The words were strong and the emotions were high as an international congress in Vilnius claimed that communists killed 100 million people throughout the world and appealed to the United Nations and all democratic countries to create a special tribunal fo
Published:
25 June 2000 y., Sunday
Witnesses from Lithuania, Bulgaria, Hungary and other Central European countries spoke about their personal suffering from communist repression. Lithu-anian lawyer Vytautas Zabiela said that the process would have only moral, not legal consequences. Lech Walesa, the former
president of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, attended the congress held June 12-14. He received the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting against the communist regime when he was the leader of the Polish independent Solidarity trade unions.
"More people were killed in peace time than during two world wars in this part of the world," Walesa said about communist terror.
The congress participants, victims of communist repression, politicians, political scientists and lawyers from 23 countries, said that Vilnius is a symbolic place for such an anti-communist forum. Lithuania lost one-third of its population during Soviet occupation because of killings,
deportations and forced emigration, said Povilas Jakucionis, chairman of the Lithuanian Political Prisoners and De-portees Union. This union and three similar Lithuanian organizations of victims of communism organized the congress.
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
'Play to Stop – Europe for climate' – a campaign giving young Europeans a chance to learn and talk about climate change and the environment.
more »
The Japanese city of Hiroshima held its annual peace memorial ceremony Thursday to remember the first atomic bomb ever used against human beings on the day 64 years ago.
more »
Surfers attacked by sharks - a typical summer headline, in some parts of the world. But really it's the sharks who need protecting - over a third of all shark species living in the open seas are threatened with extinction.
more »
Lottery fever is sweeping Italy ahead of Tuesday's night's record draw.
more »
The Sudanese women are protesting Lubna Hussein's sentence of 40 lashes for the crime of wearing trousers in public.
more »
On August 4–6 Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian members of the Baltic Battalion staff will exercise in the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion (Rukla, Jonava Distr.).
more »
Mobile exposition of needleworks of Afghan women, artefacts found by Lithuanian archaeologists in Ghowr and photo and video material produced by the Lithuanian-led PRT will be displayed in the major cities of Lithuania.
more »
The killing of two teenagers by a gunman who opened fire on a gay meeting in Tel Aviv has shocked many Israelis.
more »
Missing luggage still a big headache for passengers in Europe.
more »
As Europeans hit the beaches in large numbers this summer the risk of skin disease is present if people expose them to too much sun and don't use adequate protection.
more »