On may 14, Russia’s largest (and Europe’s) cemetery there was a mass slaughter that cost the lives of at least three Tajik workers.
Over the past week there were a dozen official and “folk” versions of the incident. What happened on Khovansky a cemetery and what happens there now, understood the correspondent “Tapes.ru”.
What you will read below, not an investigation — for this, we must hope, in the respective structures there are competent and decent professionals who eventually will figure everything out and punish the guilty. Our task was to visit the scene, to meet with participants and witnesses, and to present the objective picture of what happened.
The club “Healthy nation”
A mass brawl on may 14 was the culmination of certain events that began earlier. 28 April on Khovansky a cemetery appeared first on young men in tracksuits, on top of which were wearing robes with a stencil reading “Sports club “Healthy nation””. According to eyewitnesses, visitors did not belong to any particular ethnic group. Among them were Chechens, Ingush, Russians and even Tajiks. Came demanded from working at the cemetery Tajik migrants share of their earnings (the latter say almost about 70 percent of income). The Tajiks refused to pay.
3 may “athletes” appeared again, this time accompanied by the chief of territorial branch of ritual service No. 3 GBU goroda Moskvy “Ritual” Yuri Chabueva. The demand was repeated. Chabuel explained that it was his new assistants, and gave them the utility office at the cemetery: in the room, which was formerly a warehouse of the grave fences. From 3 to may 13, assistants in the club bathrobes cruised through the cemetery on scooters, Tajik reminding workers about the need to donate part of the earnings.
On the morning of 14 may about 10 hours for an Orthodox Church near the main entrance to the cemetery Khovanskoye began to gather young people. Some of them on top tracksuits were wearing body armor and holster from “travmatiki”. Most were holding two carnations.
At 10 am Ilhomjon Saifulaev — one of the elders of the Tajik community cemetery and the holder of dual citizenship, Russia and Tajikistan, called the police.
— I said to them, ” says 51-year-old Saifulaev. — On Khovanskoye cemetery nineties are back, criminals with guns are going to have simple immigrants to take money. I said, come soon, and there will be bloodshed, but I did not believe.
When at 12 o’clock at the cemetery the first shots were fired, Saifulaev again called the police, but the riot police only arrived at 13.30.
If not for the fence, the Tajiks have fled
Recreating the events of 14 may, I have several times passed on the route of the onset of the international sports teams and her subsequent flight, listen to comments of eyewitnesses, folded detail to the part. In the end, I was under the impression that the killings and even serious opposition to the plans of the attackers was not included.
According to various testimonies, there were from 70 to 100 people, and they came with the purpose of intimidating numerical superiority and serious intentions. However, the Tajik workers, instead of being afraid and running, not scared and did not run. Athletes then floated the “travmatiki”, bats and knuckle dusters. The first shots came from the 133 precinct, 50 metres from the main entrance of the cemetery. After the shooting 30-40 people Tajiks who were on this part of the territory, ran into the churchyard, to the 400-th plot, taking with them the wounded.
— We shouted to the visitors of the cemetery to those, too, ran and hid behind the trees, — actively gesticulating during a story Ilhomjon Saifoloi. — Their young tossed over the fence…
Maybe everything would have ended with Exodus of labour migrants and bruises from “travmatiki”, but in the way of retreating stood a fence with barbed wire surrounding the station number 400. To run on was nowhere. At the same time received a message that on the square in front of the car Lada Priora was shot down working graveyard Rizoeva, Inayathulla. Leaving the car, the driver, and lying shot in the head. The news instantly spread, and migrant workers from fleeing switched to the offensive. By the time we had 130-150 people gathered everyone who worked on Khovansky, on all three of its territories.
In the hands of the Tajiks were the stones, shovels, pieces of rebar and even a broom. Not expecting such a turn of “athletes” ran, firing now and fighting trunks. They were running from 400 to 133 precinct, through the main entrance to your “office”, jumped over the fence with barbed wire-concertina, then scattered. Tajiks managed to catch and pass the police only four of the bandits.
