Sunday, September 28, 2008

Congress calls for Lithuania to preserve Snipskes Jewish cemetery in Vilnius; Ron Paul casts the sole "NO" vote.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution calling upon the government of Lithuania to preserve the ancient Jewish cemetery of the Snipekes area of Vilnius. (For background, read here and here and here.) The resolution states that the cemetery, which came into existence in the 15th Century, is a sacred site which should remain undisturbed in perpetuity. Referring to prior Soviet desecration of a portion of the site, it states that although

construction of a commercial building on the site disgraces the cemetery, it does not change its status.


Referring to the work of an international team of scientists who have determined that the site currently threatened with development was an integral part of the original cemetery, the resolution calls upon Lithuania to

give serious consideration to the recommendations being prepared by the international experts group on the basis of the geophysical survey of the Jewish cemetery located in the Snipiskes area of Vilnius, Lithuania, and to take steps that guarantee the permanent preservation of the cemetery site, including the possibility of placing the land under government ownership.


After the initial findings of the experts, released over the summer, indicated that the disputed site was part of the cemetery, the Lithuanian government initially contested the findings of the experts, claiming that human remains found on the site had not been interred in the cemetery.

This resolution passed with 414 "aye" votes, 18 absent members, and only one vote of "nay". That vote was cast by Representative Ron Paul of Texas' 14th Congressional District.

The resolution now goes to either the Senate or to conference committee for final review before a Senate vote.

for more, see GovTrack: H. Con. Res. 255: Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the United States commitment to preservation of religious and cultural sites and condemning instances where sites are desecrated.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

everyone is unhappy, but why the American government who is ruled by jews are not cleaning own mess that is in their back yard. In the middle of the article you can see the pictures from the New York Accacia Jewish cemetery (title:foto.delfi.lt)http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/article.php?id=18737258

Anonymous said...

Congratulations to Ron Paul! More American politicians should tend to their own affairs and stop trying to rule other countries' affairs. And how audacious of them to assume they know so much about a piece of real estate in a far off country not their own? What forces have such undue influence over these malleable politicians?

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