Terror From Hell: The Children of Beslan Tell Their Stories (6 of 6)

In Russia, Sept. 1 is the Day of Knowledge, a joyous annual event marking the start of the new school year. But Knowledge Day 2004 was different at School No. 1 in Beslan: A group of heavily armed rebel extremists stormed the school, holding more than a thousand children and adults hostage in a sweltering gymnasium for three days. The harrowing siege ended Sept. 3 in a series of explosions and hail of gunfire that killed some 350 people - half of them children.

Featuring heartbreaking interviews with more than a dozen young survivors, as well as chilling footage shot by the hostage-takers themselves, Children of Beslan explores the devastating impact of violent conflict on children. Through the words of those left orphaned and bereft of family and friends, details of the 57-hour siege emerge, from the confusing first moments, when pupils heard noises they thought were balloons popping, to the numbing hours and days in the overheated gymnasium, to the devastating final hours, when bombs taped to walls and suspended from ceilings went off, and hundreds of panicked hostages, bullets flying around them, began scrambling over the bodies of victims in search of safety. Ranging in age from six to 12, the kids recount the events that robbed them of their family, friends and innocence - describing experiences that are chillingly familiar.

The Beslan siege ultimately killed more adults and children than the tragic 2002 Moscow theater siege by Chechen extremists (chronicled in the 2003 HBO documentary Terror in Moscow). Most surviving children now study at another school in town, with some fearful parents still accompanying them to school. The children's scars, visible and hidden, remain. "I have fewer friends than I used to," says Carat. "The ones who survived - we're not the same funny kids we used to be, we're serious now. We're already grownups. We don't fight any more... Even little boys became adults. Kids understand everything."

Children of Beslan exposes the impact of violent conflict on those who are rarely heard from, but are often the most deeply affected by its aftermath: children. In the tradition of HBO's acclaimed 2003 documentary Through A Child's Eyes: September 11, 2001, , Children of Beslan brings a unique child's perspective to a tragedy.

Children Of Beslan was produced and directed by Ewa Ewart and Leslie Woodhead; executive producers for the BBC, Alan Hayling and Fiona Stourton. For HBO: supervising producer, Lisa Heller; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• islam
• jihad
• allah
• murder
• rape
• torture
• Beslan
• Беслан
• Russia
• Russian
• Chechnya
• Chechen
• Slaughter
• massacre
• terror
• terrorism
• school
• civilians
• civilian
• innocent
• children
• child
• mutilation
• war
• crimes
• human
• rights
• islamic
• evil
• hell
• satan
• mujahideen

[Drinkchocolate]

Could you blame them if they did? It's easy to forgive people for simple things. But, killing and raping children? I like to consider myself a forgiver. But, there is a line to be drawn here. My heart goes out to all of the people in Beslan.

[mmbmrock]

Why do terrorist only pick fights with those who cannot fight back?

[yonostromo]

"I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY CAN MEASURE LIVES WITH MONEY", AS I CRIED I LAUGHED OUT LOUD, ONLY CHILDREN TELL THE TRUTH. WISH I WAS A KID AGAIN.

[rockinallday25]

Russia needs to kill off the rest of those stupit sand niggers in Chechnya so this shit will never happen again.

[cmel0]

poor beslan children, i don't like children much but not in million years i would hurt them like this, now we just have to watch what's going to happen with those kids at the future, and make them known that violence don't have to blring more violence, live with those awful feelings could make them do the same with the chechnyan futures little kids too

[kekepulia]

Well this is great. Are there going to be any people left over there in a few years? Because apparently all you people think about is revenge. It's sad. But you learn to forgive. That's the best thing you can do. Once you've forgiven, the anger goes away.

[mag1k2]

@SSgtParmer

It's one of the eventualities of Kavkaz... It's an ongoing circle of revenge or eye for an eye... There are educated and normal Chechens, but unfortunately they are overshadowed by extremists and fundamentalists.

Heart goes out to the kids

[ElizaChristina93]

Poor Children, i totally hope that they will be okay..

[sstaffords12]

@ThirstyDad65  How true..

[ThirstyDad65]

smart fucking kids goddamn. most american kids cant even form an original thought on their own, much less do something unique and interesting.

[NorwegianKafir]

@SSgtParmer Firstly, he is just a kid, OK? Secondly, did he say he wanted to go and kill innocent children and rape them? Thirdly, do the community as whole treat him as a hero and warrior for wanting to kill civilians?

[InfantryFodder93]

@MaxAdl1 All school children should watch this documentary.