24 July 2009, 18:00
Chechen residents are indignant of authorities' celebrations on the day of Estemirova's funeral
Chechen people feel indignant of the actions of the republic's authorities, who not just ignored the farewell ceremony with Natalia Estemirova on July 16, and then tried to hamper her colleagues and friends to see her off for ever, but also organized celebrations near the office of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" in Grozny.
On the funeral day of Natalia Estemirova, an employee of the HRC "Memorial" and winner of a number of human rights rewards, a concert was held in Grozny. This action was held in the Journalists' Square, in front of the office HRC "Memorial" in Mayakovskogo Street in Grozny, some 30 minutes after the catafalque with her body departed from there.
"I think that what happened on July 16 in Grozny was a shame. First of all, a shame for our authorities - administration of the city of Grozny and the Ministry of Culture," Satsita, a resident of Grozny and one of close friends of the perished human rights advocate said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "They held a youth concert there: they gathered teenagers dressed in national costumes and made dances. It's a frank blasphemy, beyond any reasons."
The woman marked that the Chechens' tradition was to pay tribute to a deceased or perished person. "Earlier, in front of the house, where commemoration was held, horsemen got off their horses and went on foot; in villages, if a fellow villager died, noisy weddings were not held."
Certain Sultan, an employee of a local NGO, said that his acquaintance who works in the Ministry of Culture, said that on July 16 they had a scheduled event in the Square of Journalists; however, this event, in principle, could have been held at any other time.
Author: Alexander Ivanov Source: CK correspondent
