[Reader-list] Post - Beslan impossibilities

[Irina Aristarkhova]

Dear Jeebesh,

What words can we have at this point? I expressed myself on the Chechen wars in the pieces like "Bloody Russian Soul" and "Russian J-I Jain" (http://www.mailradek.rema.ru/arjen.htm), due to which I was refused publications in a respected St-Petersburg art and culture journal. This is not to claim any 'refusnik' status, but to stress again that Russian intellectuals and intelligentsia in its genealogy are deeply xenophobic, and in that sense, I guess, 'Westernized'. The lack of critical self-reflexivity and highly defensive attitude are not only characteristics of FSB or the Cold War period. This is a long-term problem in Russian national identity and its self-representation. One does not need to be very smart to notice that, of course. 

One thing to note though - the terror in Beslan creates more dissatisfaction with Putin among Russians than any of the previous wars. When I read comments in press it is obvious more people do not buy that sanitized Cold War media rhetoric, that is more reminiscent of a spectacle of masculinity crisis than of a government leader. Terminology used is adopted directly from Israel and the US: "pre-emptive strikes", "we should not show weakness", "it is a total war", "try and invite Bin-Laden for negotiations", etc. 

"Russians Do Not Surrender" - that is our message of the day. 

This is a war that we started and lost in the 19th century. We started it again and lost it again. There is a Russian saying - only fools injure themselves in the same way (loose translation).

I feel like another 2-3 months and the whole world will have a déjà vu - be scared of our nuclear weapons - "Who knows what these crazy Russians will do now?" 

And the last point - there were two other terrorist acts almost at the same time. No one noticed it much, in Russia included. Beslan now is a new 'star' among terrorist attacks. I wonder how much of Beslan is an orchestrated spectacle - since international media is usually not invited to film so openly in Russia, especially victims of terrorist attacks. So that editor you mention was probably sacked because he did not manifest enough 'patriotism'. I wonder what Soldiers' Mothers political movement would say. 

This is a threshold, no doubt. But towards what? That's why silence, I guess. We are all waiting, Russians included - in awe. 

Thanks for asking of opinion though. I would not have written if not for that. 

Take care,
Irina Aristarkhova

  

-----Original Message-----
From: reader-list-bounces at sarai.net [mailto:reader-list-bounces at sarai.net] On Behalf Of Jeebesh Bagchi
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 9:16 PM
To: reader-list at sarai.net
Subject: [Reader-list] Post - Beslan impossibilities

dear friends,

was trying to write something to get some clarity after the Beslan massacre. Could not make much headway.  Was going through reader-list posting to see if somebody has written about it. Was surprised by a total absence of any posting. Given that this list has always been very active during global crisis events and many different point of views have been articulated and debated, this peculiar absence seemed strange.

About myself, i could not understand what to make of the events.
Trapped within nationalist retributive logic of violence are very vulnerable population group and so many just killed.
A editor of a newspaper in Russia got sacked apparently because of showing the graphic images of the incident. This editor have been opposed to the violence of the state in russia in the conflicts in 90s.
A scared man being taken away by two hooded commandos and he confesses.

What to think about it? Maybe, some of you have something to say more about it.

best
jeebesh
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