Evgeny Kuznetsov, International Federation, Moscow and Margarita Plotnikova, International Federation, Budapest
Red Cross workers and volunteers continue to deliver vital support to the remaining families displaced from South Ossetia. The International Federation released 250,000 Swiss francs (EUR 153,000/USD 238,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support Red Cross psychological programmes for displaced children and their families.
“I hate war,” says Inga, 58, who is from Tskhenvali, as she sits on her bed, in a former rest-home in Alagir, North Ossetia. “In 1992 I was able to save my two sons during the first war. I raised them alone during these difficult years only to see my eldest son die in this war. The war has deprived me of what is most precious to me. How long will this continue?” she moans, hunched up with grief.
This accommodation centre for refugees is almost empty now. Most of the 30,000 people who fled to Russia during the crisis in South Ossetia last August have returned to whatever remains of their homes in Tskhenvali and the neighbouring villages. Some 2,800 South Ossetians are living with relatives or friends in Russia and others are in hospital.
In the Vladikavkaz central children’s hospital, Albina Dudaeva takes out her mobile phone and shows the photos of her apartment burnt to ashes during the bombing. She holds back her emotions to avoid waking up her baby daughter Amaga. She does not want to talk, and only monotonously repeats one phrase: “There is no place to return to.”
In the ward next door, Marina Besaeva recalls the events of 8 August 2008. “The night the bombing started, we feared no one would survive and we put our lives in danger to save the children. It was like being in hell, I cannot forget it,” she says. Together with hundreds of other people, she managed to escape after spending three long days in a basement. She is now in the children’s hospital with her two-year-old son Barsag, who is being treated for bronchitis. Their house has been destroyed, but Marina is determined to return home once Barsag feels better.
“Most people are in a hurry to return to South Ossetia in fear they will not be registered and will not have the right to a dwelling to replace the one destroyed in the fighting,” explains Irina Kusova, chairlady of the Russian Red Cross branch in North Ossetia.
Almost every day, Red Cross workers and volunteers deliver support to the remaining displaced families. “We continue to collect and distribute donations for the people who are still in North Ossetia,” Irina says. “Conditions in accommodation centres were very poor and people tried to settle down with relatives who fled South Ossetia in 1992 and who are living in miserable conditions themselves,” she says.
Starting life anew
The Russian Red Cross raised over 3 million rubles (EUR 82,000/USD 120,000) for South Ossetia and the International Federation released 250,000 Swiss francs (EUR 153,000/USD 238,000) from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support immediate Red Cross assistance for up to 10,000 beneficiaries. Its main goal is to minimize the psychological effects of the war among displaced children and their families. Overall coordination of the operation is handled by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
“To be with people and help them come to terms with their emotions is important in the first days after the tragedy,” explains Viktoria Tibilova, Russian Red Cross psychologist from Beslan. “But now more work is required to restore people’s faith in the future, in other people and to help them find basic resources to live on, both external and internal,” she adds.
Sixteen-year-old Zarina Ikaeva is from Tskhenvali. “Every night images of war, death and destruction keep running in my head. I do not know if I will be able to ever forget this,” she says. “It was a horrible and a very cruel experience for those who were eye witnesses to these events,” comments Victoria Tibilova. “My thoughts are often in South Ossetia where thousands of people have to start their life anew without documents, without possessions, with homes destroyed, relatives lost and with a vague picture of the future. They need our help.”