milliy merkez
14-05-05, 06:46
And the next revolution... ? Escalating violence in Uzbekistan
by Geert Groot Koerkamp, 13 May 2005
Is Uzbekistan about to be the next former Soviet republic to witness a
revolution? The country's current rulers certainly seem to fear it could. A
popular uprising in the nation's third city, Andijon, has already seen
thousands take to the streets, with at least nine people, and possibly
dozens more, having died in violent clashes. The authorities claim,
however, the situation is 'under control', while opposition leaders are
calling for the people of Uzbekistan to join the opposition to the government.
Andijon had already witnessed several days of mass street protests, but
there was no hint of the violent escalation which occurred late on Thursday
night. The demonstrations had been passing off peacefully, with the
organisers doing all they could to avoid confrontations with the police.
The protests were held to voice support for 23 people who have been on
trial since February, accused of membership of a radical Islamic
organisation, which is said to be intent on toppling the government.
Fabrication
Family members and sympathisers of the accused claim the case against them
has been fabricated, and this has been confirmed by the majority of the
witnesses called on to testify.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov
The organisation to which they allegedly belong was - according to the
Uzbek intelligence services - founded by Akram Yuldashev, who has been in
jail in Andijon since 1999 on suspicion of involvement in a coup plot. But
human rights groups claim the organisation exists only in the imagination
of the authorities and that Mr Yuldashev's religious writings are
completely harmless.
There were fears that the Uzbek secret service would use the protests to
provoke a situation with which they could demonstrate that a dangerous,
radical organisation does indeed exist. Those fears were voiced even before
Thursday night's storming of government buildings and the prison in
Andijon. It's still not clear who actually stormed those buildings.
After the city hall was occupied, a spokesman - claiming to be one of the
accused in the current legal proceedings - said the thousands of
demonstrators on the main square had come together to campaign for
'freedom' and 'democracy'. The crowds were also demanding that President
Islam Karimov should step down. Meanwhile, calls have appeared on the
Internet for the people of Uzbekistan to join the opposition to those who
currently hold the reins of power.
Valley of discontent
Andijon has 300,000 inhabitants and is the third largest city in
Uzbekistan. It lies in the Ferghana valley, a densely populated area which
also stretches into Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The towns of Osh and
Jalal-Abad, the centre of the popular uprising which toppled Kyrgyz
president Askar Akayev in March this year, are just 50 kilometres away. The
valley is a stronghold for radical Islamic organisations in Central Asia.
Some groups want to create an Islamic state here, which would eventually
encompass the entire region. In recent years, the valley has witnessed a
number of clashes between rebels and the authorities.
The regime of President Karimov regards these radical groups as the chief
threat to its continued existence and has been coming down hard on all
forms of opposition. Opposition leaders have found themselves in jail,
where torture is common practice. The country's press is fully muzzled,
hence the fact that outside world knows more about what is happening in the
country that the citizens of the capital, Tashkent.
Since the recent events in Kyrgyzstan, fears of a similar popular uprising
in neighbouring Uzbekistan have been growing.
© Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, all rights reserved
by Geert Groot Koerkamp, 13 May 2005
Is Uzbekistan about to be the next former Soviet republic to witness a
revolution? The country's current rulers certainly seem to fear it could. A
popular uprising in the nation's third city, Andijon, has already seen
thousands take to the streets, with at least nine people, and possibly
dozens more, having died in violent clashes. The authorities claim,
however, the situation is 'under control', while opposition leaders are
calling for the people of Uzbekistan to join the opposition to the government.
Andijon had already witnessed several days of mass street protests, but
there was no hint of the violent escalation which occurred late on Thursday
night. The demonstrations had been passing off peacefully, with the
organisers doing all they could to avoid confrontations with the police.
The protests were held to voice support for 23 people who have been on
trial since February, accused of membership of a radical Islamic
organisation, which is said to be intent on toppling the government.
Fabrication
Family members and sympathisers of the accused claim the case against them
has been fabricated, and this has been confirmed by the majority of the
witnesses called on to testify.
Uzbek President Islam Karimov
The organisation to which they allegedly belong was - according to the
Uzbek intelligence services - founded by Akram Yuldashev, who has been in
jail in Andijon since 1999 on suspicion of involvement in a coup plot. But
human rights groups claim the organisation exists only in the imagination
of the authorities and that Mr Yuldashev's religious writings are
completely harmless.
There were fears that the Uzbek secret service would use the protests to
provoke a situation with which they could demonstrate that a dangerous,
radical organisation does indeed exist. Those fears were voiced even before
Thursday night's storming of government buildings and the prison in
Andijon. It's still not clear who actually stormed those buildings.
After the city hall was occupied, a spokesman - claiming to be one of the
accused in the current legal proceedings - said the thousands of
demonstrators on the main square had come together to campaign for
'freedom' and 'democracy'. The crowds were also demanding that President
Islam Karimov should step down. Meanwhile, calls have appeared on the
Internet for the people of Uzbekistan to join the opposition to those who
currently hold the reins of power.
Valley of discontent
Andijon has 300,000 inhabitants and is the third largest city in
Uzbekistan. It lies in the Ferghana valley, a densely populated area which
also stretches into Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. The towns of Osh and
Jalal-Abad, the centre of the popular uprising which toppled Kyrgyz
president Askar Akayev in March this year, are just 50 kilometres away. The
valley is a stronghold for radical Islamic organisations in Central Asia.
Some groups want to create an Islamic state here, which would eventually
encompass the entire region. In recent years, the valley has witnessed a
number of clashes between rebels and the authorities.
The regime of President Karimov regards these radical groups as the chief
threat to its continued existence and has been coming down hard on all
forms of opposition. Opposition leaders have found themselves in jail,
where torture is common practice. The country's press is fully muzzled,
hence the fact that outside world knows more about what is happening in the
country that the citizens of the capital, Tashkent.
Since the recent events in Kyrgyzstan, fears of a similar popular uprising
in neighbouring Uzbekistan have been growing.
© Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, all rights reserved