The good-neighborly relations development program for 2010, signed by the North Ossetian and Ingushetian authorities, has given the two republics’ interaction new impetus. Kurat is a village in the Prigorodniy district of North Ossetia. There is no distinct ethnic border here, and a lot of Ingush people live side by side with Ossetians. Ossetian and Ingushetian kids in school are getting along well, and, according to their teachers, the only source of inter-ethnic conflicts are the adults. It is amazing that a Young Pioneer organization is still operating in the village.
The village administration is headed by a young Ingush woman, Radikhman Jandieva, while her deputy, Konstantin Khamitsev, is of Ossetian origin. They say that the main social problem of the settlement, as of the whole district, is the high level of unemployment. "If our people had a chance to work together," Mr Khamitsev says," the issues between Ossetians and Ingushetians would fade away by themselves."
The community services also leave much to be desired. Luckily, the village is not experiencing any transport problems, so both routes – to Ingushetia or to Vladikavkaz – are open for everyone.
For now, the ‘Memorial’ social fund is trying to help small-business development in Kurat, but it is difficult without the support of the official authorities. All in all, positive progress in Ossetian-Ingushetian relations is obvious, but the potential for conflict is not yet exhausted, so there is still a great deal of work to be done.
Pavel Tsoev, exclusively to VK
