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Solovky Stone in Moscow in danger

22.02.2008    source: www.memo.ru
Plans to move the monument to victims of repression are unacceptable. "We are convinced that the Solovky Stone, like the Grave of the Unknown Soldier, are sacred places, demanding special respect"

Moscow “Memorial” has issued a strong protest against plans to move the Solovky Stone to make space for construction work. The Stone was brought from Solovky Labour Camp and is the central memorial to the victims of political repression in the USSR.

Their statement reads:

“Reports have appeared recently in the press of plans to temporarily relocate the Solovky Stone - the most well-known memorial to victims of political repression in Moscow and in Russia”.

Memorial explains that it learned of the planned construction work in December.  The area on Lubyanka Square would, as a result, be a construction site and a new location was planned on the territory of the square.

Memorial expressed firm opposition to this immediately and says that they found complete understanding from the Moscow Committee for Cultural Heritage and the Commission attached to the Moscow Government on reinstating the rights of those rehabilitated and victims of political repression.

“However at the present time the construction plans have not changed.

Nor has Memorial’s position. Despite assurances that the monument will only be transferred temporarily, we consider such treatment of the monument unacceptable. We are convinced that the Solovky Stone, like the Grave of the Unknown Soldier, are sacred places, demanding special respect.

The present situation is insulting for all those whose relatives or friends were victims of the communist regime.”

Memorial calls on the Moscow Government to find an alternative site for the metropolitan construction work.  If the work does nonetheless commence, then they call for guarantees that the Solovky Stone will be in place by September and that the territory around it will be brought into a state befitting such a monument.

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