PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA EXTENDS APOLOGIES TO FAMILIES AND RELATIVES OF VICTIMS OF POLITICAL REPRESSION
President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin Battulga apologized on behalf of the Government of Mongolia and bowed down to the families, friends and relatives of the political repression victims. Respect is paid to the memory of the repressed on September 10 of each year. This year marks the 80th year since the political repression started and took thousands of lives of the people who had been condemned for false political crimes. On the occasion, President of Mongolia Kh.Battulga, Speaker of the State Great Khural M.Enkhbold, Chairman of the State Commission on Rehabilitation Ya.Sanjmyatav along with some members of the parliament and citizens who wanted to honor the repressed laid flower wreaths in front of the Monument for the Victims of Political Repression. After laying wreaths, President Battulga gave a speech extending sincere apologies to families and relatives of the politically repressed on behalf of the Government of Mongolia.
He said, “Dear Mongolians, politicians, leaders of political parties, ladies and gentlemen,
We are here to remember the dark days that happened 80 years ago and about which we must not forget, honor the memory of the political repression victims, immortalize the uneasy lessons and reflect on the importance of strengthening the state’s immunity to anything that might harm human rights and freedom”.
Statistical documents prepared by the State Commission on Rehabilitation reveal some heart-breaking numbers. Within the two years between 1937 and 1939, the institute called the Special Commission with Full Rights falsely charged 25 thousand and 824 people for political crimes and the court sentenced 20 thousand of them to execution by shooting. 14 thousand out of the total of about 17 thousand accused Buddhist practitioners were executed. This is a number that cannot be tolerated by any Mongolian. It is the number that expresses the damage the political repression has done to our traditions, way of thinking, memory of the nation and patriotism”, noted President Battulga.
“Political repression is cruelty, which cannot be repeated by any government ever again, and is an attempt to destroy the national immunity and core values”, he went on.
Therefore, he said, “I apologize to you, families and relatives of the victims of political repression, as the head of state and on behalf of the state”.
“May our next generations never forget! Nothing can compensate for the losses that have befallen upon you. This was a major loss for the nation itself”.
“May they rest in peace. May human rights and freedom thrive in Mongolia from generation to generation”, the President of Mongolia concluded his speech.