 |
Ella KesaevaChairman of the public committee "Voice of Beslan".
Country:
 Russia |
Content:
- Ella Lazarevna Kesaeva: Tireless Advocate for the Beslan Victims
- The Beslan Tragedy and the Birth of "Mothers of Beslan"
- Rise to Leadership in "Voice of Beslan"
- Criticism of the Official Investigation
Ella Lazarevna Kesaeva: Tireless Advocate for the Beslan Victims
Early Life and FamilyElla Lazarevna Kesaeva was born in 1963 in the North Ossetian city of Beslan. She lived there with her family, engaging in small-scale commerce.
The Beslan Tragedy and the Birth of "Mothers of Beslan"
Kesaeva's life took a dramatic turn on September 1-3, 2004, when her daughter, Zarina, was held hostage and injured in the terrorist attack in Beslan. In the aftermath of the tragedy, she joined other relatives of former hostages in founding the public committee "Mothers of Beslan" on February 25, 2005. This organization aimed to promote an impartial investigation and support the victims of the attack. The committee was initially led by Susanna Dudiyeva.
Rise to Leadership in "Voice of Beslan"
On September 25, 2005, Kesaeva was appointed as the new chairwoman of the committee, replacing Dudiyeva. Media reports suggest that this change was prompted by Dudiyeva's association with psychic Grigori Grabovoi, who claimed to resurrect the children killed in the attack. To the committee members, these connections with Grabovoi, who faced accusations of fraud and sectarianism, could discredit the cause of the former hostages' relatives. Coinciding with Dudiyeva's departure, the "Mothers of Beslan" committee also adopted a new name: "Voice of Beslan." According to information on the website "PravdaBeslana.ru," this was done to open the committee to fathers of children killed in the attack.
Criticism of the Official Investigation
Kesaeva became a prominent critic of the official investigation conducted by the Prosecutor General's Office. She alleged that tanks and flamethrowers were used during the storming of the school while hostages were still inside. She also denounced the investigation for ignoring the testimonies of former hostages and treating the victims with disrespect.
