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EP display on Romany Holocaust to help remove pig farm from Lety
Brussels, 19. 4. 2005,
21:19 (CTK)
 A photographic exhibition marking
the Romany genocide in Lety, south Bohemia, during World War Two
was opened in the EP seat in Brussels and it should help remove a
pig farm from the former concentration camp in Lety, MEP Milan
Horacek (German Green Party) told CTK today.
"It is unacceptable to have a pig farm in the place where
people suffered," said Horacek, one of the display organisers, at
today's festive opening of the exhibition titled "Lety near Pisek
- the Story of Concealed Genocide."
Horacek stressed that in his opinion the removal of the pig
farm from Lety has become a matter of European interest.
Something similar could not happen in France, Germany or Poland,
for instance, he added.
The exhibition was prepared by journalist Markus Pape in
cooperation with Horacek and the Committee for Compensation of
the Romany Holocaust Victims.
In June, the exhibition will be opened in the premises of the
Czech Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
Representatives of the Romany community in the Czech Republic
turned over the pig farm in Lety to President Vaclav Klaus, the
Czech Parliament, as well as international institutions, NGOs,
churches and the public at the beginning of April and demanded to
remove the large pig farm from Lety, which they said is
disgracing the place of many people's sufferings and death during
World War Two.
In 1995, then Czech President Vaclav Havel unveiled a
memorial in Lety.
Romany community representatives say that at least a barrier
should divide the pig farm from the memorial to prevent the
unpleasant smell from spreading and that the access road to Lety
should be adjusted too.
According to historical documents, a total of 326 people,
about half of whom were children, perished in Lety during the
war.
Romanies have called for closing the pig farm for a long time,
but so far without success. In 2000, a memorial to the victims
from the Lety concentration camp was unveiled at the cemetery in
nearby Mirovice.
CTK |
