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AFP. 25 December 2001. Communists gather to pay respects to Ceausescu. BUCHAREST -- Dozens of nostalgic communists gathered in homage near the tomb of former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu and his wife Elena, Tuesday, to commemorate their execution by firing squad 12 years ago. The mainly elderly crowd lit candles and placed wreaths at the spot in the Ghencea cemetery in the capital's western suburbs, where the two are buried. In cold weather with light snow falling, they eulogised Romania's former president who ruled the country for more than a quarter of a century before being toppled by a [so-called] popular uprising in 1989. "He (Ceausescu) fought so that the people would have better lives. Food was much cheaper in his time," an old woman said. Another praised the former leader's contribution to Romania. "Ceausescu was a great patriot. He was murdered," declared a man dressed in an elegant coat who drew plaudits from the crowd. On December 22, 1989, following days of clashes between protesters and forces loyal to the communist leader, the army deserted en bloc to the side of the protesters. The same day, Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu escaped in a helicopter from the roof of the Communist party central committee building in Bucharest. Three days later, on Christmas Day, Ceausescu's successor Ion Iliescu organised a lightning trial which resulted in the couple being shot by firing squad. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barry Stoller http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ProletarianNews ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
