crimes committed by totalitarian regimes - Ministrstvo za pravosodje

Crimes committed by totalitarian regimes
as did the prisoners of the Nazi concentration camps and ghettos. It is important to understand that there
is only one way to help them to feel better, which is to hear them out and to recognize their special
status. And most important thing is to tell the whole truth, to denominate everything by their real names:
occupation must be called occupation, a collaborator must be called collaborator, and a traitor must
be called a traitor. Just one example – several years ago when attempts were made to close the former
KGB archives, there was a great wave of society protests. The law had to be amended, and the archives
became available again for researchers and for all interested in the history of this period.
Therefore, the cornerstone of the national reconciliation is to evaluate the crimes of the totalitarian
communistic regime, brought about by the occupation, on political, legal and historical levels.
Over eighteen years of independence, the institutions which carry out fundamental research of the
processes that took place during the years of occupation, were established. They also run memorial and
educational projects. Based on historical research, several laws which define the status of the freedom
fighters, deportees and political prisoners, and the state’s support for them, have been adopted. There
are also laws on the responsibility for the genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
However, the situation is not so good at the legal level. It is increasingly more difficult to carry out
justice – every day we have less and less potential witnesses and potential criminals. Over those years
a legal action has been started in 213 cases of genocide and crimes against humanity, but only 17 of them
have been taken to court. Taking into consideration that about 50,000 persons collaborated with the
occupation regime, the numbers mentioned are inconsiderable. However, the numbers of those who will
be sentenced or imprisoned are not so important. The most important thing is that attempts are being
made to tell the truth.
I have heard the victims’ opinion that they do not demand revenge and that it is not difficult to
forgive. They ask for only one thing: the organizers, perpetrators and collaborators must admit their
fault and apologize for it. But no apologies have been made. Sometimes attempts are made to present
the issue as if the victims themselves were to be blame for everything. This issue can be characteristic of
all post-communist countries. Therefore historical and psychological research, not only on the national
level, is very important.
Today, after the first hearings on the experiences of the countries who suffered under totalitarian
regimes, it can be stated that there are many differences. However, there is at least one common thing:
every totalitarian regime is an evil. First it must be recognized. Then it would be possible to take the first
steps which are necessary to avoid such evil in the future. An institution at the European level, which
would coordinate research of the totalitarian regimes in various countries, generalize them and present
recommendations for the further actions and programs, should be established. In this way the motto
“one Europe – one history” would be more concrete.
It is hard to expect that quick solutions can be found after the discussions which have just started.
We realize that it’s a long process. But I believe that time will come when the international community
will realize the truth about the crimes committed against the people of Lithuania and other Baltic States.
And they must be evaluated as the Nazi crimes have been evaluated as well.
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