Chechnya is today remembering victims of Stalin’s deportation

Chechens are today honouring the memory of those who died as a result of the deportation of the entire Chechen and Ingush population in 1944. Ceremonies have been taking place throughout the day in mosques and in all populated areas of Chechnya.

People mourn members of their families and close relatives. Following Muslim tradition, as well as prayers, they kill cattle and give the meat to poor families and orphans. In Grozny the mosques are full, with people gathering to share their sorrow.

There is virtually not a single family in Chechnya who did not lose relatives. According to Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic’s parliament Dukvakha Abdurakhmanov  “In 13 years of exile, around half a million people perished”.

He added that the leadership of the Republic planned to build a “huge memorial to victims of the Stalinist repressions” in Grozny by the end of this year.

On 23 February 1944 the deportation began of Chechens and Ingush to Central Asia and Siberia.