Unicef to help rehabilitate Beslan survivors

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has announced plans to help the psychological rehabilitation of hundreds of young survivors traumatised by this month's school massacre in southern Russia.

Up to 338 people died – including 31 hostage-takers – during the terror attack at the school in Beslan, North Ossetia. As many as 747 of the 1,200 hostages were injured during the crisis which descended into carnage on September 3.

After visiting the town of Beslan, UNICEF Representative in the Russian Federation, Carel de Rooy, said that education could act as a "great healer for children who have lived through traumatic events".

He added: "Most of the children we spoke to in the hospital, particularly the younger ones, do not want to go back to school, for obvious reasons. It is clear that they will need help to pick up all the pieces of their lives - their family life, their friendships and, very importantly, their schooling.

"It will only add to their tragedy if these children, who have already lost so much, also lose out on their education," he added.

UNICEF will support the children's psychological rehabilitation in their communities after they return from the resorts where they are being sent as part of the recovery process. The agency is also planning to support the seven schools of Beslan that will receive the children from School Number One where the hostage taking occurred.

Through support to the whole education system in Beslan with such basics as desks, chairs, chalkboards and textbooks, UNICEF said it can help to make schools more comfortable and attractive to children again as it is clear that even those children in Beslan not directly involved in the tragic events are uneasy with the idea of going to school.

Russian authorities put a bounty on the heads of two rebel Chechen leaders following the outrage. Anyone providing information that would help "neutralise" Shamil Basayev and Aslan Maskhadov can expect 300 million roubles, or £5.65 million.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has said that governments now understood that the only way to deal with such threats was through "multilateral efforts" – the linchpin of which would be the UN.

(gmcg/mb)