— Three of our dead and 26 wounded, which they say on TV, it’s just from the fighting weapon, — continues Ilhomjon. — More people in the eighty and they came from a traumatic gun. Those in hospital did not go, rest up at home. There are black bruises (shows with fingers a circle 15 inches in diameter) with a bruise in the middle, one on the shoulder, one on stomach, one on his leg. And here’s another question, why so many Tajiks under arrest? We didn’t try to run or hide, we are victims, we went to the police and RIOT police for help, and we twisted and taken away. Today remain under arrest 30 Tajiks, and how many bandits? It seems that only those four that we caught. They say that the arrested criminals will give 15 days for petty hooliganism. This is all very unfair.
— My phone has many grandmothers, which I help for graves to care for, ” adds Jurabek Yakubov. — They’re calling me asking how did you son, what happened to you, do not need help? The administration also was pleased with us, otherwise we would have long ago kicked out of here, here the police and other authorities, Yes, we would and did not ever resist. Why are we now trying to put the bandits?
Only with the consent of “Ritual”
— Yes, we are all very hold the job. Why? Yes, because each has repeatedly lied in other places, but here is paid, ” says Saifulaev. In other places someone has not paid, and someone three. People know that it is possible to the cemetery to work, work and work. Who can withstand, of course. The administration pays regularly, but the money got us nothing. In winter, when minus 15 degrees, it is difficult to dig a grave. Scrap-shovel, crowbar-shovel… that two people a whole day’s journey, for it give us fifteen hundred.
— Everyone?
— For two. Sometimes other relatives give 300-500 rubles, and sometimes nothing. We even clean the snow, remove ice, so that people could come to the graves. In summer, sweep trails, cut grass along the alleys, remove debris. The “Ritual” there are a couple dozen official workers who wear uniforms, but they would never have made it through. In the summer we still have a part time job. At the cemetery, visitors come, we offer them to paint the fence, plant flowers, fix the pedestal…
Say you earn 40-50 thousand per month.
— Some forty thousand? I here installer, monuments set for seven years. At most I have 31 thousand has turned out — even Bouncing with indignation Jurabek Yakubov, mounted in plaster after a fracture, received 14 may, brush. — From the money necessary each month to pay 4200 for a work permit and 10 thousand per room. I family in Tajikistan 6 thousands send. Even a PostScript to the place of residence 3 thousand times in three months pay. Once a year should receive help, this is also worth 20 thousand. So tell me, could we half the bandits to give as they wanted?!
— Hard work?
— The money just no one left, meets 45-year-old, of medium height male, is also the installer of the monuments. Zach is working on Khovansky a cemetery for 21 years. It shows on the granite headstone of a width greater than one meter and 80 centimeters in height.
This monument weighs 700 pounds, and install it should happen in 10-15 metres from the path. Sometimes, even the four of us barely can drag and place, then we ask comrades to help. For that we get paid in the administration of two thousand. Of this money still need to buy sand, cement and rebar. It’s hard work?
How to tell the Tajik workers, at the cemetery, they can only work with the permission of the administration. Any major change in burial: installing a fence, pouring concrete curbs, replacement of soil for sand, the erection of a statue or flower garden, takes place only with the written permission of “Ritual”, “Ritual” and paid by the relatives of the deceased only through cash Desk “Ritual”. Attempt to perform this work secretly always ends with expulsion from work, which was confirmed in conversation with one of the visitors of the cemetery.
— A year ago, on my grave stone bent, because the Foundation cracked beneath him, — said Nina, a woman of sixty-five, put flowers over the departed husband. – I went to the administration, but there beyond repair you had to pay about 10 thousand rubles. Then I called the boy, Tajiks, which to me once a month the grave could be removed and asked him. Asked how much it would cost? He replied: give as you feel possible, but in General, somewhere in the four thousands. After two days of calling him, and he says that money is not necessary, as for trying informally to reinstall the monument, from the cemetery he was fired, a job he never got.
The trash is extremely small
Informal “quickie” Tajik migrants most often limited to: painting of fences and foundations, cleaning the graves from weeds and snow, flowers were planted so shallow sealing of cracks in the cement. Winter on Khovansky a cemetery remains 40-50 people Tajiks, in summer that figure goes up to 150. The vast majority were men, without wives and children, so as to contain the latter did not have enough resources.
