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Chechens in Austria commemorate Deportation Day, protest war

By Tomas Vrsovsky

VIENNA - Chechens now living in Austria rallied on Saturday to commemorate their deportation in 1944 and to protest against the ongoing war in their homeland.

Over 200 people gathered in front of the Hofburg Congress Center in Vienna, where OSCE holds its meetings, and there they commemorated the tragedy the Soviet regime inflicted on them and other nations 62 years ago. They also called for an end to the ongoing conflict in Chechnya by reading appeals to the OSCE, EU, and the Council of Europe as well as by waving banners stating, "Stop the War in Chechnya", "Peace for Chechnya", "Peace Talks with President A.-K. Sadullayev", "Stop the Genocide in Chechnya", and "Stop the Killings in the Chechen Nation".

The event began at noon with a traditional prayer. Most of the speakers included representatives of the Chechen community in Austria (Khavash Bisayev, Vice-President of the European-Chechen Society), but there were also representatives of Austrian NGOs, who co-organized the event.

The participants eventually marched to the building of the Austrian Federal Chancellery where the two-hour event peacefully ended.

To see more photos from the rally click here.

(T/E)

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