Speech of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
N.Nazarbayev at the opening
Memorial to the victims of famine in 1932–1933
(From the collection of international scientific conference «Hunger in Kazakhstan: the tragedy of the people and the lessons of history», released by «Astana «publication house, 2012)
Dear people of Kazakhstan, dear guests!
These days IV Congress of leaders of world and traditional religions held in Astana. Nine years ago, during the first Congress, Kazakhstan was named the land of peace and harmony. One of the foundations of this agreement is unanimity in our perception of the eternal values of goodness, justice and peace.
Just unanimously we reject evil, violence and cruelty in our past.
Today, the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repression and hunger, we remember two tragic choice. This year marks 80 years since the beginning of mass hunger in our land. 75 years from the beginning of political repression.
Hunger was not only in Kazakhstan, but also in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In total 7 million people were killed. Among them 1.5 million were in Kazakhstan. We have gathered to commemorate the people’s memory and to open the monument «Asharshylyқ құrbandaryna eskertkіsh». Bolshevik collectivization was cruel experiment. It has destroyed the centuries-old village lifestyle. Foundations were undermined millennial nomadic civilization in our land. All this has led to the suffering of millions of people. Hunger and its horrific consequences become the largest humanitarian disaster of the Soviet period. Our people suffered enormous sacrifices. More than half a million people were killed from famine. More than six hundred thousand Kazakhs, fleeing famine and repression migrated beyond the historical Motherland. This is enduring, unforgettable pain of our people. It will remain forever in the hearts of Kazakhs in folk memory.
Monument «Monument to victims of famine» located in the right bank of Astana, at the intersection of Avenue of the Republic and of Abay.
Dear people of Kazakhstan!
In the understanding of history, we must be wise and avoid politicization of this topic. Cause of famine, mass deportations and death was brutal policy of the Soviet regime. The main culprit of repression is a brutal totalitarian system. At the same time, we must not forget about the other side of our common history. Despite all the difficulties, thanks to the hospitality of the Kazakh people all deportees in Kazakhstan gained new life. Their descendants today are our fellow citizens. Together we are building a strong, independent Kazakhstan on the way of peace and creation! And 20 years of successful independent development speak for themselves.
However, economic crisis is continues in today’s world. He develops into a crisis of social values. Many countries are mass redundancies. Slashed salaries and pensions, businesses are closed. Food shortage is growing, prices for other good sis rising.
Contrary to all this, Kazakhstan is developing steadily and consistently. We have overcome these crises. We are implementing a program of industrial development. Almost every half year in the country opened dozens of new businesses.
Over 2 years set about 100 thousand new jobs. According to the industrialization map to 2015 will be introduced more than 350 innovative facilities in manufacturing, agro-industry and infrastructure. In the coming years we will have built thousands of kilometers of new railways and modern highways. The program «Employment — 2020» we will provide decent work and a half million people of Kazakhstan. We conduct social modernization, raise the people’s welfare.
Our main goal is the welfare of all people of Kazakhstan. The foundation for all our achievements is peace and stability. This is the main condition for our success in the future!
Stability, peace, unity it is a reliable guarantee of prosperity and wealth, prosperity every Kazakhstani family. And we need to save them. It is necessary to remember and pass the edification of posterity.
May 31, 2012, Astana
Materials provided by the Institute of History of State CS MES RK