Most of the work to the cemetery more than five years. Housing take in the neighbouring towns: the Mosrentgen and Kommunarka. It’s either a small one-bedroom apartment for four, for 5 thousand rubles each, or five on the trailer in the yard of a private house, at three thousand each. Those few who live with their wives, remove from the local ladies room and pay for it from 10 to 14 thousand per month. Working seven days a week, from 8 am to 7 PM, part of the money sent back to Tajikistan.
— We come here more than 20 years, — tells the spouse Gorelova, arriving at the cemetery to bring order to my parents ‘ grave. — Yes, Tajiks go and offer services: fence to paint, grave, correct. Whether they bother? Probably not. Do it obsessive? Probably, Yes. But it’s not the Tajiks, twelve years ago there worked mainly Azerbaijanis, twenty years ago — are Russian, and they all went and offered his services. And the quality of work as always was unpredictable. On the other hand, the price is appropriate. Last spring came up to us Tajiks, say you want a fence paint? Will zakurim, utgrunden, all as expected, with our material. Ask how much it costs? They say three thousand. It is clear that ‘ would be two. But, before we could finish as on the track appeared “white” cemetery workers — people in the form of a “Ritual”, and Tajiks retreated. Last came, asked — want fence paint? Six thousand. In fact, we all do. The new fence on the construction market bought for fifteen hundred, and in the “Ritual” learned: replace the fences with their material is worth 12 thousand. You here on that note: I see two empty seats? Here before the dumpsters were, and now they’re gone. We believe one hundred percent that this land for burial would be taken. And not Tajiks.
As mentioned above, 20 years ago at the cemetery khovanskoye worked Russian, and 12 years ago the Azerbaijanis. To assume that the Tajiks could displace one or the other, quite hard. Usually Tajiks come to where all the others refuse to work. No? Then find others who are willing to hollow out a grave in the frozen earth to a depth of a meter over sixty-one thousand five hundred rubles for two….
About the vandalism, no one heard
The majority of visitors Khovansky of a cemetery over two days I managed to speak to about three dozen — no complaints or accusations against Tajiks working here is not expressed. They were mostly elderly women who came to see husbands and parents. Fine work on the graves Tajiks usually fulfill half the price of the official Ritual, moreover, with them it is always possible to bargain. Acts of vandalism like broken or stolen monuments, flower beds, none of the interviewees could not remember. Unlike the workers of “Ritual”.
— Tajiks? Yes, drive them here have nothing but trouble from them, — interrupting each other, talking, three employees of GBU “Ritual”, after I promised not to call them names. Before my arrival they slowly put the stones under the pouring cement over recent burial. — The fences of the graves sit, people, stick, spit on the asphalt in the cemetery, the ladies of the sleeve is pulled: “No fence to paint, mother?!”.
— Here I such a case I saw myself, red in the face from the wrath of a man aged forty-five. – Suitable Tajik to grandma, asks: don’t need someone or something to do? She says, don’t. He sat down and waited until my grandmother went to take out the trash, and broke off the monument from the base. Grandmother was back, and he says to her: “Look, you are the monument rocks.
The next day, may 18, I decided to continue the survey of the employees of the cemetery. But they only turned away and talking about nothing already did not want. As well as the guards of chop, which, according to them work the first day, as all the old security guards were fired.
“Beat that…”
In the end let me tell you a little story that happened 30 years ago. To Khovansky to a cemetery she did not have the slightest relationship. And yet…
As a schoolboy I went to a work camp in sovkhoz Kagal’nitskiy, near Rostov, to help the country to harvest cherries. A feature of our stay was the fact that a dozen local young tractor drivers regularly terrorized the tenth five Moscow schools. Cost to go over the line residential barracks, as a high school student was surrounded by the good guys, who beat him snapped off and were forced to bring them milk. Once they attacked my friend and classmate Oleg Lapshin. After that I collected all the big boys from five schools, twelve people, we went to the tractor and about their people marked.
The story received an unexpected continuation. The management of the sovkhoz Kagal’nitskiy wrote in RONO of Moscow the letter with the request to punish the participants of the fight that led to the injury mechanics. Almost got me expelled from school. At the end of educational talks by the headmistress with a motherly tone said, “Orlov why you to each barrel bung? Why did you join this fight?” “My friend Oleg Lapshin beat”, I replied. “Lapshin beat, so it was for that,” retorted the Director. — I asked you why YOU got into a fight?”
