Events in Kyrgyzstan & Update
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Date: Mon, 6 Sep 1999 09:12:34 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: Events in Kyrgyzstan & Update
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Natalia Ablova <[email protected]>
Events in Kyrgyzstan & Update
PANDORA BOX IN FERGHANA VALLEY
The most peaceful and open country in Central Asia has been attacked
by groups of international terrorists in August 1999.
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Narynbek Idinov, RFE/RL correspondent relates: "First Uzbek
guerrillas (rebels against president Karimov's regime in Uzbekistan)
entered Kyrgyzstan from Tajikistan late in July, and on 3 August, they
took four hostages (all - Kyrgyz citizens) in the village of Zardaly
of Batken district, Osh Oblast in the south of Kyrgyzstan. They
demanded free passage to Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstan
paid ransom, and hostages were released on 13 August. Then Kyrgyz
forces began a military operation against the rebels, and Uzbek
warplanes bombed some areas in Kyrgyzstan (as well as in neighboring
Tajikistan) on 15 August. Kyrgyz defense minister, general Subanov,
reported on 22 August that all rebels had been ousted from the Kyrgyz
territory. The same day another hostage drama began.
New hordes of Islamic rebels, mostly Uzbek, crossed the Tajik-Kyrgyz
border, seizing four villages and taking more than 20 hostages (rebels
say the correct number is 30 hostages including Kyrgyz General Anarbek
Shamkeev
and four Japanese geologists). Four hostages have been released on 31
August - due to the efforts of aksakals - local elderly people".
WHO ARE THEY? WHAT DO THEY WANT?
These are the most frequently asked questions now.
The bulk of the terrorist groups are Uzbek, there are also Tajik,
several Pushtu and, according to some local sources, Arab. But the
commander is ethnic Uzbek - Azizkhan,a close ally of the well-known
field commander - Juma Namangani, also Uzbek. They are believed to
belong to the prohibited Islamic Renaissance Party of Uzbekistan that
was forced to flee the country in 1992 for fear of prosecution. Then
they joined the Tajik opposition, fled to Afghanistan with some
militant groups in 1994, then returned to Tajikistan during the
armistice.
The rebels are characterized by some UNHCR workers (who had contacts
with them when trying to prevent the harassment of refugees in
northern Tajikistan by Namangani's people) as ruthless and not
approachable for negotiations, as a rule.
One of the reasons of the invasion is the disarmament decree issued in
neighbouring Tajikistan, according to which all those who did not lay
down weapons after 24 August 1999 are declared outlaws and are subject
to shooting on the spot in Tajikistan.
The terrorists' intentions are unclear but, according to latest
official information, rebels in southern Kyrgyzstan want to exchange
hostages for members of the Uzbek islamic movement, who are held in
prison in Uzbekistan now. Kyrgyzstan cannot support this demand
because it would mean interference in internal affairs of Uzbekistan
and undermine common fight against terrorism.
A Zubair ibn Abdur Rahim, who had presented himself as a spokesman for
Tohir Yuldashev, military commander of the Uzbek islamic movement,
announced these demands in an interview given to the Central Asia &
Caucasus Service of BBC by phone on 31 August. He said he called from
Afghanistan.
CAN WE COPE WITH IT?
About 500 to 1,000 rebels are believed to be hiding in the mountainous
area in remote Batken and Chong-Alai districts in Osh Oblast, and all
actions of the government to release hostages have so far failed.
Kyrgyz forces appear ill prepared for this struggle. Its
anti-terrorist unit has been demobilized and some reports in the
region indicate that the rebels are better equipped and better
trained. Therefore the Kyrgyz defense ministry on August 31 requested
Russian military help. Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Boris Silayev and
Defense Minister Esen Topoyev met Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin in Moscow to ask for Russia's assistance. Putin agreed to
provide Kyrgyzstan with military and technical support, but ruled out
deployment of Russian troops.
Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev said August 31 that he would
consider supplying weapons and ammunition, according to ITAR-TASS and
other reports. Kyrgyzstan has asked Russia for direct military support
as well as technical assistance. Specifically, authorities in the
capital Bishkek have asked for communications, night vision goggles
and weapons.
