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Children Continue to Faint in the Village of Berezovka (Photo Report)

Yesterday, on December 4, in the village of Berezovka several more children were hospitalized with symptoms of poisoning by an unknown gas. Journalists witnessed this. This second instance of poisoning of children was cause for an emergency gathering of the villagers.

 

As on November 28, yesterday, on December 4, the children began to faint at about 09.30hrs in the morning. In the photo: doctors of the local hospital lead a schoolboy who became ill to an ambulance, for admission to the central district hospital. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
As on November 28, yesterday, on December 4, the children began to faint at about 09.30hrs in the morning. In the photo: doctors of the local hospital lead a schoolboy who became ill to an ambulance, for admission to the central district hospital. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

 

Many affected children were assisted in the local infirmary. Among the children who were poisoned yesterday, there are those who were also poisoned on November 28. In the photo: Elena Fahutdinova (far right) with her children who became ill in the morning on December 4. Her son Sergei, a 5th grade student, is on the left side of the hospital bed. He was among those who were also poisoned on November 28. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
Many affected children were assisted in the local infirmary. Among the children who were poisoned yesterday, there are those who were also poisoned on November 28. In the photo: Elena Fahutdinova (far right) with her children who became ill in the morning on December 4. Her son Sergei, a 5th grade student, is on the left side of the hospital bed. He was among those who were also poisoned on November 28. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

Three children from Berezovka were hospitalized in the central district hospital on the morning of December 4. The picture shows the paramedics of the ambulance carrying out a local schoolgirl from the village infirmary, who fainted during class. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
Three children from Berezovka were hospitalized in the central district hospital on the morning of December 4. The picture shows the paramedics of the ambulance carrying out a local schoolgirl from the village infirmary, who fainted during class. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

Another schoolgirl, who collapsed during class. Journalists took this picture in the morning of December 4, when unconscious children were being delivered to the local medical center. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
Another schoolgirl, who collapsed during class. Journalists took this picture in the morning of December 4, when unconscious children were being delivered to the local medical center. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

 

Meanwhile, on the morning of December 4, specialists from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance arrived in the village with new equipment for measuring air and soil samples. Pictured: Specialist of the Department of Consumer Protection with a portable gas analyzer takes samples of air next to the station for environmental monitoring, which on the day of mass poisoning of children did not issue a danger signal. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
Meanwhile, on the morning of December 4, specialists from the Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance arrived in the village with new equipment for measuring air and soil samples. Pictured: Specialist of the Department of Consumer Protection with a portable gas analyzer takes samples of air next to the station for environmental monitoring, which on the day of mass poisoning of children did not issue a danger signal. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

 

 

 

Specialists sample the soil in the center of the village. Soil samples are taken from the surface layer of 5 cm and from a depth of 20 cm from the surface. These samples were sent for examination to Astana. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
Specialists sample the soil in the center of the village. Soil samples are taken from the surface layer of 5 cm and from a depth of 20 cm from the surface. These samples were sent for examination to Astana. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

 

At about 16.00 hours local time, the residents of Berezovka gathered in the lobby of the local house of culture. According to the residents, the authorities do not fully disclose the information about the situation in the village, so the villagers are actively using social networks to disseminate information. The picture shows how a local woman is video recording the meeting. According to her, she will post this video on Youtube. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
At about 16.00 hours local time, the residents of Berezovka gathered in the lobby of the local house of culture. According to the residents, the authorities do not fully disclose the information about the situation in the village, so the villagers are actively using social networks to disseminate information. The picture shows how a local woman is video recording the meeting. According to her, she will post this video on Youtube. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

On December 4, the nurses from the central district hospital began to carry out door-to-door inspections of all of the children in the village. This photo shows a nurse examining Rinat Asylbekov, who did not go to school that day because he felt unwell. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
On December 4, the nurses from the central district hospital began to carry out door-to-door inspections of all of the children in the village. This photo shows a nurse examining Rinat Asylbekov, who did not go to school that day because he felt unwell. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

 

Saltanat Mustafina (pictured on the right) could not hold back tears during the gathering of the villagers in local cultural center, when she told how her two sons go to school healthy, but return home from the infirmary, where they are taken from school, after becoming sick. "For two days I have not let my children go to school, even though the teacher calls me and insists that my children come to class. They threaten us that our kids will get bad marks if they don’t show up to school, but I'm just afraid to let my children go to school, "- says Saltanat Mustafina.
Saltanat Mustafina (pictured on the right) could not hold back tears during the gathering of the villagers in local cultural center, when she told how her two sons go to school healthy, but return home from the infirmary, where they are taken from school, after becoming sick. “For two days I have not let my children go to school, even though the teacher calls me and insists that my children come to class. They threaten us that our kids will get bad marks if they don’t show up to school, but I’m just afraid to let my children go to school, “- says Saltanat Mustafina.

