22:33, 5 March 2007

Kabardino-Balkaria marks the mourning day of Balkarians for the last time

This is the last time in Kabardino-Balkaria when on March 8 the Balkarian people will mark the mourning day in remembrance of their deportation in 1943 from their homeland to Middle Asia. General Sufyan Beppayev, head of the "Alan" public organization of the Balkar nation, made this decision public yesterday at the sitting of the Board of the organization.

The General explained that "there is no sense to speak about the tragedy every year now, 63 years after." "We must keep the memory," Mr. Bappayev said, "but we shall have no more mourning events." Instead, the Balkarian people will celebrate March 23 - the Revival Day of the Balkarian nation, which will become the national holiday.

Sufyan Beppayev named two more reasons why, to his mind, it is not worth holding mourning events on March 8. Firstly, coincidence with the International Women's Day, and secondly, the memorial to the victims of repressions against Balkarian people, where the events are usually held, is now the burial place of Kyazim Mechiev, the founder of Balkarian literature.

Author: Luiza Orazayeva, CK correspondent