IMPACT ON SOCIETY
On 27 of August, a presidential decree was issued "On Measures to
Stabilize Situation in Batken District of Osh Oblast", according to
which there had been announced a partial mobilization of reservists
from all regions of Kyrgyzstan. This decree is to be followed by a
government resolution which would detail the order and limits of the
mobilization process. Meanwhile some facts have been recently brought
to the attention of the media and NGOs that military enlistment
officials sometimes conscript sick and handicapped persons. That is
not actually needed as there are plenty of volunteers. It somehow
characterizes messy and disorderly reaction of the Kyrgyz military
authorities to the emergency situation.
Our colleague from Jalal-Abad called today to alert us about a very
dangerous initiative by the local police in the Jalal-Abad area. He
said a lot of ethnic Uzbeks (citizens of Kyrgyzstan) had been arrested
within two last days on the pretext of identity checks. All detainees
had been living or working/studying for some time in Namangan, a
regional centre in the Uzbek part of Fergana Valley. They have been
ordered to submit written reports about their activity in Namangan and
to make statements that they have no connections with members of
terrorist groups that captured several villages and about 30 hostages
in Batken and Chong-Alai districts in southern Kyrgyzstan (the
terrorists are known to be the people of Juma Namangani, a field
commander of the Uzbek islamic opposition in exile). As of 2
September, all detained Uzbeks were still in custody.
The practice of kidnapping of the Kyrgyzstani Uzbek resumed these days
in Jalal Abad area and was marked by a dramatic and insolently
demonstrative seizure of Yuldashbai Tursunbayev, imam of the
Bazar-Korgon mosque. On 29 August at about 11 a.m., two unknown armed
persons with a walkie-talkie followed imam Tursunbayev when he had
left the mosque after a prayer. A white Audi with a strange number I
47-44 OSH (such numbers are not in circulation any longer) approached,
and Tursunbayev was forced into it, in the presence of numerous
witnesses. The car departed in the direction of Uzbek town of
Pakhta-Abad in Andizhan Oblast. It should be noted that imam of
Bazar-Korgon had been several times detained and afterwards released
by Uzbek law-enforcement in the peak of kidnapping campaign on the
territory of Kyrgyzstan in winter-spring of 1999.
These facts have alarmed the numerous Uzbek community in Jalal-Abad
and Osh.
On the background of unprofessional, provocative actions of the Kyrgyz
authorities any further tension can trigger a huge interethnic
conflict in Fergana Valley. And that would be a very good pretext for
a massive involvement of the Uzbek military. Some observers conclude
that Uzbekistan authorities have been long seeking for a chance to 1)
channel the internal dissatisfaction with its policy across the
border; 2) grasp the opportunity to control the unprotected
Tajik-Kyrgyz border; 3)justify its military presence in the Osh
Oblast.
Some actions by the Uzbek air forces have already increased the danger
for Kyrgyz civilian population - instead of combating terrorists. On
29 August, Uzbek SU-24 jet fighters bombed the village of Kara-Teyit
in Chong-Alai district by mistake. 5 persons (1 child included) were
killed, 280 are in hospitals now, 31 families lost shelter. Kyrgyz
Foreign Ministry sent a note to the Uzbek government on 30 August and
afterwards received an answer that the case would be investigated
properly.
WHAT NOW?
According to local authorities, more than 1,000 displaced persons have
been gathered in Chong-Alai district alone, and the total number of
displaced in Osh Oblast is more than 5,500 now. Local administrations
with the help from the Ministry of Emergencies have moved all children
from villages of Kan, Palamauz, Raut, Sary-Talaa, Dogmit to the
district centre Batken.
Looks like some diabolic scenario is winding off in Fergana Valley
these days.
We urgently need assistance and advice. We need attention and
reaction. But the West (as well as East and CIS, by the way!) is
keeping silent. The coverage of events in Osh has been of a very low
profile character so far. Even the symbolic support in the form of
distributing the information, making enquiries, etc. is welcome. The
eyes of the world should not be averted from Ferghana Valley.
===============================
Update on the events in the south of Kyrgyzstan:
REBELS LEAVING KYRGYZSTAN. Head of the security and defense department
of presidential administration, Bolot Januzakov, announced in Bishkek
today the villages of Kara-Teyit, Karamyk, Bokbashy and a
meteorological station at the Abramov glacier of Chong-Alai district
have been cleaned up from rebels fully.
Local observers have told RFE/RL correspondent in Batken today the
rebels had left the area themselves and there had been no clashes
between rebels and government troops in Chong-Alai. The rebels left
through mountains to the neighboring Jergetal district of Tajikistan
taking 5 Kyrgyz policemen, whom they had taken hostage 2 weeks ago.
