Kalmykia marks Memory Day of victims of Stalin deportation

Today, Elista - the capital of the republic - and its districts hosted commemoration actions dated to the 67th anniversary of deportation of the Kalmyk people. On December 27, 1943, a decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet was signed "On Liquidation of the Kalmyk ASSR", and on the following day the operation "Uluses" was launched, which assumed forced resettling of the entire nation to remote localities of the country.

"December 28, 1943, is a tragic date in the history of our nation," says the appeal of the head of Kalmykia Alexei Orlov. "On this day of national mourning, we remember the victims of Stalin repressions and light up candles in memory of those who perished during the years of infernal trials."

In the morning a mourning rally was held in Elista in memory of deportation and repression victims. The event held near the monument by Ernst Neizvestny "Exodus and Return" was attended by about 3000 residents. Representatives of broad public and veterans' organizations, state bodies and citizens laid wreaths and flowers down to the memorial.

"To forget, forbid, never mention and not to pronounce this word - a Kalmyk - this was Stalin's order. Thousands perished from hunger, cold and humiliation. The Russian land from the Ural Mountains to Sakhalin is covered with nameless Kalmyk graves. Let us bow our heads in mournful silence and commemorate all our relatives, all those who stayed forever in foreign lands. Eternal Memory to all of them!" these words were pronounced today at the wreath-laying ceremony.

Funeral prayers were read in Buddhist and Orthodox churches.

"Over the years of exile we lost almost a third of our nation; the genetic pool of the nation was undermined; and it weakened further generations," said pensioner Sergey Manzhikov. "We forgot our mother tongue and almost lost our culture, traditions and customs. We suffered so much that it is still felt in every Kalmyk family."

In Elista, in the "Rodina" (Motherland) movie theatre, a theatrical performance was staged by the ensemble "Zulturgan", while the City Chess held a chess blitz tournament with participation of veterans from the North-Caucasian republics, whose nations were also subject to deportation.