Human rights activists doubt whether the parliamentary commission has studied all reasons for tragedy in Beslan

The "Caucasian Knot" editorial office has received an open letter from representatives of human rights organization, devoted to the investigation of circumstances of the tragedy in Beslan.

"It is expected that late in June or early in July the parliamentary commission on the investigation of reasons and circumstances of the terrorist act in Beslan will officially submit its report," the letter runs.

"From our point of view, it is impossible to understand the reasons of the Beslan tragedy without a serious analysis of the reasons why underground terrorism has strengthened and rooted in a number of regions of the North Caucasus. We are convinced that one of the main reasons is mass violations of human rights. In the course of the recent years, international and Russian human rights organizations have been warning that inhuman actions of the federal forces in Chechnya are dangerous for every citizen of Russia. The human rights organizations have repeatedly stated that the policy of the Russian leadership in North Caucasus has fostered strengthening of the position of extremists who are prepared for any terrorist acts. To avoid the discussion of these aspects in elucidating the reasons that caused the Beslan tragedy would be a grave mistake.

In the light of the aforementioned, on December 6, 2005, half a year ago, we submitted a letter (attached herewith) to the chairperson of the parliamentary commission and its members representing parliamentary factions in the commission. In the letter we ask to be questioned at a commission sitting. Along with the letter, we submitted to the commission our "Brief survey of the human rights situation within the zone of anti-terrorist operation in North Caucasus" and the publications of the "Memorial" human rights centre "A conveyer of violence. Human rights violations in the course of anti-terrorist operation in the Republic of Ingushetia" (placed at the address http://www.memo.ru/hr/hotpoints/N-Caucas/konnas/index.htm). We also suggested that we could submit a lot of other materials on the topic.

We know that the letter has been considered at a sitting of the commission but within the half year the commission has not found time or did not find it necessary to make use of our proposal.
We are entitled to ask this question: has the parliamentary commission tried to seriously analyze the complicated set of problems which resulted in the Beslan tragedy?" highlights the letter.

The document signed by:
Oleg Petrovich Orlov, chairman of the board, "Memorial" human rights centre;
Alexander Vladimirovich Cherkasov, member of the board, "Memorial" human rights centre;
Natiana Iosifovna Lokshina, chairperson of "Demos" centre;
Liudmila Mikhailovna Alexeyeva, chairperson of Moscow Helsinki Group;
Svetlana Alexeyevna Gannushkina, chairperson of "Civil Assistance" committee.