01-23-2010, 08:14 PM
I figured I'd cut and paste the article here. These have a short lifespan on the news websites, proper credit given to the above website of course within the article.
Uzbekistan ignores WWII veterans
Uznews.net – Only four days after the Uzbek authorities dismantled the Soviet-era Defender of the Motherland monument the country’s main news agency, UzA, carried a report on WWII veterans entitled “Veterans are our pride” yesterday.
Based on impudence, lies, truth substitution and violence, President Islam Karimov’s present-day Uzbekistan has turned into a realisation of George Orwell’s fictitious country, described in his 1984 novel.
After cutting down century-old trees and demolishing an old building on Tashkent’s central Amir Temur Square, the authorities dismantled the monument to the Soviet army which was erected in 1973 in front of the Battle Glory Museum in Tashkent.
UzA said that WWII veterans were Uzbekistan’s pride and that its government was taking care about them and their rights.
However, the dismantling of the monument is the continuation of its policy to eradicate the heroic deeds of Uzbeks in the war. The veterans are almost forgotten in Uzbekistan and schoolchildren are not taught about them.
For example, patriotism textbooks mention epic hero Alpomysh, Hashim ibn Hakim nicknamed Mukanna, Avicenna and other historical figures, but not a single person out of 1.4 million people from Uzbekistan who fought in WWII. This was 60% of the country’s adult population then.
Over 400,000 of them died and 130,000 went missing. These books do not mention thousands of people from Uzbekistan who received Hero of the Soviet Union, Glory and other titles, medals and orders.
The books do not even mention soldiers who have died fighting terrorists during the years of Islam Karimov’s rule, but discuss in detail the lives of people who lived in ancient times and the Middle Ages.
While many people were indignant at the demolition of the monument, the opposition Birlik party supported the idea. Even though the monument was not devoted only to the Russian soldier, Birlik said that it had nothing to do with Uzbeks who were cannon fodder during the war.
During the war Uzbeks formed many divisions and battalions to fight all along frontlines. Birlik seem to regard many Uzbeks who heroically fought in the Brest Fortress, around Moscow or in the Battle of Stalingrad as cannon fodder. This is not true because if they had been cannon fodder, then nine Uzbeks who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad would not have received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and 2,738 would not have been awarded with the For the Defence of Stalingrad medals.
Cotton farmer Ahmedjan Shukurov distinguished himself fighting in the village of Zolotorevka in Russia was renamed Shukurovka. Uzbek writer Jura Sultanov died in Belarus and a Minsk street bears his name now.
Do Uzbekistan’s new patriots know that 1,706 Uzbeks were given For the Capture of Berlin medals and 2,430 received For the Capture of Budapest medals?
Birlik’s suggestion that Uzbeks had played no role in the Soviet Army’s victories is disrespect to dead Uzbek soldiers.
-Picture shown below "Defender of the Motherland" is taken from the above newsite
Uzbekistan ignores WWII veterans
Uznews.net – Only four days after the Uzbek authorities dismantled the Soviet-era Defender of the Motherland monument the country’s main news agency, UzA, carried a report on WWII veterans entitled “Veterans are our pride” yesterday.
Based on impudence, lies, truth substitution and violence, President Islam Karimov’s present-day Uzbekistan has turned into a realisation of George Orwell’s fictitious country, described in his 1984 novel.
After cutting down century-old trees and demolishing an old building on Tashkent’s central Amir Temur Square, the authorities dismantled the monument to the Soviet army which was erected in 1973 in front of the Battle Glory Museum in Tashkent.
UzA said that WWII veterans were Uzbekistan’s pride and that its government was taking care about them and their rights.
However, the dismantling of the monument is the continuation of its policy to eradicate the heroic deeds of Uzbeks in the war. The veterans are almost forgotten in Uzbekistan and schoolchildren are not taught about them.
For example, patriotism textbooks mention epic hero Alpomysh, Hashim ibn Hakim nicknamed Mukanna, Avicenna and other historical figures, but not a single person out of 1.4 million people from Uzbekistan who fought in WWII. This was 60% of the country’s adult population then.
Over 400,000 of them died and 130,000 went missing. These books do not mention thousands of people from Uzbekistan who received Hero of the Soviet Union, Glory and other titles, medals and orders.
The books do not even mention soldiers who have died fighting terrorists during the years of Islam Karimov’s rule, but discuss in detail the lives of people who lived in ancient times and the Middle Ages.
While many people were indignant at the demolition of the monument, the opposition Birlik party supported the idea. Even though the monument was not devoted only to the Russian soldier, Birlik said that it had nothing to do with Uzbeks who were cannon fodder during the war.
During the war Uzbeks formed many divisions and battalions to fight all along frontlines. Birlik seem to regard many Uzbeks who heroically fought in the Brest Fortress, around Moscow or in the Battle of Stalingrad as cannon fodder. This is not true because if they had been cannon fodder, then nine Uzbeks who fought in the Battle of Stalingrad would not have received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and 2,738 would not have been awarded with the For the Defence of Stalingrad medals.
Cotton farmer Ahmedjan Shukurov distinguished himself fighting in the village of Zolotorevka in Russia was renamed Shukurovka. Uzbek writer Jura Sultanov died in Belarus and a Minsk street bears his name now.
Do Uzbekistan’s new patriots know that 1,706 Uzbeks were given For the Capture of Berlin medals and 2,430 received For the Capture of Budapest medals?
Birlik’s suggestion that Uzbeks had played no role in the Soviet Army’s victories is disrespect to dead Uzbek soldiers.
-Picture shown below "Defender of the Motherland" is taken from the above newsite
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