Vladikavkaz (AsiaNews) A Catholic priest based in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia's capital, began fundraising for Beslan victims. For Catholics Beslan comes within the jurisdiction of the capital's parish, the only one in this republic of the Russian federation.
Father Blaut, 48, came from Poland ten years ago with Ossetian-born Sergey Basiev, who heads the local branch of Caritas Internationalis. He has already been able to deliver the first boxes of medicines and other material to the victims. However, "there are still many adult and children with burns," the priest said, "and many people are going from one ward to another in hope to find relatives."
Father Blaut knows the Caucasus well for having served there for many years. He pointed out that the situation in the republic remains tense; interethnic clashes are still possible. "Almost every adult Ossetian male has a gun," he stated, "and people are afraid of a repeat of the 1992 bloody clashes along the border between North Ossetia and Ingushetia."
In a city like Vladikavkaz with a population of 350,000 people, only 30 people attend mass regularly, but, for Father Blaut, "the services provided by a priest are very important for them. They find spiritual support, especially those who suffered persecutions under the old Soviet regime."
Caritas Polska, the Polish branch of Caritas, has sent about a thousand schoolbags to Beslan pupils and is preparing to deliver medicines, vitamin, clothes and shoes to the people of the village. The charitable organisation has also raised about 150,000 złotys (around 50,000 or US,000). (AF)