| After the tragedy in Beslan some of the heads of the
law and enforcement departments will probably lose their jobs.
But this is not enough.
Vladimir Putin has concentrated in his hands all the power in the country.
We have no independent parliament or independent courts and there are
virtually no independent mass media left.
We have only the president and his will which becomes the law.
This also means that he bears responsibility for everything that occurs
in our country, including the tragedy in Beslan.
Only the president could permit negotiating with terrorists to rescue
children. He prohibited them.
Only the president could change Russian politics in Chechnya. He said
that he would not change it.
The constitution declares the president as "guarantor of the rights
and liberties of men and citizens".
The president failed to guarantee to the citizens of our country main
of these rights - the right to life. He was able guarantee them only the
right to fear.
It became obvious: the president is not doing anything to protect the
citizens at a critical moment.
"What happened to the submarine [“Kursk”]? - It sank".
"What happened to the spectators of "North-East"? - They
were poisoned".
"What happened to the children in Beslan? - They died".
In his presidential election campaign, he promised to establish order
and safety in our country.
He broke his promise.
He should resign.
If he does not leave on his own- we should persuade him to do so.
Boris Vishnevsky,
Observer of "Novaya gazeta",
Member of the Bureau of The Russian Democratic Party YABLOKO,
September 8, 2004
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