ynez

ponedjeljak, 23.10.2006.

4th Anniversary of Moscow theatre hostage crisis

THE SIEGE

On this day, four years ago a siege began that would last for two days and a half, and end with 129 bodies. As the people were watching act II of musical called Nord-Ost in the crowded Moscow theatre, 40 armed men and women stormed the theatre and took everyone present hostage, both audience and performers. The siege started around 9 PM. 1
The police was called after a small group of performers that were resting backstage escaped through an opened window. According to the police, the gunmen had identified themselves as memebers of the 29th Division of the Chechen Army. The leader of the group was Movsar Barajev, a nephew of a slain Chechen military leader. They took over 1000 people hostage and demanded the witthdrawal of Russian forces from Chechnya. They had also brought two massive bombs, and they forced their hostages to place them among the seats. Everything that was going on in the theatre was caught on security cameras.
Some of the hostages had their cellphones with them so they used them to call their families and explain them the situation, I'm not sure if they talked to the police directly, maybe they did. In those conversations they revealed where the 'terrorists' had placed those two massive bombs (one was in the center of the theatre and the other one on the balcony), and that Chechen women had explosives straped to their bodies.

Over the course of the first day, Chechen 'terrorists' released Muslim members of the audience, as well as some children and a man with a heart-condition. In total they have released about 200 women, children and Muslims. The 'terrorists' killed two people in those couple of days of the siege, one woman that 'somehow' passed the police and special forces that were guarding the building. As she walked right in, she started yelling at the Chechens as the hostages/witnesses say, so they pushed her outside of the auditorium where the hostages were and killed her. Some say they only heard two or three shots, but the police says five were actually fired. On the second day, a man entered the theatre telling the 'terrorists' his son is in there, but when his son didn't seem to be present they killed him as well. Chechens said those two in fact were undercover agents that were sent in to scout the situation. I believe that might be correct, because you see, the building was heavily guarded so how can you believe that those two spectators/bystanders just walked right in? And the man said his son was in there but he couldn't have been found? If he was there don't you think he would answer back? Those questions are nothing comparing to some other you will see reading my article.

VIDEOTAPED STATEMENT

' Every nation has the right to their fate. Russia has taken away this right from the Chechens and today we want to reclaim these rights, which Allah has given us, in the same way he has given it to other nations. Allah has given us the right of freedom and the right to choose our destiny. And the Russian occupiers have flooded our land with our children's blood. And we have longed for a just solution. People are unaware of the innocent who are dying in Chechnya: the sheikhs, the women, the children and the weak ones. And therefore, we have chosen this approach. This approach is for the freedom of the Chechen people and there is no difference in where we die, and therefore we have decided to die here, in Moscow. And we will take with us the lives of hundreds of sinners. If we die, others will come and follow us—our brothers and sisters who are willing to sacrifice their lives, in Allah's way, to liberate their nation. Our nationalists have died but people have said that they, the nationalists, are terrorists and criminals. But the truth is Russia is the true criminal.' 2
Doesn't this seem right? 'Every nation has the right to their fate' – I agree with that sentence, don't you? They are in the same sitation just like the Palestinians. Both live on the land yearning to be recognised by the World, the World that closes their eyes to their suffering. So why are we so shocked when we see individuals take matters in their own hands, in ways such as these? No one is listening to them. They have no option, no rights, they are tired of talking when nobody is listening, at least those that should. We witnesed how authorities get rid of people that speak the truth, especially in Russia. Few weeks ago they killed a Russian journalist Ana Politkovskaya for trying to show the real truth to her own people. They stopped her, but they will NEVER STOP PEOPLE LIKE HER THAT ONLY CARE FOR TRUTH AND THE PEOPLE. In Russia and in the rest of the world if someone on top isn't 'happy' with what you're writing they will just hire a killer to get rid of you and stop you. They will never silence us!
To get back to the subject, Chechen 'terrorists' wanted someone to hear them, and they thought this was the only way, a very wrong way. They wanted Russian army out of Chechnia. Was that too much to ask? Why won't Russians let them have their country? Its not like they will miss that small part of the land, but I think it is to show who is the boss, because if they let Chechens have their country other parts of the Russia might start thinking of separating from Russian Empire – God Forbid, and where would that whole Russian Empire be then? On every one or two killed Chechen 'terrorists' comes another three or four trying to revenge their death. 3 When will all this stop? Will it ever?

