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Tears in Beslan

Around the Black Sea (2010),Russia | July 27, 2010 / by: Anna Alboth

Very soon it will be 6 years when Beslan massacre took place. But in destroyed school building people are still crying.

When we saw on the map that Beslan is on our way to Georgia we were sure to visit the school about which was so loud in 2004.
Everything started on the first day of school: 1st September 2004 in School Number One in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia. For three long days hostage-taking of over 1,100 people (including almost 800 children) was going on. All the massacre ended in the deaths of over 300.

After 6 years there is still so many question marks. Much more than known, sure facts. Who exactly were the terrorists, what exactly did they want? How many people were inside, how many run away, how many survived? Who did which mistakes during the crisis? Many councils and commissions were created to find the answers, in Beslan, Ossetia, Russia, on international level.

Group of armed terrorists were reported to have made the different demands (about Chechen War, independence of Chechnya, issues with Ingushetia). On the third day of the massacre Russian security forces stormed the building, explosions shook the school, were followed by the fire and big big chaos. Ultimately, at least 334 hostages were killed, including 186 children, hundreds more were injured and many were reported missing.

I don’t remember to be in the place which made stronger impression on me than school in Beslan. Destroyed gym, where you can still hear cry and scream. Gym full of photos of faces (mostly kids) which were killed, toys, flowers. It should have been their first, happy day in school.

Men and women, even youngsters in sport clothes – during this 2010 summer afternoon – are still crying there.At the cemetery where big monument: tree of angels, is standing we met a man who lost in one day his wife, daughter, son-in-low and two grandchildren.

So hard to try to be journalist in such a moment.

Text by: Anna Alboth
Tags: / Beslan, Hostage, North-Ossetia, Russia, School, Terror