Call for Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian communities to commemorate victims of 1949 March 25 – 28 deportations
Updated 2012-03-01
Members of the European Parliament with the Unitas Foundation and the International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania invite Baltic communities across the world to hold commemoration events on March 25th, the launch day of the 1949 March deportations then in few days during operation „Priboj“ („Wave fall“) soviet occupants deported from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania 95 thousand people – mostly women and children.
Soviet mass deportations from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are among the most disheartening events in the history of the Baltic States. During Stalin’s rule, more than 220 000 people were deported to Siberia (not including political prisoners in GULAG camps, which numbers is even greater). Since 2010, commemoration events have been held in Estonia and by Estonian communities in more than 10 countries. On March 25th 2012, thousands of candles will again be lit in memory of the deportees. Among others, the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian Members of the European Parliament are hosting a commemoration event in Brussels.
Baltic communities across the world are invited to join the initiative and hold remembrance events around March 25th, regardless of format. The organizers would be delighted to receive a notification about such events by e-mail komisija@lrv.lt and anna.karolin@unitasfoundation.org. Additionally, please visit www.komisija.lt and www.unitasfoundation.org/remembrance for information on Soviet deportations from the Baltic States.
Please join us in keeping alive the memory of people who endured inequitable suffering and perished
