President Thabo Mbeki on Saturday joined the global community in expressing condemnation of the horrific hostage drama at a school in Beslan, Russia this week. ”It is with great shock and sadness that we have learnt of the loss of lives in the incident in Beslan yesterday (Friday)”, he said in a statement.
Speaking on behalf of Government and all people in South Africa Mbeki said: ”We join the international community in extending our deepest condolences to the government (and) people of Russia, and we wish those injured a speedy recovery.”
He reiterated that the South African government condemned acts of hostage taking, and the indiscriminate use of violence ”unequivocally”.
Former president Nelson Mandela, and the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) also expressed shock and sadness on Saturday.
”In no way can the victimisation and killing of innocent children be justified in any circumstances, and especially not for political reasons, said Mandela: ”our thoughts are with the Russian people.”
”There can be no possible justification for such a deed, which has ended in such a tragedy,” Cosatu commented.
An estimated 322 people, including many children, were killed during a three day hostage crisis at the school on the Chechnyan border.
The siege ended in scenes of horror on Friday with half-naked, bloodied children fleeing from the school and the mutilated bodies of the dead rushed out on stretchers.
The hostages were held without food or water by armed militants demanding independence for Chechnya. – Sapa