THE RESCUE OPERATION

The Rescue Operation began early Saturday morning, 5,30 AM by Russia's Osnaz (special forces) from the FSB (Federal Security Service), while the most of the hostages were asleep. First they pumped in a misterious 'knockout' gas through the air conditioning system, and let the gas to start working. Some of the hostages said they were woken up by the sound of hissing. After that, Chechens realised that something was going on so they panicked. They went to the entery hall of the theatre, broke some windows and started to shoot at Russians. Russians didn't attack yet, because they knew Chechen women were with the explosives and bombs among the hostages, so if they attacked, Chechen women would blew up the building. After twenty minutes of waiting, one hostage got out of the theatre and that was the proof that the gas didn't knocked everybody out, so the Russians kept waiting.
At 6,25 AM, an hour later, the special forces raided the building. When they got to the auditorium, they immediately killed knocked out Chechen women from up close. They said they couldn't risk them waking and activating the bombs. In the store room upstairs, they caught Movsar Barajev so they killed him. Not a single soldier was hurt and not one of the hostages had found themselves between the cross fire. In the building nearby, anxious relatives and family members were told the 'good' news. As the day moved on, the death toll rose relentlesly. Russian 'victory' was turned into tragedy. 129 hostages died, their families demanded to know why. Despite the death toll, the authorities said the operation was a 'great success'. They had a surprising explanation for the tragedy; they said it had nothing to do with their misterious gas. The officials said that 129 people died because they already had life threatening diseases, but nobody believed it, least of all the parents that lost their young children. I mean, wouldn't the parents know if their child had some sort of 'life threatening disease'? Come on.

THE AFTERMATH

As some news reports on the siege and the gas had speculated that Russians used a nerve gas, which is forbidden by the International Law, the Authorities tried to stop all kinds of speculations so they said they used the supstance based on derivatives of fentanyl (it is a common pain killer, something like morphium only stronger). A small dose of fentanyl is used for a pain relief, a large dose will make you faint. There is only one flaw – fentanyl can make you stop breathing, but there is also an antidote called Neloxone that cancels all the effects.
Special forces were recorded injecting Neloxone to the hostages, and it seemed it worked, so why did so many people die? One possible answer might lie in rescue operation. Once the soldiers secured the building, rescue teams rushed to help, but nobody told them in advance that the gas was used. So, because they haven't been warned, they haven't brought enough Neloxone. Just 17 doctors confronted hundreds that were unconcious. They were forced to call the troops to help them evacuate. Soldiers, unexperienced with first aid dragged people out and laid them on their backs, where they could have easily choked.
I don't know how it is there, but here we learn first aid in our elemetaries, not to mention you need to pass it if you want your drivers license, so I would say those are just basics. You NEVER lay somsone who is unconcious on their back, because they might choke! Their tongue loosens and might block the air flow. People were dumped on crowds, it was impossible to see who had gotten the antidote and who didn't, so someone might have gotten two injections, and someone else not even one.

