Andijan, Uzbekistan - 'Dramatic scenes' in Uzbek town

BBC News ^ | May 13, 2005

[HAL9000]

Associated Press -

Uzbekistan blocks foreign TV signals

Uzbek authorities blocked foreign television broadcasts on Friday, preventing news channels such as Cable News Network and British Broadcasting Corp. as well as Russian channels from being seen in the country.

The move came as unrest exploded in the eastern town of Andijan, where nine people were killed and 34 wounded in clashes between protesters and security forces, according to President Islam Karimov's office.

[Wiz]

If it was to lead to democracy, that would be appreciated. If it was to lead to theocracy, we will have to deal with another Afghanistan. It seems that people will have to go through theocracy to understand how harassing and that it will only lead to failures. How many more times do the Muslims have to go through theocracy like Afghanistan and Iran to understand it will not be something they will favor? I wonder if Russia will have the guts to fight another war with Islamist country, after the bloody war of Chechenya if there were Islamists to flow from Uzbekistan for attacks.

[HAL9000]

Associated Press -

Former Uzbek prisoner says all 23 Islamic businessmen on trial were freed in unrest

A man who was among 23 Islamic businessmen jailed pending their trial on extremism charges in eastern Uzbekistan said Friday that all were freed from prison overnight.

Abduvosid Egomov, 33, said that the Akramia Islamic group was responsible for organizing the overnight jailbreak in the town of Andijan, which brought thousands of protesters into the streets.

"We are not going to overthrow the government. We demand economic freedom," Egomov told The Associated Press.

"If the army is going to storm, if they're going to shoot, we are ready to die instead of living as we are living now. The Uzbek people have been reduced to living like dirt," Egomov, pale and thin, said as he sat on the grass inside the local government compound.

As he spoke, his colleagues broke up pavement stones to reinforce the metal fence surrounding the compound, in hopes of staving off security forces.

The trial against the 23 inspired one of the largest recent public shows of mounting anger over alleged rights abuses by the ex-Soviet republic's government.

The men, arrested in June, are accused of being members of the Akramia religious group and having contacts with the outlawed radical Islamic party Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Authorities accuse Hizb-ut-Tahrir of inspiring terror attacks in Uzbekistan last year that killed more than 50. The group, which claims to eschew violence, denied responsibility.

Akramia unites followers of jailed Uzbek Islamic dissident Akram Yuldashev, who was accused of calling for the overthrow of the predominantly Muslim country's secular government _ an accusation he denies.

The group's members are considered the backbone of Andijan's small business community, giving employment to thousands of people in the impoverished and densely populated Fergana Valley.

[RusIvan]

There are bad guys and there are really bad guys. The US is allied with government of Uzbekistan in the WoT. Islamists are attempting to overthrow the regime.==

They may succeed. Uzbekistan is very islamic country. If they succeed then they will in all Central Asia since Uzbekistan is main country of region.

Only Russia's influnce prevented it before. Then someone worked hard to dismantle Russia's influence. So the result.
IMHO Russia will support Kazakhstan so. But let go Central Asia.

[K. Smirnov]

Hmmm... very interesting. And who was it trying to dismantle Russia's influence in Central Asia so hard?

[RusIvan]

And who was it trying to dismantle Russia's influence in Central Asia so hard?==

I think many competitors. China for example. And some others.

[Lukasz]

Well, IMO it is something like this:

Uzbek government (very very very bad guys) VS Uzbek Islamists (very very very very bad guys)

[Lukasz]

They may succeed. Uzbekistan is very islamic country. If they succeed then they will in all Central Asia since Uzbekistan is main country of region.

As far as I read Kazakhstan is stronger both military and economically. That is why such Islamic organizations have smaller influence for people than in total hole called Uzbekistan.

Only Russia's influnce prevented it before. Then someone worked hard to dismantle Russia's influence. So the result. IMHO Russia will support Kazakhstan so. But let go Central Asia.

If Kremlin would support democracy rather than dictatorship in the region then we would not have such problems like now in Uzbekistan. But I agree that they should somehow prevent developing the radical Islamic influence, for own good.

[Lukasz]

I think many competitors. China for example. And some others.

I don’t think that this is foreign influence in this case, this is Central Asian problem provoked by local dictators.

[FierceKulak]

And the people opposed to him are linked with radical muslim/terrorist groups.

[RusIvan]

As far as I read Kazakhstan is stronger both military and economically.==

Kazakhs are influenced by russain culture. Russians in past helped to save kazakhs from total innahulation. SO kazakh are more acceptive to Russia. Some of Kazakhs are ortodox christians. Millions of russians live in northern Kazakhstan.

Economically they of cause stronger. Thier soviet-built industry work since russians did not go and thier ties with russian economy wasn't severed. And kazakhs have some resources like oil, coal and ore.

[RusIvan]

I don’t think that this is foreign influence in this case, this is Central Asian problem provoked by local dictators.==

Lucash you look on Pakistan. When this country will be democratic then Uzbekistan will follow. They all are same in mentality. It is such place in the world.

You go insert democracy in Africa. The big area for endevour isn't it?

Democracy cann't be inserted. It has to be grown by thier own.

[Lukasz]

And kazakhs have some resources like oil, coal and ore.

Well, Uzbeks also have some resources like gas and oil, but mining industry is poorly developed because of lack of foreign investments.

Lucash you look on Pakistan. When this country will be democratic then Uzbekistan will follow. They all are same in mentality. It is such place in the world.

I’m aware that introducing democracy in this region wont be easy job but some steps must be done. Cheering for such thugs like Karimov certainly doesn’t help anybody there.

[RusIvan]

Cheering for such thugs like Karimov certainly doesn’t help anybody there.===

Tell this to defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld who cheered Karimov very much during his visit to Uzbekistan. Surprised?:)

[Lukasz]

Tell this to defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld who cheered Karimov very much during his visit to Uzbekistan. Surprised?:)

I know and I think that he though that if he say few kind words towards Karimov, Uzbek leader would move closer to the US. As we see he is not moving closer to US and American administration was wrong at this point.

[RusIvan]

As we see he is not moving closer to US and American administration was wrong at this point.==

And since he isn't moving close then he is a "thug". It is hypocrisy.

[Lukasz]

And since he isn't moving close then he is a "thug". It is hypocrisy

No, he is a thug because he ruling this country like thug, because of great poverty there and lack of personal freedom. In my list of presidential thugs from Central Asia, Karimov is number 2, only Nijazov is worse.