 

 

In the afternoon of the day, the villagers of Berezovka decided to hold a gathering of residents in the local school. But the headmaster Nurslu Kaliyeva forbade them to gather in the school building and yard facilities. Head of local House of Culture, Rosa Khusainova also banned the villagers from gathering in the House of Culture without permission from the akimat. After that, several dozen local residents gathered in the courtyard of a house. During the meeting, they began to tell reporters that in the morning of 4 December, 10 children who became ill that morning were taken to the local infirmary. At this time, the villagers continued to gather signatures for a petition by the local residents to President Nazarbayev with the appeal to relocate the village. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
In the afternoon of the day, the villagers of Berezovka decided to hold a gathering of residents in the local school. But the headmaster Nurslu Kaliyeva forbade them to gather in the school building and yard facilities. Head of local House of Culture, Rosa Khusainova also banned the villagers from gathering in the House of Culture without permission from the akimat. After that, several dozen local residents gathered in the courtyard of a house. During the meeting, they began to tell reporters that in the morning of 4 December, 10 children who became ill that morning were taken to the local infirmary. At this time, the villagers continued to gather signatures for a petition by the local residents to President Nazarbayev with the appeal to relocate the village. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

 

Already after the villagers gathered in the yard, the local akim finally allowed them to hold a meeting in the lobby of the local cultural center. Burlin District Deputy akim (governor) Azamat Safimaliev was present at the meeting. The villagers demanded that he suspend all classes at the local school until the end of the investigation, and to require the doctors to disclose the results of the assessments of the affected children. Local residents demanded him to stop classes at a local school before the end of the investigation and to oblige doctors handed out a survey to parents of affected children. Azamat Safimaliev urged the villagers to wait for the completion of the investigation and environmental assessment, as it is impossible to establish the true cause of the incidents. In addition, he also promised that every day residents of Berezovka would receive from him or the local akim full information about what is happening in Berezovka, including the status of children. "You can see different rumors about the numbers of affected children spread through the village. You will receive accurate information. I'll guarantee it, "- said Azamat Safimaliev. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
Already after the villagers gathered in the yard, the local akim finally allowed them to hold a meeting in the lobby of the local cultural center. Burlin District Deputy akim (governor) Azamat Safimaliev was present at the meeting. The villagers demanded that he suspend all classes at the local school until the end of the investigation, and to require the doctors to disclose the results of the assessments of the affected children. Local residents demanded him to stop classes at a local school before the end of the investigation and to oblige doctors handed out a survey to parents of affected children. Azamat Safimaliev urged the villagers to wait for the completion of the investigation and environmental assessment, as it is impossible to establish the true cause of the incidents. In addition, he also promised that every day residents of Berezovka would receive from him or the local akim full information about what is happening in Berezovka, including the status of children. “You can see different rumors about the numbers of affected children spread through the village. You will receive accurate information. I’ll guarantee it, “- said Azamat Safimaliev. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

In the evening on December 4, on a petition to the President was signed by over 700 adult residents of the village. The villagers chose to send the signed letter  through Sergei Solyanik, a consultant for international civil society organization Crude Accountability, who had arrived in Beryozovka. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)
In the evening on December 4, on a petition to the President was signed by over 700 adult residents of the village. The villagers chose to send the signed letter  through Sergei Solyanik, a consultant for international civil society organization Crude Accountability, who had arrived in Beryozovka. (Photo courtesy of Uralskaya Nedelya)

 

 

 

Crude Accountability translation of the original publication in Uralskaya Nedelya, “V poselke Berozovka deti prodolzhayut padat’ v obmorok (FOTOREPORTAZH). ” 5 December, 2014.