IDENTIFYING THE GAS

Scientists around the world started to doubt Russians used fentanyl. It was all a question of quantity. The volume of the hall was 13,500 m3 and there were a 1000 people inside. To knock everybody out you needed a huge amount of fentanyl. In California one scientist, Mark Wheelis calculated just how much. The Russians would need 19,5 kilos of fentanyl, and that would need some time to start working, we're talking about hours here, and Russians knocked them out in a matter of an hour? So what in the world did they use? Why is that gas such a mistery? After all this, we can say that they haven't used fentanyl, but then again fentanyl is man made so it can be easily manipulated. During mid 90's, Salt Lake City's world known anesthesiologist Ted Stanley made a couple of experiments using the strongest derivatives of fentanyl. One such was sufentanyl – a fentanyl molecule with an extra element of sulphor. That makes it ten times stronger than fentanyl, but dr Stanley says that not even this wasn't as strong enough to make it as painful as Russians needed it to be.
Then we have another more complicated derivative called carfentanyl – with the molecule of fentanyl and element of carbon, which makes it ten times stronger than sufentanyl, hundred times stronger than fentanyl and ten thousand times stronger than morphium! Russians would just need 650 grams of carfentanyl to put everybody to sleep. The side affects of this gas would be dizziness, vomiting and eventually a person would faint and die from choking if not treated properly or on time.
A professor in München Thomas Zilke treated two victims that were taken to Germany after the siege. He took some samples of their blood and urine and went to England, to see dr Steve Pleasance. Dr Pleasance carried out the tests with ultra modern equipement available. They found no derivatives of fentanyl. Isn't that strange? Russian Health Minister Yuri Shevchenko admitted they used opioid, a derivative of fentanyl, but no fentanyl or derivative of fentanyl was found in the victims blood. Why are they lying? Is it possible that the Russians created a newer kind of fentanyl that cannot be detected on the West? It just might be. Over 860 people had survived and if Russians had used carfentanyl the outcome would be more deadly.

Those are just assumptions made by scientists and people that refuse to believe the official story told by Russian Authority. Why do all Russian rescue operations turn out deadly? We have that story on the Russian submarine from few years ago, and then that elementary in Beslan, and this Moscow theatre siege. In a couple of days I might put a story on Chechnia, if I find the time to write the article because even this one took so much of my time, but I think that those hours I always put in my articles eventually pay off. You can try to find out everything you can on this subject if you're interested, I encourage you to do it and keep an opened mind about Chechen people as well as Palestinians. They want their freedom, human rights everything that a human being should have, like we have so when they eventually break down and do things such as these it is because they think there is no other option. But there always is, there must be. I would rather try my best to reach those people by talking and talking and never stop talking about what is going on, instead of taking a gun and granades and killing everyone in my path. Eventually people will see the truth. When? When more and more people start talking and asking for peace instead of going to suicide missions. Well that is it from me for now. Have faith in people and keep an open mind is all I have to say.

All this was taken from BBC documentary on the Moscow theatre hostage crisis.

Footnotes:
1, 2 Moscow News
3 Islam Bosna

Sources:
Wikipedia
CNN
Moscow News
Time
Scotsman.1
Scotsman.2
CBC
BBC

by Ynez

23.10.2006. u 20:42 • 6 Komentara • Print • # • ^

ponedjeljak, 09.10.2006.

Israeli Wall

The plan to construct the Wall was approved in April 2002 by the Isreali gouverment and in June the same year, the construction of the first phase of the project was approved. Most of the Wall is being counstructed deep inside the West Bank on the Palestinian land, encircling Palestinian towns and villages separating and cutting off Palestinians from their families, friends, works, schools, water, health care facilities and separating farmers from their land. In fact, this is a concetration camp. They are not able to freely move at all, they are being held captives on their own land for 58 years now, and with construction of this Wall they are being cut from their future, their dreams of having their own country one day. The Wall is estimated to be at least three times as long and twice as high as the Berlin Wall!

Kids have to climb over the wall and the barbed wire on their way to school and home... is that normal? NO! So why are we watching this images and saying nothing or doing anything about it?!

Look at this picture! Isn't it disturbing?

