Dagestan activists condemned rioters at Makhachkala airport

Those who gathered for the protest rally at the Makhachkala airport showed “great stupidity,” but the riots themselves were the result of insufficient educational work by the authorities with young people, Dagestani activists said. They called on the authorities to pardon the rioters at the airport, as well as to create a commission to assess the damage caused.

About 40 people, including residents of Makhachkala and representatives of public organizations, took part in the event, during which the causes and consequences of the riots at the Makhachkala airport (October 29) were discussed, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reported.

The riots were prepared in advance and coordinated, said Aliaskhab Kharkhachaev, president of the Shamil Foundation. “There are definitely forces that are interested in causing chaos in the Republic of Dagestan,” he emphasized.

At the same time, Kharkhachaev noted that a large number of people were able to enter the airport, which may indicate the ineffective work of the authorities and security forces.

“When so many cars arrive en masse at the airport, is it really impossible to make one call (and report) about a large accumulation of cars. (Since) so many passengers do not enter (there are not so many flights at the same time)," he explained.

Kharkhachaev believes that among the participants in the riots there were trained people. In his opinion, most of the participants of the riot came out in support of the Palestinians. However, in general he condemned the unrest provoked by the report of the arrival of a plane carrying passengers from Israel.

After Kharkhachaev, spoke the co-chairman of the Russian Congress of the Peoples of the Caucasus, political scientist Denga Khalidov. He explained that the working group elaborated on the draft resolution. The first part of the resolution consists of a statement that explains the reasons for what happened at the Makhachkala airport. The second part of the draft resolution explains the principles and position of the activists. The third part is operative and explains what measures should be taken after the incident.

He also spoke out against manifestations of anti-Semitism, recalling that Mountain Jews lived on the territory of Dagestan for thousands of years. “They are our own. We do not separate them from the Dagestan peoples, and they are designated in the Constitution of Dagestan (as the titular nation),” he noted.

He stated that the events at the airport were a “great stupidity” of the rioters, and the protest itself, according to Khalidov, did not bring any benefit to the Palestinians but rather harm.

After Khalidov, the floor was given to the chairman of the coordination council of NGOs of Dagestan, Shamil Khadulaev. He also drew attention to Melikov’s promise to strictly punish the rioters at the airport. He called on the authorities to prevent innocent people from being punished. Khadulaev also noted that the actions of the youth were unacceptable since the airport is a sensitive facility. In his opinion, the investigation should identify everyone who caused damage to the airport property, as well as the instigators of the incident. The investigation must take place within the framework of the law, he emphasized.

At the Makhachkala airport, young people behaved out of emotion, said an activist from Makhachkala Alimagomed Aliyev. On June 24, participants in the rebellion of the founder of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, caused significant damage, but no one was punished, he recalled.

“The situation that happened with the Wagnerites. They shot down a helicopter. They captured the whole city, but they were forgiven for it all. They got away with it. Why should our guys (our guys) also be given a warning and forgive them, reprimand them? Punishing them today, tomorrow no one will come out to fight or support this republic, this state, because today these young people are being oppressed and called animals. Who spoke out about the Wagnerites - did at least one call them animals? Nobody,” the activist said.