The Pukhayevs in Beslan
This story of 12-year-old Madina Pukhayeva, who died in the Beslan school siege was written by 18-year-old Tamara Bagaeva. Tamara interviewed the Pukhayev family during the UNICEF’s photography and journalism workshop in Beslan in July 2005. The story has been translated directly from the original Russian into English with very little editing leaving the voice of the young author clear and distinct. Eight years ago, the family of Timur Pukhayev left their home in South Ossetia and moved to Beslan in North Ossetia. Timur and Marina had four children: Madina, Sarmat, Milena and Milana. Timur was a serviceman and had taken part in combat operations in Afghanistan, Abkhazia and Ingushetia. He knows only too well what a war is like, and he had to leave his home to give his family a chance to live in peace and tranquility. The Pukhayevs live on the city outskirts. Marina got her children enrolled at school No.1 - the nearest school to their place of residence. On September 1, 2004, Marina helped her children, as usual, to get ready for school and accompanied them to attend school festivities traditionally arranged to celebrate the first day at school after a summer break. During the terrorist attack, one of senior school students helped Milana to escape. Marina and her other three children fell into the hands of the terrorists. Timur was at home at the time and when he found out that his family was in trouble, he rushed to the school building. Upon reaching the school grounds, he ran up to the school building to rescue his family. The terrorists opened fire and Timur was wounded. He pretended he was dead and stayed like that lying on the ground under the scorching sun all day long making no sign he was alive. God came to Timur’s rescue at night, when it started pouring with rain and one could hardly see anything within two meters. Timur was lucky and he managed to get away.
During the next three days of siege, Marina and her children stayed together at the school gym. “At the last moment, immediately before the first explosion, I looked around and couldn’t see my eldest daughter Madina”, Marina said. After the explosion, she could see only her youngest daughter Milana. They started crawling in the direction of a school canteen where there was heavy chaotic fire, and bombs were exploding. Marina covered her daughter with her skirt to protect her from shrapnel. Finally, they escaped safely from the school building. Marina’s son Sarmat also managed to escape jumping from the gym window. The Pukhayevs failed to find Madina, their eldest daughter, among the wounded. Neither did they find her among the dead. Timur traveled to Rostov, where identification of the dead bodies was conducted, and came back with a coffin carrying whatever was left of his beautiful daughter. During the funeral, the coffin was never opened. “The children kept asking me: “Why can’t we see Madina?” Marina recalls. 12-year-old Madina Pukhayeva was a beautiful, cheerful, affectionate and kind girl. She was a caring daughter and always helped her mom with household chores. “Adults used to say that she could become a model in the future, but Madina wanted to become a good doctor or a lawyer,” Marina said. She liked singing and dancing and enjoyed every minute of her life. By Tamara Bagaeva, aged 18 # # # An exhibition by children from Beslan will open at the Beslan Cultural Centre at 14.30 on Friday, 26 August. The exhibition, entitled Children Are the Most Precious Thing in the World, includes 100 photos – moving, inspiring, humorous and sad – taken during a photo workshop organized in Beslan by UNICEF (22-28 July). Thirteen children, aged 13 to 18, five of whom were hostages during the siege of School No. 1, learned about photography and writing from photographer Giacomo Pirozzi and journalist John Varoli before producing their own photographs and stories. The exhibition will close on Friday, 9 September. # # # For more information and a selection of photographs, contact:
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