Victims of hunger and political repression are commemorated
Commemoration events are held in Kazakhstan for those who lost their lives due to the oppression and starvation policy implemented during Stalin's totalitarian regime.
In Kazakhstan, commemoration events are held for those who lost their lives due to the political pressure, exile and starvation policy implemented during the totalitarian regime of former Soviet Union leader Josef Stalin.
In Kazakhstan, which was a part of the Soviet Union until its independence in 1991, the victims of Stalin's totalitarian regime continue to be commemorated, on the other hand activities to acquit those accused at that time continue.
Since 1997, every year on May 31st, the "Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repression, Exile and Hunger" has been held in the country.
This year, a commemoration event was held in front of the monument erected to commemorate the hunger victims of 1932-1933 in the capital Nur Sultan, on the occasion of the day.
At the event attended by Kazakhstan President Kasım Cömert Tokayev, a wreath was laid in front of the monument and a minute's silence was observed.
In addition, Tokayev visited the Hazrat Sultan Mosque in the capital and had the Qur'an read in memory of those who lost their lives.
At the beginning of the 20th century, more than 5 million Kazakhs died of starvation in the country.
In the first half of the 20th century, Bolshevik Filip Goloshekin was appointed as the head of the second largest country in terms of area of the former Soviet Union, by order of Stalin. Goloshekin, who was appointed as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, started to implement the "Small October Revolution" policy in the country right after he took office.
Goloshekin took a new decision, taking advantage of the fact that most of the local people continued their lives with livestock in the villages. With the decision known as "Collectivization" in history and to accustom the Kazakhs to the settled life style, their livestock, which was the only source of livelihood of the middle class people as well as the wealthy peasants, was confiscated.
According to statistics, the number of cattle in Kazakhstan before Collectivization was 45 million, but within a few years this figure dropped to 4 million. This situation led to the "Great Hunger" events in 1930-1933.
During the famine period in the country, approximately 2.5 million of the total population of 6 million died. Thus, in the famines of 1918, 1921 and 1930s, more than 5 million Kazakhs lost their lives.
In 1937, Kazakh intellectuals were subjected to Stalin's punishing policy called "Red Terror".
More than 25,000 Kazakh intellectuals accused of being "nationalists" and "panturkists" were shot, and their wives and children were exiled to various camps.
Source: TRT Avaz
