25.03.2009 21:32 | The Tragedy of South Ossetia. Tedeeva Zaira Lazoevna, born in 1946

Tedeeva Zaira Lazoevna, born in 1946

That day, when Georgians entered the city, we left the city by car. There were five persons in the car: me, Eveline Djabieva, Valery Kokoev, his spouse Fatima Gasseeva and their daughter Dzerassa Kokoeva. I didn’t agree to go away as my sons were in Russia. They were in safety there. My son could not get in touch with me by phone. Communication was bad. Therefore he wanted to come and take me away.

Valery insisted on our departure. His daughter Dzerassa was afraid too, she was trembling with fear. Therefore we decided to leave. We wanted to reach village Khvtse.

We left by car. Under never-ending shooting and bombardment we have hardly reached the level crossing. As soon as we crossed it, they opened fire on us. Valery shouted to us to get out quickly. We somehow jumped out of the car and began to creep. Luckily I was dressed in trousers and a dressing gown; in other case I would scratch my knees. We crept to the bushes and have hidden behind them. We waited a bit and then Valery told us to rush to a wood. As I was the eldest I ran the first. When we came to village Tbet we met an old man who also said that it was safety to go to village Khvtse. We were just about to go, but suddenly we saw a column of soldiers. Valery thought they were Russians and even waved his hand to them. When it turned out they were Georgians, it was already too late. They ran up to us with shouts “Get out!” “Don't move!” We formed a line. They began to search us. I had a little money and they took it away. Then they got us onto the car and drove away. We went to villages Znaur. Fatima had all the documents, the passports on her. On our way to Karel she managed to tear the son’s identity card to pieces without being noticed.

When we came to Khetagurovo they put us off. I know this village… I saw Mamievs` houses – they are located side by side.

Then they separated us. Valery's family got in one car and me and Eveline - in the other. One of the cars was American, I don’t know the make of it. When we moved again, one driver began to blame the other for that he drove in wrong direction. According to their conversations I understood that the driver was going to take us to Gory city, and the other ordered him to go to Karel. We wrestled with the only question: “Where will they take us, where shall we be?”

When at last we arrived at place, we got out of a car. I had a bag on me. One of the Georgians tried to take it away roughly. Keeping my head I answered that he didn't have to take it away, I could give it to him by myself. Was there other way out?

I saw a building in front of us. We went upstairs. They brought us to a room. As I realized it was a military staff. They searched us there. The women were searched by girls. One beautiful girl was bashing us about. She shouted to us to undress. We obeyed. They were cursing the Ossetians all the time. We spent several days there. They interrogated us. They didn’t touch the women, but beat Valery up.

While we were in this building, we learned that some of Georgians knew our relatives which lived in Karel. It turned out during the next interrogation. Then I began to ask them to take us to our relatives. What was a reason to keep us there?

I used the argument that it was inconvenient to them to keep us there. They had to give us water and pieces of bread so that we won’t starve. They escorted us to a toilet. It was clear that they thirsted for to get rid of us. Besides according to their conversations I have understood that they hadn’t success in the war. They said something about Russian army. As far as I understood, they were pushed aside, and they didn’t want to be distracted and expend their energies on us.

One day they suddenly made us to get into a car and drove somewhere without explanation. As it turned out, they took us to our relatives we spoke of. Oh, My God! When they left us there I became firmly convinced of the thought there was a hope that they won’t kill us!

After tears and long embraces we could eat normally at last. We could have a rest, have a nap.

There weren’t elementary conditions in the staff, besides we could not relax, were constantly under pressure. Our relatives received us warmly and we breathed freely there!

So we spent there a few days till we learned that Russian tanks went up to the city. Valery decided we have to make the way to them somehow. As Valery said, the Russian soldier told him to follow their tanks if we have a gasoline in our car. So we went after Russian soldiers, which took us to the center of the city. We were seized by mortal fear. I did not believe we were in Tskhinval. I even wrote down the registration number of the tank, I would like to thank them. Thanks to these guys and heaven we escaped. It is not known what could be happen, they could kill us on the spot. It was a miracle!

Translated by Tatiana Inozemtseva