BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

13/11/2006

War memorial vandalized in Minsk

MINSK, November 13 (Itar-Tass) -- A World War II memorial Yama (hole) built on the site of former Minks Ghetto has been vandalized.

A source from the Union of Jewish public organizations and communities in Belarus told Tass on Monday that unknown vandals painted white Nazi swastika on an obelisk and poured white paint onto a sculptural composition.

There were leaflets scattered on the site containing threats to people of Jewish nationality and supporters of liberal democrats. The leaflets were signed by Belaya Rusj (White Russia) organization earlier unknown in Belarus.

It was another act of vandalism staged at the WWII war memorial. In a previous incident in 2003 similar swastika and threats to Jews were painted on elements of the memorial complex.

The Yama memorial complex was built in 1946 to commemorate dozens of thousands of Jews who were killed by Nazis at the Minsk Ghetto during World War II. The memorial complex was reconstructed in 2000.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=10977000&PageNum=0