Dominic Roszak, PitR 2008, Special Assistant to the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney
The unspeakably tragic death of the Polish President and numerous Polish leaders shocked the world. Some have called it tragically ironic, occurring near that 'cursed' place of Katyn. While it was and remains difficult for me to comprehend the scale of this disaster, I find myself hit with a deep sense of sorrow when reading about the vibrant lives that each of the victims had led. These were people whom Poles knew very well as being devoted to the service of their country; coming from all sides of the political spectrum and a wide range of positions of responsibility. Most of them were also proud parents. I cannot help but keep imagining in my mind the moment that the plane went down...the last thoughts in their minds and the despair felt by their families when they learned of the crash. It is a haunting thought.
In spite of the grief in the midst of this tragedy, I am nevertheless heartened by the response from the nations of the world. The solidarity expressed by even the most remote countries is a crutch that should help the people of Poland get through the darkest moment in its modern history. The most remarkable support has come from Russia, which offered genuine assistance and the utmost expressions of condolence - the image of Prime Ministers Tusk and Putin embracing at the site of the disaster was genuine and significant, regardless of the distrust many Poles have for Putin. The fact that Polish investigators were let into Russia without any issue should also not be overlooked. That Russian State TV transmitted Andrzej Wajda's 'Katyn' at prime-time is doubly significant and would not have been imaginable even a few years earlier.
The irony is that the confluence of these two catastrophic events in Polish history may yet serve to strengthen the ever-guarded relationship between Poland and its historical adversary, Russia. In any case, one thing is fairly certain: Katyn will now become an even more sacred place, and hopefully one that shall never again be ignored or subjected to revisionist history.
Poland will persevere, as it always does in times of great loss. This time, the loss was felt by the entire world and Poland can take comfort in knowing that it is not alone in its suffering.
Dominic Roszak
