Some dead people are more important than others.

On May 9^th 2015, the Russian Federation  will be celebrating the 70^th anniversary of the victory over fascism. A military parade is annually organized for the victory parade. Commemorating this victory goes beyond simply attending a formal ceremony, or a tank defile. Commemorating this victory is paying respect  for the 27 Million Soviet citizens who took part in the liberation of Europe, and who were subjected to the brutalities and massacres operated by fascist leaders. Attending this ceremony is more than just patriotism, it is a principle of human regard for the sacrifices many have endured.

The complete list of foreign leaders attending the ceremony is not known at this particular moment.  Yet, many leaders have made it clear not to attend the ceremony, among them German Chancellor Angela Merkel (who will only come to Moscow the following day), US President Barack Obama, British Prime Minister David Cameron. The refusal to attend is clearly linked to the Ukrainian civil conflict that started in Spring 2014, and the resulting sanctions imposed by the Western  major powers to Russia.

What is however concerning is the boycott itself of the ceremony, not the reasons. Indeed, if the West and Russia have been finding themselves back on a “Cold War” stance over the past 2 years, nothing should prevent any form of homage. If celebrations shouldn’t be used for political purposes, dead people shouldn’t either. But apparently, some dead people appear to be more important than others.

So much for the 27 Millions who died.  If today’s Europe (and World actually) is free from fascism, it is hard to blame those who accuse Western powers of supporting fascism.