Shavkat Mirziyoyev: If not for repression, they could have done great deeds

DNA News | August 31, 2020

On August 31, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Shahidlar Khotirasi (Memory of Victims) square.

Surahs from the Quran were recited in memory of the victims of repression. A conversation took place with representatives of the older generation, the religious sphere and the creative intelligentsia.

“Remembrance of patriots, reciting the Quran in memory of them is a good tradition. We know that our enlightened ancestors fought for the independence, freedom of our people. In recent years, through the efforts of our entire community, a lot of work has been carried out to restore their good name, replenish museums and organize creative schools. All this is done in order to bring historical justice and truth to people, so that our people know and never forget about the past, appreciate the present peaceful life”, said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

As is known, thousands of our innocent compatriots were subjected to repression during the totalitarian regime. In 1937-1953, 100 thousand people were repressed in Uzbekistan, 13 thousand were mercilessly shot. Many families were destroyed and children were left orphans. In 1937-1938 alone, when the repression acquired the widest scale, about 7 thousand of our fellow citizens were shot.

“These people were real leaders, leading representatives of the intelligentsia, the best writers and cultural figures – in a word, the color of our nation. Imagine what great deeds they would have done in the name of development of the Motherland, science, economy, culture and literature, what a breakthrough our people would have made if they had not been repressed! Today we remember this loss with sorrow”, the President said.

The Head of the state instructed to conduct research on each of the 100 thousand repressed, find out their history by meeting with their relatives, publish books about their activities, perpetuate their memory, naming mahallas and schools after them.

In recent years, monuments and museums have been created in honor of such enlighteners as Iskhokhon Ibrat, Mahmudkhoja Behbudi, Abdulla Avloni, Abdulhamid Chulpan, Abdulla Qadiri. Creativity schools are organized. Branches of the Museum of Memory of Repression Victims have been opened in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and all regions. New books are being written, films are being shot, and research is being conducted on victims of repression.

The coronavirus pandemic has not spared Uzbekistan either. Unfortunately, this disease claimed the lives of more than three hundred of our compatriots.

During the ceremony, surahs from the Quran were recited in memory of those who died from the disease. A prayer was read wishing a speedy recovery to the infected.

“I express my deep condolences, I wish strength and patience to all families who have lost their loved ones. I ask the Almighty for the healing of the sick. We have been fighting this scourge for six months now. We pray that this virus quickly disappeared from our country”, the Head of the state said.