Over one hundred people participated in a meeting in Nalchik “Mothers of KBR in protection of the citizen’s rights and freedoms”

On April, 21, non-governmental organization “Mothers of Kabardino-Balkaria in protection of the citizen’s rights and freedoms” held a meeting in Nalchik authorized by the municipal authorities. Over one hundred people gathered at the meeting. They demanded from the authorities to take steps to prevent escalation of violence in the republic.

During the meeting Valery Khatazhukov, Head of Human Rights Center of Kabardino-Balkaria, reported that in 2011, 180 people, both law enforcement personnel and gunmen, were killed in the republic.

“Everyone had children which means 400 orphans. Some of them will consider members of power ministries the party at fault for their orphanage, others will blame the gunmen. So, a foundation for a conflict is laid for decades in the future”, Khatazhukov declared.

Nafisat Begidova whose son Timur Begidov disappeared in autumn of 2010, Khaishat Emkueva whose two sons were killed, Larisa Zhaboeva, mother of killed Biaslan Zhaboev, Svetlana Afashagova whose son was killed in a special operation in 2011, mother of missing Baichekuev from Tyrnyauz, aunt of missing Georgy Nakani, and others spoke at the meeting.

A project of the resolution was read out during the meeting in which “Mothers of KBR in protection of the citizen’s rights and freedoms” appealed to the authorities of the republic, power-wielding structures of KBR and the Council for human rights with the President of the Russian Federation asking them to “pay attention to the situation in the republic of Kabardino-Balkaria which is more and more falling into a civil conflict”.

The authors of the document emphasize the necessity of taking urgent measures for recovery and securing legality of the activities of power-wielding structures in the republic which will help avoid escalation of violence and prevent great loss of life.

“We do not want our sons to be killed without trial”. This was a reply of Nafisat Kansoava, mother of Khasan Kansoav who is in federal search, to the question why she came to the meeting. She added that she would not be able to save her son but she did not want other people to follow his example. “We did not buy guns for them. We want justice”, the woman said.

Zhanna Ulbasheva whose son Shamil Ulbashev is in search considers that “the problem will become more and more grave until the community consolidates”.

“We wanted to integrate with the relatives of lost militiamen for we consider that all the events in the republic are our common grief but they told us that we were on the opposite side of the fence. But how can one build a fence if even members of the same family may be on the opposite sides of it?”, the woman asked.