Israelis are constructing the Wall deep down on the Palestinian land, far away from the Green Line, so they are destroying everyhing that gets in their way, houses, schools, hospitals.... Not to mention that the Palestinians will not be able to reach their water wells because they are being left on the other side of the Wall where they will not be allowed to go. So basicly Isrealis are still stealing the little of the land Palestinians have. Their excuse is that the Wall will block the passage of terrorists, weapons and explosives into the State of Israel! Well I say they need to built a huge Wall around Israel because they are the only terrorists in that area! The Wall is expected to be at least 360 kilometers long. There will be tens of armed concrete watchtowers, and a buffer zone of 30-100 meters wide to make way for electric fences, trenches, cameras, sensors and security patrols.... I am writing this and I just can't believe it. This is a CONCETRATION CAMP, and the world just sits and silently supports all Isreali crimes. I just can't believe that in this day and age this is going on!
I will post here 'The Facts about the Wall' by PENGON that I found on the internet, and since the original is in Adobe Reader, I will just rewrite it all for you to read for yourselves and witness this horror.

by Ynez

KNOW THE FACTS...ABOUT THE WALL!
Produced by the Palestinian Enviromental NGOs Network (PENGON)/Apartheid Wall campaign
The Wall

This is how its going to look like.....

• Isreal is building the Wall from the northwest to the southwest of the West Bank, in most cases deep inside the 1967 Green Line; the Wall is not being built on, or in most cases even near the Green Line.
• A new map for the Wall is close to approval, further expanding the Wall's control over the West Bank.
• In addition, the Israeli gouverment has proposed a second Wall from the northeast to the southeast west of the Jordan Valley.
• Currently, the Wall is being built in the Qalqiliya, Tulkarem, Jenin, Jerusalem, and Bethlehem areas.
• If remaining as is, the Wall is expected to be at least 360 kms king, while expansions and the second wall can reach a total of 700 kms.
• Without extension, the Wall is estimated to be at least three times as long and twice as high as the Berlin Wall.
• The Wall will be composed of various sections, of which the Wall will be either concrete and/or barbed wire.
• The concrete Wall will be average 8 meters (25 feet) high, with tens of armed concrete watchtowers, and a buffer zone of 30-100 meters wide to make way for electric fences, trenches, cameras, sensors, and security patrols.
• The Wall's buffer zone has been deemed by the military a no-man's land, paving the way for large-scale demolitions.
• The Wall is located in many places just meters away from homes, shops, and schools.
• If completed without the expansions: 95,000 Palestinians will be isolated, or 4.5% of the West Bank population. In addition 200,000 in East Jerusalem will be totally isolated from the rest of the West Bank.
• The gouverment/settlers' proposal to modify the Wall will isolate another 110,000 Palestinians for a total of 400,000 isolated behind the Wall, including East Jerusalem.

Land Confiscation and Razing

• At least 10% of the West Bank will be confiscated by and for Israel because of the route of the Wall!
• Over 120,000 dunums – 2% of the West Bank – are to be confiscated in the northern or 'first phase' of the Wall, under the Israeli self-declared 'security zone'.
• At some points the Wall is being built 6 kms inside the Green Line.
• The path of the Wall's first phase has been strategically modified various times; as of now, 10 settlements and the most fertile lands of the 50 villages will be annexed in the northern West Bank.
• The Yesha Council of settlers proposed alteration for the Wall, from Qalqiliya to northern Jerusalem, will bring the total number of settlers annexed to Isreal 343,000.
• As of April 2003, some 14,680 dunums of land have been razed for the footprint of the Wall, including the uprooting of over 102,000 trees.

Water

• Approximately 36 groundwater wells will be in the confiscated areas of the Wall's first phase with another 14 threatened for demolition in the Wall's 'buffer zone'.
• These wells' total discharge is equal to more than 6.7 cubic meters (MCM), which are either to be totally lost or extremely difficult to access and control.
• The Wall is separating water sources and networks from agricultural lands.
• Upon laying the groundwork for the Wall, Isreali bulldozers have destoryed some 35,000 meters of water pipes used for both agricultural and domestic use.
• A number of villages are to loose their only source of water.

People and Livelihoods: The Wall in the North

You tell me... doesn't this remind you of those pale faces you see in movies about Nazis and their concetration camps, cos it sure reminds me!

