PUTIN-We did everything right.

Today PM Vladimir Putin in his interview with French journalists has stated that 'everything was done right' by the government officials during the events of the Moscow theatre siege and the Beslan school siege. Thus not just refusing to admit to a single mistake made durind, say, the rescue operation, but pretty much saying he will never accept responsibility for the things that went wrong and led to so many deaths. This is also an indication to the relatives of the Nord Ost and Beslan victims and former hostages, now formed into non-government organisations Nord Ost and Voice of Beslan that their efforts are in vain. That they will never get what they are fighting for. The truth. The admittance of guilt. At least. So no wonder that people like myself who stir things up regarding this much hated topics are seen and pronounced an enemy. Thus President of Dagestan's statement regarding my play being a plot of 'our countries enemies who live abroad aimed at destabilising our region'. That was a quote.

As i am working on my second draft of the screenplay about Anna Politkovskaya and Nord Ost, i am forced to make a number of difficult decisions. How many of the controversial topics to bring up, while making it comprehensible and not slipping into conspiracy theory zone (which i hate). And how to make the 'formula'-good guy/bad guy-work without slipping into stereotypes (which i hate even more). Time will show...

The tragic thing is that at the moment after a few victorious games in sport, after the win on Eurovision song contest Russia is very seriously talking about all this being a sign of Russia's resurrection. It's very sad that people, so easily manipulated and hypnotised into believing all this, go around saying 'we are the greatest', based on a couple of accidental victories in sports and the Eurovision contest, which in civilised Euopean countries is widely known to be a joke. These are the standards Russia applies to measure its own greatness, quickly slipping into hysteria. All this while for years it hasn't exported a single car, washing machine or a pair of jeans; elderly, soldiers, teachers and doctors make pennies and freedom of speech and expression are being suffocated. You are delusional, Russia. This is a very slippery slope.

Here it is, burning after the explosion. The fire is on my 12th floor.

Explosion

Even though my grandparents have been able to move back into our apartment after the apartment opposite ours was blown up on the night of the premiere of my play in Dagestan ( in fact 1 hour after it ended), they are still very traumatised. They've spent a month in a hotel and glad to be home but it's hard. Three people died in the explosion including the young woman, our neighbour we all knew well and loved. They went to her gravesite few days ago.
All they were getting in response to questions about the investigation into the explosion are lies which changed from day to day until they no longer feel the need to respond at all.

Not suppose to ask questions in Russia. 'How dare they' i hear them say.

One famous dissident in America told me that i am now officially (whatever that means) a dissident. This has been established by the Russian dissident community in the US on the grounds that i am fighter for the truth, justice and people. And that, perhaps most importantly, i have suffered for my efforts. All the dissidents from the Soviet era are at least twice my age. The developments of the recent years are forcing the term to come back to life?

Khodorkovsky school

A few words i wanted to say about my trip to the orphanage or rather school for children from underprivileged families founded by Mikhail Khodorkovsky. It is run by his parents and i was invited to attend their end of the year concert. There are 40 children from Beslan in this school. It was a wonderful event and the kids were fantastic. There was this light about them that only given s second chance at life or a chance at better life have. When i spoke with Boris Moiseevich, Mikhail's father, he said that he is not very hopeful when it comes to the earlier release of his son from jail, or, in fact that he, with his fragile health, will ever see him free again. I did not dare ask him how he feels about the future of Russia, the country i know he loves very much.
They are keeping very low profile as the government already made an attempt to shut down this school.

Власть -Дура

Власть-дура

И в их подковерных играх все примитивно. И цели и методы. И в желании выслужиться, которое влечет часто глупые поступки, а их последствия со свистом возвращаются назад и бьют его же выслуживающегося по лбу. Власть выглядела смешно даже на инагурации. И рукоплещущие холопы и угрюмый Путин и испуганный вусмерть Медведев. А оттого что власть дура, еще обиднее. Значит мы все еще большие идиоты.

Untouchable no more?

New prime minister Putin, who today at the meeting of the government and the parties where he was voted in (not unanimously) to become PM, was yelled at by the leader of the Communists Genady Zuganov. From untouchable to vulnerable? Will he be poked at and attacked more and more and will he be able to take it?

Medvedev - our new boss. Right....

I would like to congratulate all Russians with the new president. During the inauguration he looked petrified. What a joke....

I want to go ahead and take Aliev to court, or rather make an attempt to) but i am worried this will make life for Skanderbek even worse. I've made mistakes before, thinking it will be ok, nothing bad will happen. Had too much faith in the 'new Russia'. It is not safe for me to go back to Russia, that seems to be the consensus. It breaks my heart....

Ella Kesaeva

Ella is probably one of the hardest fighting and most defiant people among those who were affected by the Beslan tragedy. Sadly, even among those who went through Beslan there are many who are afraid to criticize the government.

Today i got a letter from Beslan addressed to the governor of Ossetia expressing the desire of its citizens to invite our play to their region. The letter has 94 signatures of the victims of the school siege. Yesterday i spoke with Ella Kesaeva, the leader of the Voice of Beslan, and she said that they support us fully and thanked me, which means more to me than any other kind of acceptance.

Skanderbek is still very much harassed by the press in Dagestan. The government 'ass-lickers' have launched a real attack on the director and his theatre in the pro-government papers. I spoke to him today. He is a fighter and wants to battle on.

Media. Love/hate (cliche)

I've now had time to read up on some of the things that have been published in the press and on the net on our play situation. I am very thankful to all who supported us and who gave us platform to speak, because there was absolutely every need for us to react to what happened.
I am at the same time very sad that some government pleasers painted me as some celeb wannabe, implying that that's why i chose this subject matter to begin with. Suggesting i knew there will be scandal. Firstly, there are many much easier ways to become famous these days. Just go party and bed hopping with the right people, show a little boob and you're set. I lived and breathed this topic for a long time and always had the blessing of the victims and their families. My heart bled all over it. My commitment to the families is absolute. Right now I am trying to find sponsors to keep their organisation (Nord Ost) going, as all the old ones have left them in the cold.
I wanted resonance for this play but NOT of this kind. Man, you never can get used to human pale bitterness.

The latest news I have from Skanderbek, the director of the Russian theatre in Makhachkala is that the play will not be performed again in any foreseeable future. Contrary to what the president's administrations has been saying to the press, the director has been told not to put the play up again. Skanderbek has been under a lot of fire in those recent weeks. Aside from the intelegenzia, most others seem to be loyal to their government, or to be more precise, their fear. Their desire to live as people and not slaves hasn't shown its face. Now what?