Three statements on the horror in Beslan posted by Richard Seymour

Dear brothers! Fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters of the children and adults, who were killed and injured during these tragic days. On behalf of the Chechen people and myself, I pesonally express to you our deep condolences and sympathy.

For understandable reasons, neither I nor my official representatives are able, to our great regret, to come to fraternal Ossetia in order to participate in the mourning ceremonies and to visit the injured. I have no doubts that you feel our solidarity and support. May the Most High give you patience and courage in this sorrowful hour!

As you know, the Chechen people itself has been living through an unprecedented tragedy for ten years. The murder of children is the most pathological thing we know of. We strongly regret that the echo of the inhuman anti-Chechen war has reached fraternal Ossetia in such tragic ways.

There cannot be any justification for people who raise their hand against what is most sacred to us — the life of defenseless children! And there are no words able to express the full depth of our indignation at what happened.

Indeed, this action is criminal. There is no and there can be no justification of such action. Also there is no and there can be no justification of the actions of federal troops in Chechnya. I do not want to debate about the moral aspect of this event – a lot has been said in this respect. More will be said.

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Do Chechens conduct a just struggle? Yes, but not in the seized school number 1 in the town of Beslan, behind children, their parents and teachers.

"In general, we need to admit that we did not show an understanding of the complexities and dangers of the processes occurring in our own country and in the world," Mr Putin added in the sombre address.

"In any case, we couldn't adequately react. We showed weakness, and weak people are beaten."