This year, on 25 March, we mark the 75th anniversary of the March deportations, when over 22,000 Estonians, mostly women and children, were removed from their homes and sent to Siberia and other remote locations in Russia under the brutal Soviet regime. Nearly 3 percent of the Estonian population was forcibly deported by the Soviets in 1949. 

The different nations of Belarus fared no better. Deportations in Belarus began as early as the 1930s and continued throughout the 1940s, targeting not only Belarusians but also ethnic Polish and Jewish minorities.

Overall, approximately 130,000 people were deported from Belarus to remote and often uninhabitable areas of the USSR during this period. True numbers are still unknown to us as KGB archives might be holding more information about the actual size of this tragedy.

This dark chapter in history, led by a totalitarian regime that labeled innocent citizens as "socially alien elements," is a reminder of the cruelty of dictatorships and the enduring human cost of oppression.

We stand united in our commitment to remembering the past and to honoring the memory of those who suffered and perished.

The Russian aggression against Ukraine and the widespread repressions of the Lukashenka regime in Belarus show that dictatorships do not change and will continue to implement inhumane policies. The Lukashenka regime has deprived its people of basic human rights and suppressed all opposition through intimidation and mass imprisonment. Thousands of people remain in jail for their political views or expressions.

Just as the Soviets forcibly moved Estonians to Siberia, today we are witnesses to Putin's Russia criminally abducting Ukrainian children. More than 20,000 cases of forcibly abducted children have been documented, though the actual number is likely in the hundreds of thousands. In the 21st century, the aggressor is deporting children en masse, robbing them of their childhood. The Lukashenka regime actively supports the deportations, with thousands of Ukrainian children being brought to the territory of Belarus. This evil must be fought and those responsible held accountable.

March 25 is also the anniversary of the proclamation of independence of the Belarusian People's Republic. In 1918, Belarusians declared to the world that Belarus was a free and independent country. Today, Belarusian independence is under threat by Russia, aided by the Lukashenka regime.

Democratic forces are marking this day as the International Day of Solidarity with Belarus and calling on the world to show solidarity with political prisoners and all Belarusians suffering under the regime's oppression.

As leaders committed to democracy and human rights, we believe that it is our shared duty to act decisively against today's dictatorships. The struggle for freedom in Belarus, the fight against Russian aggression in Ukraine, and the defense of democratic values are not isolated challenges—they are interconnected battles in the global fight for human dignity and liberty.

The commemoration of the March deportations in Estonia is an act of remembrance and a call to action. It is a reminder that the spirit of resistance against oppression, the pursuit of justice, and commitment to democracy must be relentless. Silence and inaction only embolden tyrants and perpetuate suffering.

Today, the people of Ukraine are actively defending us from the evils of despotism. Thousands of Belarusians have joined the fight against Russia in Ukraine because they understand that a victory for Ukraine is a victory for a free and democratic Belarus. Therefore, our commitment to Ukraine must be long-term and meaningful, just as for the soldiers defending the frontline of liberty.

We must support the oppressed, impose meaningful sanctions on those who violate human rights, and foster international cooperation to uphold democratic principles.

The legacy of the March deportations teaches us that the cost of freedom is eternal vigilance. Let us honor the memory of the victims by renewing our commitment to stand for freedom and support those defending it or repressed by undemocratic regimes.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!