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
At 11 years old, Michelito Lagrave is a veteran bullfighter, with more than a 160 kills to his name.
more »
20-year-old beauty queen Mariana Bridi da Costa by Saturday was dead.
more »
The 12-year-old is living rough in a UN school with his parents and nine siblings.
more »
The provincial elections will be the first to be organized by Iraq and held under Iraqi laws since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
more »
The three-day tattoo show - the first of its kind in Asia- is expected to draw about 5,000 people, as its showcases tattooists from about 25 countries around the world.
more »
The West Eastern Divan Orchestra is made up of 90 members from the Middle East.
more »
Joe the Plumber became a household name during the 2008 presidential campaign when Wurzelbacher questioned then-candidate Democrat Barack Obama about his tax policy.
more »
China's coldest city of Harbin played host to twenty-two couples getting married in sub-zero temperatures.
more »
Now in a global economic crisis, developers in Argentina are still promoting multi-million dollar, multi-polo-field properties as the cost-conscious alternative to traditional hot spots like Palm Beach.
more »
The ban on women entering the Iraqi Shi'ite shrine district of Khadimiya for the annual Ashura ritual is unprecedented.
more »