"Beslan Mothers" state authorities' intention to conceal proofs of Beslan terror act

In North Ossetia, members of the organization named "Beslan Mothers" assert that the repairs made in the Beslan School No. 1 will completely hide the traces of the terror act committed there in September 2004.

"Bazrov (Deputy Prime Minister of North Ossetia Valentin Bazrov, - note of the editor) assured us that the appearance of the building to be retained," said Aneta Gadieva, a member of the Association of Victims of Terror Acts "Beslan Mothers". "We think differently: they try to change the appearance of the school and hide the evidences of the incident in September 2004. They remove bullet traces from the walls; and they have already hidden the destruction from the side of Kominterna Street, from where tanks shelled the school canteen, and other reminders of the attack. All the works they do are explained by the need to meet safety regulations: without repairs the school may collapse."

Activists fear that "evidences will be completely destroyed." "We told Bazrov about it," Ms Gadieva continued. "He explained that there is a definite concept of school restoration. I think that the investigation is not over, and we'll succeed in lobbying, perhaps, the second investigation, or an international one; but we need facts. And we're afraid that they will be lost."

It is expected that in the end of the year North Ossetia will be visited by experts of the construction company "Knauff Kasse", which has developed the school conservation project. The victims are going to meet them. According to Gadieva, they had been assured that restoration will take place with their active participation.

Ella Kesaeva, head of the All-Russian Public Organization "Voice of Beslan", on the contrary, supports the project of school conservation. "They have convinced us that it's all OK from the construction viewpoint. We asked questions, and they gave us comprehensive answers," she said.

Journalist Murat Kaboev, author of the books "Rain Cried with Cold Tears" and "Fireball" about the investigation of the Beslan terror act, who was present at victims' meeting with Valentin Bazrov, Deputy Prime Minister of North Ossetia, and Khodov, Minister of Construction, said that the concerns of the victims are not groundless.

Mr Kaboev said that works in the school began about three months ago. "Many walls are in emergency condition. On the side of the canteen, where the conference hall is located, the wall was destroyed by tank shells in several places. This wall was completely restored, as if nothing had happened there; that is why people become angry," he said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.