North Ossetia commemorates victims of Ossetian-Ingush conflict

Today, more than 1500 persons came to the memorial cemetery in Vladikavkaz to pay tribute to victims of the Ossetian-Ingush conflict.

"We should never forget what happened. I come here every year. I just venerate those who, in spite of everything, gave up their lives," said a resident of Vladikavkaz, Natalia, who asked not to mention her surname.

"I came to honour the memory of those who perished. My relatives were also involved in this conflict; thus, it is a special day for me. I strongly believe in one thing - mutual respect and understanding of people. If it were at the level that we understand each other perfectly, there would be no such interethnic conflicts," said David Khakhanov, a participant of memorial events.

Schoolchildren also came to commemorate the victims. "We were told at school about this conflict; and parents too, but we would like to know more about it. We'd like to listen to historians and eyewitnesses of the events," said Diana Avetisyan and Madina Tsukieva, 11th form pupils of School No. 42 of Vladikavkaz.

The subject of territorial disputes of Ingushetia and North Ossetia is in the Prigorodny District inhabited jointly by Ossetians and Ingushes. Before 1944 the district was part of Ingushetia, but then it was handed over to North Ossetia. In 1992, the struggle for the district grew into the Ossetian-Ingush armed conflict.