Four poles and bell: 'official' monument erected in Kurapaty

A monument to the victims of Stalin-era executions today was erected in Kurapaty. The monument, ordered by the pro-governmental Federation of Trade Unions, is perceived as an 'official' memorial. It cosists of four poles connected with a cross-resembling structure and a bell in-between. A huge stone which marked the location of the future monument has remained there since the times of Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic in the late 1980s.

The final touches will have been complete by 15 November. The date of an official unveiling ceremony is yet to be set.

The activists involved in the memorization of the repression victims, have received the monument with mixed feelings. Some commend the government for the initiative. Others insist a memorial in Kurapaty should look differently. Furthermore, the workers continue to demand that activists remove the wooden crosses on the path leading to the memorial from the site.