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"...Not until December of 1999 did I find out about my mother's death (she died on November 13, 1999). My mother's name was Elena Ozdamirova. She was of Uzbek origin. Our family was fairly international [meaning the spouses had different origins; they were all Soviet Citizens; transl. remark]; we never cared who had which origin. We divided people in two categories - good and bad. You see, I wasn't even able to attend her funeral, much less to be there for her while she was alive. I am not the only one with such fate."
Chechnya, 1997