Ten Russian children injured in the Beslan hostage crisis two
years ago are receiving rehabilitation therapy in the tropical
seaport of Sanya, China's southernmost city in Hainan Province.
The children, all aged around 13, suffered gunshot injuries and
were menaced by their captors in September 2004, which resulted in
severe physical and mental trauma.
They will receive a month's treatment at the Hospital of
Traditional Chinese Medicine in Sanya. The Chinese government will
pay for their treatment costs of 1.6 million yuan (US$198,000).
Liu Dexi, head of the hospital, said the treatment would be a
combination of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in
addition to recreational activities to help the children recover
from their psychological trauma as soon as possible.
The Ministry of Health signed a memorandum of understanding on
the project with its Russian counterpart last September.
The Ministry of Health dispatched a group of doctors to Russia
last month to assess the injured children.
With a recommendation from the Russian side, the health ministry
chose 10 children for the treatment, who arrived in Sanya on
Tuesday.
Yin Li, an official with the ministry, said that this is the "Year of Russia" in China and the Chinese
government attaches great importance to the children's
treatment.
"Their treatment embodies the traditional friendship and mutual
trust between the Chinese and Russian people as well as the
friendly cooperative relationship between the two governments," Yin
said.
On September 1, 2004, more than 30 Chechen militants attacked
the No 1 Middle School in Beslan, a town in the Republic of North
Ossetia in southern Russia, and took more than 1,000 students,
teachers and parents hostage on the first day of the new term. The
crisis ended in bloodshed three days later as Russian special
forces stormed the school gym where the hostages were being held
after explosions were heard inside.
Altogether 331 people were killed, including 186 children. More
than 700 were injured.
China condemned the terrorist attack and donated more than 10
million yuan (US$1.2 million) worth of medical equipment and
medicine to Russia. The Red Cross of China donated US$100,000 in
cash.
(China Daily May 4, 2006)
