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President Ilves: the deportations – crimes against humanity – can never be forgotten

Pärja asetamine Vabadussõja võidusamba jalamile märtsiküüditamise ohvrite mälestuseks.
Placing a wreath at the War of Independence Victory Column to commemorate the victims of the March Deportation.
© Andres Putting, DelfiPressifoto

26.03.2010

President Ilves placed a wreath at an event yesterday in Freedom Square, Tallinn, to commemorate all of the victims of the deportations and their next of kin. President Toomas Hendrik Ilves placed a wreath at an event yesterday in Freedom Square, Tallinn, to commemorate all of the victims of the deportations and their next of kin.

“The impact of the deportations – crimes against humanity – will never cease. Like our memories of those who were taken away, who lost their homes, and many of whom also lost their lives,” said President Ilves.

“The deportations that were organised in Estonia in 1941 and 1949 underlined the fear the occupants felt for the desire for human freedom and also demonstrated the criminal nature of the occupation. Our duty is to remember and study our past as best we can, to know exactly how it all happened, and to understand explicitly what an occupation and a totalitarian regime mean.”


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