MINSK, 21 October (BelTA) – Belarus is drawing up a bill to recognize the genocide of the Belarusian people in 1941-1944, Lilia Ananich, deputy chairperson of the standing commission on human rights, national relations and mass media of the House of Representatives, told the media in Minsk on 21 October, BelTA has learned.
On 21 October, in the forest near the training ground of the 120th Independent Guards Mechanized Brigade, bone remains and other items are being examined and removed from a burial place discovered during the investigation of the genocide case.
"In this place you understand that not only the current generation but also future generations of Belarusians and all people of the world will not have enough tears to mourn this pain. What you see is the genocide of the Soviet people, the genocide of the Belarusian people. Today we are responsible for recognizing the genocide, at the legislative level as well, of the Belarusian people, residents of other nationalities who lived on the territory of the BSSR. The MPs supported the initiative of the Prosecutor General's Office and are working on the bill to recognize and condemn the genocide of the Belarusian people. This bill, which is a political, legal and moral document, is almost ready," Lilia Ananich said.
According to her, the legislators believe that it is necessary to establish all the facts of the genocide of the Soviet and Belarusian people on the territory of Belarus and to formalize the responsibility for denying the genocide of the Soviet and Belarusian people, including on the internet. "We cannot allow the historical memory to be distorted,” Lilia Ananich noted. “Recognizing the genocide of the Belarusian people, in our opinion, is the most important step towards reinforcing the legal architecture of that historical memory," the MP added. "Today we must take these legal steps and show at all levels, in all organizations that we have the right to preserve the historical memory. And, of course, I thank all those who are engaged in such work today, who discover these burials, who call us to remember. We will remember and legislate this."
During the investigation of the criminal case the Prosecutor General's Office has uncovered the information about at least seven mass burials places of civilians near the Uruchye forest. According to the archival information, the number of people buried there from 1941 to 1944 exceeded 38,000. A thorough analysis of the information from various sources made it possible to find one of such places - in the forest near the training ground. It may contain the remains of more than 8,000 people.
Excavations will continue until all the circumstances of the atrocities that took place here during the war are established.
