Moscow (AsiaNews) – A minute of silence for the Beslan victims was held today at 1:05 in the afternoon across the northern province of Ossetia. At that hour three years ago the first explosion rocked the no.1 school, followed by the Russian army assault against the Chechen terrorist barricaded into the building. The hostages kept for three days in the school gym, without water, food or being allowed to go to the toilet were about 1200. At least 331 people died in the attack, but still today numerous families are waiting for their loved ones who “disappeared” in the attack. At least 720 people were injured, 135 are now invalids.
Commemorating the sad event, 331 white balloons were set free, while loud speakers carried the names of those killed and bells were sounded. The Russian Orthodox bishop of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz, Feofan, celebrated a panichida (liturgical office in suffrage of the victims) in the school courtyard. Here over the three days thousands pf people came in pilgrimage, students, relatives, common citizens, few civil authorities. They brought flowers, candles and bottles of water because the Beslan hostages suffered thirst above and beyond all other difficulties. On the tumbled walls of the Gym the pictures of those who lost their lives were hung. The president of North Ossetia, Teimuraz Mamsurov and some Russian parliamentarians.
During the entire weekend prayers were held in Churches, Orthodox and Catholic, in commemoration of the victims for September 3 2004.
Open letter to Putin
Many doubts still surround Beslan, while public opinion is increasingly dubious regarding the results of the official investigation into events, which condemned only one man, the Chechen N. Kulaev and threw all responsibility at the feet of corrupt local officials. On September 1st the Committee for the “Beslan Mothers” held a demonstration in Moscow with over 300 people, accusing Putin’s administration of being responsible for the dramatic epilogue of the siege. In an open letter to the head of state the Mothers invited the president, in the last year of his mandate, to “visit Beslan and tell the truth”. The Mothers of Beslan maintain and are backed by eye witness accounts, that Russian security forces were the first to resort to tanks and flame throwers against the terrorists barricaded in the school, resulting in the massacre. The rebels, the exact number of whom remains unclear, were demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya.
However hopes of arriving at the truth are fading. The lawyer for the Mothers, Taimuraz Chedzhemov, announced the withdrawal of charges against some Russian officials a few days ago, after having received death threats.