minsk and PhD in history, docent of the Gomel State University of Frantsishak Skaryna Aleg Makushnikau - to the commission. According to U.Ramanouski, Aleg Makushnikau took part in the examination of the mass burial of Stalinism victims discovered in mid-90s close to the site of the present excavations, reports BelaPAN.

U.Ramanouski reminded that research group #52 of the country’s defenders perpetuation department discovered remains of 70 people during excavation works May 6 - June 11, at the 9th km of the highway Gomel-Charnigau. According to the local dwellers, here the People’s Interior Committee (PIC) officers organized mass executions of Stalinism victims, including Ukrainian citizens, before the Great Patriotic War (1942-1945). U.Ramanouski said an independent examination of “Nagan” system pistols shells discovered in the burials had proved the supposition on the PIC shootings.

The session participants sustained the proposal of Anton Astapovich, the chairperson of the Belarusian voluntary association for preservation of historical and cultural heritage, on the association’s members joining its Minsk municipal subsidiary office, where acting as a section the organization the committee can search and commemorate the sites of mass executions of Stalinism victims, and to intercede for putting these monuments on the State list of historical and cultural heritage of Belarus.