• The Wall's 'first phase' is currently taking place in Qalqiliya, Tulkarem, and Jenin Discricts in the northern West Bank and is where the Wall and destruction for the Wall has reached its most 'advanced' stage.
• Some 200,000 people live in the areas around the Wall in the northern West Bank.
• Some 11,550 from 16 villages will be trapped between the Wall and the Green Line.
• Another approximately 20,000 individuals in the north, in some 3175 families, will be located east of the Wall but with their agricultural lands to the West, loosing their livelihoods, sustenance, and heritage.
• The land confiscation, destruction, and sever restriction of movement will mean the loss of 6,500 jobs.
• The olive oil production of villages west of the wall, 2,200 tons of olive oil per season, will be destroyed.
• So will the production of 50 tons of fruits and over 10,00 tons of vegetables.
• Some 10,000 grazing animals will not have access to their grazing lands.
• To date some 100 buildings have been demolished, the majority of which have been stores and have been an important source of income and survival for a number of communities.
• An additional 174 stores, 20 factories, 16 homes, and 1 primary school have demolition orders and are expected to take place in the very near future.
• A number of small villages, or hamlets, are only meters away from the Wall, having been told by the military that proximity to the Wall will deem most of their community demolished.
• Case Study: Jayous, in the Qalqiliya District, has already had 72% of its land confiscated, some 8,600 dunums and 7 groundwater wells. At least 300 families are loosing their only source of income.

The Isreali Position

• Both Labor and Likud are consistently and strongly in favor of the Wall.
• A June 24, 2002 poll in Ma'ariv showed that 69% of Israelis support the Wall. Many of those against the Wall at that time were ultra-right wing and settlers groups.
• Recently, the settler movement and other ultra-rightwing groups have begun to publicly support the Wall following the publication of the Yesha Council expansion man in March 2003. The settlers' councin worked on the map – its path and lobbying for its support – in coordination with the Isreali Ministry of Defense.
• An estimated 25 Israeli companies have been contracted to work on the Wall.
• Some 250 bulldozers are working to lay the groundwork for the Wall.
• An illegal tree-selling industry has been established, whereas the bulldozer drivers and construction companies are collaborating in uprooting trees in order to sell them.

Timeline

International witness and locals protest the Apertheid Wall, and how do Israelis react? Just fire rubber bullets......

• In April 2002, an order by the Isreali gov't steering committee for the Wall called for the immediate commencement of the Wall in the northern West Bank and the Jerusalem area.
• Construction of the Wall, including land confiscation and the uprooting of trees, began in June 2002, near the village Salem, west of Jenin.
• In September 2002, the first public map of the Wall-a portion of the northern part of the Wall-was made avaliable to the public.
• In September 2002, the steering committee approved including Rachel's Tomb, in Bethlehem, within the borders of the Wall.
• In mid-March 2003 the Isreali gouverment announcend that the Wall's path will be altered to include Arial and Immanuel settlements as a part of the settlers' concil proposal.
• The following week and in an Israeli gouverment meeting to discuss the Wall, Isreali Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared the building of another wall that will bring the settlements near the Jordan Valley under total Israeli control and dislocated from the rest of the West Bank. In this case the Wall's length will reach some 700 km.
• In April 2003, Isreal announced the completion of 27 km of the Wall.
• Israel has declared that the Wall will be completed by the end of 2003.

I will end this post with this disturbing image of a little girl walking beside the Wall with her cat in Naslat Issat in Tulkarem. This is the only way of life this little girls knows, and kids her age. You may ask yourselves why don't I write the same about Isreali kids.... well for all of you that may wonder about that, the answer is that their lives are much better. They are treated as humans, not lesser being, they have all the privilages, they can go wherever they want to with no worries of checkpoints or buffer zones. That my dear readers is a very harsh and honest truth. Kids from Isreal on the other side of that Wall have childhood, and Palestinian kids don't.

Contact PENGONat +972-2-6565890/87, 052-285610. E-mail: outreach@pengon.org, Website: Pengon website May 2003