Rights defenders warn of danger to mythologize Ossetian-Ingush conflict

The consequences of the conflict have not yet been eliminated; it is simply "frozen"; and such tragedies give rise to myths on both sides, human rights defenders believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 30, the participants in the memory rally for the victims of the 1992 Ossetian-Ingush conflict, held in Nazran, expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that the floor was no given to conflict victims. Anonyms demanded from a former Ingush leader, Yunus-Bek Evkurov, to swear his non-involvement in killing Ingushes during the conflict. If he fails to do it before December 1, the Evkurovs' teip (family clan) will be under threat of blood feud.

Liza Barkinkhoeva, a former resident of Chermen, noted that during the tragedy, many Ossetians helped their Ingush neighbours to escape. "I know a case when an Ossetian, who was hiding an Ingush, was shot dead for that," the woman said.

The people, who had lost their relatives in those days, are seeking the recognition of them as victims, but meet authorities' opposition, Ms Barkinkhoeva has stated, treating the ongoing segregation to be a problem for the future of the two nations – for example, now in her village children are educated separately.

Despite authorities' efforts, the consequences of the 1992 events have not been overcome yet, Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Director of the Centre for Conflict Analysis and Prevention, believes.

"When blood is shed, especially on interethnic grounds, such wounds get healed for a very long time, especially if it happens among neighbours ... it's such a traumatic experience that it takes two or three generations to overcome it," she has explained.