“Lastelaager Eloras, Ontarios, eemaldas natsiohvitseride nimed ühelt oma mälestusmärgilt pärast kogukonnalt saadud negatiivset tagasisidet,” kirjutab Kanada uudiste-agntuur CBC News 1. augusti uudisloos.
Holokausti teavitusega tegelev organisatsioon Torontos Friends Of Simon Wiesenthal Center For Holocaust Studies leidis internetist Seedrioru lastelaagris asuva mõõkade mälestusmärgi foto, kus oli nelja Saksa sõjaväes teeninud eesti ohvitseri nimed. Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, organisatsiooni vanemdirektor poliitika alal kinnitas, et nad uurisid välja antud ohvitseride natsimineviku ja et Alfons Rebane, Harald Riipalu, Paul Maitla ja Harald Nugiseks kuulusid Waffen-SS ridadesse.
Pärast seda, kui Simon Wiesenthali Keskuse Sõbrad tegi internetis mälestusmärgi kohta postituse, hakkas Seedrioru lastelaager saama negatiivseid reaktsioone ja lugu jõudis kohalikku meediasse, kirjutab CBC News.
Lia Hess, Seedrioru lastelaagri juhatuse esimees kinnitas oma kommentaaris, et mälestusmärgi püstitasid 1980ndatel Eesti sõjaveteranid, kes 19040ndatel ja 1950ndatel põgenikena Kanadasse jõudsid.
“The Estonian and Jewish communities share a common hatred and disgust of all totalitarian and oppressive regimes,” kinnitas Hess artiklis, lisades, et “the Estonian summer camp does not now and has never honored Nazi collaborators and our children have never been indoctrinated into worshipping Nazi leaders as alleged.”
Eva Plach, ajaloo abiprofessor Wilfrid Laurier’i ülikoolis, kommenteeris, et kui mõõkade mälestusmärk avati, kuulus Eesti veel Nõukogude Liidu alla ning eestlased võitlesid oma iseseisvuse taastamise eest.
“What always needs to be remembered in this region is that kind of active military resistance to the Soviet Union often meant collaboration with Nazi Germany,” ütles Plach, seletades, kuidas Rebane ja Riipalu said natsiohvitseridena olla sõjakangelased eestlaste jaoks.
Jaime Kirzner-Roberts kinnitas, et nende organisatsioone eesmärk ei olnud nimesid mäletusmärgilt kustutada, vaid nemad soovisid algatada dialoogi antud teemal.
Allikas: https://tinyurl.com/2ewt2pta
EKN avaldus Seedrioru teemal
2. augustil tegi Eestlaste Kesknõukogu Kanadas (EKN) avalduse Seedrioru mälestusmärgi teemal
The Estonian Central Council in Canada (ECC) is deeply concerned about false and defamatory statements that numerous publications have reported in the past week about a monument at Seedrioru.
These statements regarding the nature and use of the monument located in shared space with an Estonian children’s camp in Elora, Ontario have caused undue stress and harm to the Estonian-Canadian community. It is reprehensible that disinformation and lies have been spread about innocent children and a community without an attempt to seek out the facts.
The Estonian Central Council in Canada rejects insinuations suggesting that the camp and camper activities are associated with any ideologies that are contrary to the values of respect, inclusion and historical accuracy. This camp is dedicated to fostering a positive and inclusive environment where children learn about their heritage culture and enjoy nature in a truthful and respectful manner.
ECC condemns all forms of totalitarianism and war crimes perpetrated by both the Nazi and Soviet regimes. The history of Estonia during World War II was tragic and complex. Estonians were caught up in a war they didn’t start or want, and had no control over, as tiny Estonia was run over first by the Soviet Red Army, then Nazi Germany and finally again by the Soviets, who illegally occupied the country for nearly 50 years.
Between 1998 and 2008, the Estonian government undertook a thorough investigation of Nazi and Soviet war crimes committed on Estonian soil and/or against Estonians during WW II. The findings of the International Commission for the Investigation of Crimes Against Humanity also known as the Max Jakobson Commission report are available at https://mnemosyne.ee/en/the-max-jakobson-commission/
Today, we live in an age of disinformation and hybrid warfare. Russian attacks against Estonia have only been increasing in intensity and frequency in recent years. Estonians living in the diaspora have not been spared from these attacks. The age-old propaganda used by the Soviets that all Estonians are Nazis is still in Putin’s toolbox. Russia takes any and every opportunity to accuse Estonians of being Nazis, just as they absurdly accuse the Jewish president of Ukraine of being a Nazi.
The Estonian Central Council in Canada strongly objects to the blatantly false statements about members of the Estonian-Canadian community and the ensuing harm that has been caused. ECC encourages open dialogue and honest communication to build understanding between and amongst the diverse communities that have built the strong Canada we live in today.
Contact: ECC Board of Directors [email protected]
