Refusing To Forget About Dark Events Chechen Separatists Attack Russian Schools, Killing Hundreds Of Children

Victims of school assault in Beslan, Russia (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Russian citizens, especially Beslan, will probably never forget the events that happened today, September 1, 16 years ago, to be precise in 2004. That day was one of the bloodiest events. This is because a group of separatists from Chechnya took thousands of people hostage at a school in Beslan. As a result of that incident, hundreds of people died. What is the reason?

It is the first day of the new school year for millions of Russian students. The first day of school is usually a day of celebration at school which is attended by parents and students. Nearly 340 people, half of them children, died in the ordeal that lasted the next three days.

Launching History, Tuesday 1 September, the separatists stormed the school at 9:30 a.m., right after the ceremony for the new school year ended. The separatists are demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from the nearby disputed territory of Chechnya.

They initially held more than 1,000 hostages, although some were released that day. The hostages were then gathered at the school sports center building.

The hostages are surrounded by mines and bombs to keep them from escaping. The rebels put children along the windows to keep Russian authorities from storming the building. They also randomly fired guns to intimidate the hostages.

The gym was unable to hold many people, causing the temperature in the area to increase and causing shortness of breath. The hostages were then almost naked to stay cool.

In addition, the hostages refused to give permission to those who wanted to give the hostages food or drink. Some of the hostages were forced to drink their own urine to avoid dehydration in the hot buildings.

On the morning of September 3, the rebels allowed Russian emergency workers in to retrieve the bodies of those who had been killed in their initial attack on the school. After that, two bombs at the sports center accidentally exploded, causing the roof of the building to collapse.

In the ensuing chaos, several hostages fled. When the separatists started shooting children, Russian special forces immediately stormed the school.

Paralyzed

Over the next several hours, Russian troops managed to take over the building. Russian troops almost succeeded in killing all the separatists, except for one person. Rescue workers found hundreds of bodies in the burning rubble of the former school sports hall. More than 700 others were injured.

Many mothers of those killed have long argued that the authorities should do more to save their children. Over the years, mothers have pushed the parties concerned to be held accountable. Until now, no one in Russia has been held accountable.

The school is located in Beslan, North Ossetia, near Chechnya in Russia's war-torn North Caucasus region. North Ossetia's inhabitants are predominantly Christian and have strong ties to Russia.

Chechnya, on the other hand, is largely Muslim. Chechen separatists demanded their freedom from Russia immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. They increasingly turned to terrorist tactics to continue their struggle.

Chechnya is so important to the Russian economy because of several oil and gas pipelines that pass through the Chechen region. It is estimated that at least 200,000 people have died in the ongoing Chechen-Russian conflict.