Most of the world recognizes September 2, 1945 as the day World War II concluded. Following Victory Day in Europe that May, the conflict continued in Asia for four more months, until Japan formally surrendered.
In Russia, a plan to move the date has upset some activists. On Tuesday, the national parliament (State Duma) passed a law changing the final day of the Second World War to September 3. However, this coincides with another devastating tragedy - the Beslan School Massacre.
According to Chairman of the State Duma’s Defense Committee Vladimir Shamanov, moving the date matches the reality in the Soviet Union. On September 3, 1945, the USSR adopted a decree on the victory over Japan, and, in turn, awarded medals to thousands of people in commemoration. These awards are inscribed with the September 3 date.
On Thursday, the Russian Human Rights Council (HRC) asked the Federation Council, an upper branch of government, to reject the bill.
“The Presidential Council of the Russian Federation on [the] Development of Civil Society and Human Rights considers it unacceptable to set the celebration of the end of the Second World War as September 3 – the day of memory of victims of the act of terrorism in Beslan,” its website explained.
The terrorist attack in the southern city of Beslan came to an end on September 3, 2004, when Russian security forces stormed a school in which terrorists had taken over 1,000 people hostage. At the conclusion of the siege, 334 had died. The incident is still fresh in the memories of many Russians.
“In our opinion, the establishment’s decision of memorial dates should unite people, not divide them,” said Valery Fadeev, head of the HRC.
Andrei Klishas, the chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation, disagreed with the HRC. Klishas noted that September 3 was always the recognized date in the Soviet Union.
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