On Thursday thousands of people laid flowers and wreaths at the monument to the victims of the tragedy in the village of Zar in Tskhinval district of South Ossetia.
Exactly 29 years ago, on the Zar road, Georgian gangs shot 33 civilians, including women, old people and children.
Residents of the Republic came to honor the memory of the victims, as in previous years, including relatives of the victims, officials headed by President Anatoly Bibilov, Russian Ambassador to South Ossetia Marat Kulakhmetov, ex-President of South Ossetia Leonid Tibilov, employees of ministries and agencies, members of the public.
A delegation from the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, headed by Minister for National Relations Aslan Tsutsiev, also attended the funeral meeting.
Speaking at the memorial rally, President Anatoly Bibilov has noted that sooner or later those guilty of the terrible tragedy will be punished.
“I am sure that the day that has gathered us today will never be lost among historical dates. 29 years have passed since that terrible tragedy, but when we come here, our heart break every time, and each of us openly or secretly wipes away tears. We will never forget them, and those guilty for their death will sooner or later will be punished for what they have committed,” the President said.
According to him, today it is hardest for the relatives and friends of the people, killed on the Zar road.
“This is how one must hate the Ossetian people in order to act so cruelly with children, women and the elderly. May 20 will forever remain a tragic date for our people, no matter how much time passes,” said the head of state.
Kazbek Enaldiev, Deputy Chairman of the "Styr Nykhas" Public Movement, in his speech conveyed words of support to the families and friends of the victims on behalf of the leadership and residents of North Ossetia.
“Ossetian diasporas from all over the world have also approached us, who also asked to voice here at the rally that they are with us and share our pain. Today it is hard for each of us to speak, one could not express in words the pain that this monstrous massacre of the innocent people has left in our hearts,” he stressed.
Kazbek Enaldiev has added that Ossetians have one pain, regardless of where they live.
“I wish all of us that in the near future they will no longer divide us into the south and north, but say - the Ossetian people, and that there will be no state border between South and North Ossetia,” Enaldiev said.
Presidential Envoy for post-conflict settlement Murat Dzhioev has noted that the issue of impunity for the murderers of the victims of the Zar tragedy is also raised at the Geneva discussions, in which the South Ossetian side participates.
“We say at this platform that apart from those who were punished by God, not a single person was brought to account. Nevertheless, our efforts to inform the world community about the atrocities committed against our people by the Georgian fascists will continue. We must be heard, and the guilty must be punished, justice must prevail sooner or later,” said Murat Dzhioev.
It should be noted that the Prosecutor General's Office opened a criminal case No. 9292019 on the fact of the shooting of civilians on the Zar road. However, the search and detention of the guilty persons are difficult for known reasons. Participants of massive war crimes against the people of South Ossetia have been identified, criminal cases have been initiated against them, they are all put on the international wanted list.