According to Januzakov, the other groups of rebels (about 400 in
total) in the neighboring Batken district are also preparing to leave
Kyrgyz territory for Tajikistan. Kyrgyz General Anarbek Shamkeev and
four Japanese geologists, taken hostage on 22 August, are among them.
The hostages are kept at the site Shibe near the village of
Kojo-Ashkan in Batken district. Januzakov added the main task of
Kyrgyz forces remains to release hostages even if they would be moved
to Tajikistan.
WARNING FROM REBELS RECEIVED. The presidential press service announced
in Bishkek on 4 September it had received a statement from the rebels
via fax the previous day. It was signed by Zubair Ibn Abdurrakhim,
Chairman of the Political Council of the Islamic Movement of
Uzbekistan.
The contents (in brief) is as follows:
Emir of the Movement, Muhammad Tahir, announced "a holy war against
Tashkent regime on 25 August 1999". The objective is to establish an
Islamic state in Uzbekistan, one of the justification being that they
can no longer tolerate that "about 50,000 Moslems are in the Karimov's
torture-chambers" now. The Uzbek government has begun a real war
against its own Moslem people, and the Moslems have to fight. As for
the hostilities in Kyrgyzstan, they are taking place due to the
"shortsighted policy" of the Kyrgyz leadership. Two demands are put
forward to Bishkek: to allow islamic fighters to go directly to
Uzbekistan and to stop supporting Uzbekistan's regime by handing over
Uzbek asylum seekers (detained in Kyrgyzstan) to Tashkent. If
Kyrgyzstan chooses to confront mojaheeds, "a holy war" could be
launched against Akaev's regime, Zubair Ibn Abdurrakhim says.
The statement has a number of 744 and dated as of 28 August 1999. Full
text of the statement (in Russian) is attached
(From the moderator: available by request - Boris).
NUMBER OF DISPLACED GROWING
The governmental press service announced in Bishkek on 4 September
there are 6,021 refugees in the Osh region now. 3,394 of them are in
Batken district, 2,410 - in Chong-Alai district and 217 - in Kadamjai
district. They are residents of the villages close to the ones that
have been occupied by rebels.
GAS SUPPLY FROM UZBEKISTAN COULD BE CUT OFF. The KYRGYZGAS state gas
company announced in Bishkek on 4 September that the volume of natural
gas delivery from Uzbekistan had been reduced sharply. Bishkek
receives now 25,000 cubic meters of gas per hour instead of previous
45,000. Kyrgyzstan's debt to Uzbekistan is more than $3 million for
gar supply.
Our comment: this fact shows that Uzbekistan, our "ally" in the fight
against terrorism, is not going to dismiss economic issues - even in
the situation when its neighbour has actually become hostage of
Uzbekistan 's disputes with its insurgents.
The information given above was received through Narynbek Idinov,head
of the Kyrgyz Service of Radio Liberty in Prague.
Below is our own information:
The police in Bishkek started today a campaign of identity checks
directed against all foreigners of the Asiatic origin. Two buses
crammed with detainees (mostly, Afghan, Tajik but also Pakistani,
Indian and Turks, 20-25 refugee cards holders among them) were
delivered to the temporary detention centre in Bishkek. Only after
some migration authorities accompanied by the UNHCR workers had
interfered in the operation,the police promised to promptly release
people with a confirmed refugee status.The legal basis for the
operation is some
secret police instruction.
According to our sources, about 100 Afghan asylum seekers, who had
either applied for or had been denied the refugee status, already left
Kyrgyzstan - for fear of repressions from the part of Kyrgyz
authorities.
Taking in view our previous information (about the arrests of some
ethnic Uzbek in the provincial centre Jalal-Abad) these actions
demonstrate a very chaotic, non-balanced and miscalculated reaction by
the Kyrgyz authorities to the new and very serious challenge to
security problems - after terrorist attacks in the south of
Kyrgyzstan.
There is small doubt that such policy can alienate minorities and
law-obedient foreigners rather than remove the threat of religious
extremism.Instead,it can only aggravate existing tensions.
=============================
Natalia Ablova, Director,
Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law,
40 Manas avenue, Room 77, Bishkek 720001,
Kyrgyzstan
Tel.+996 312 211874
Fax +996 312 223924
(Note:for CIS correspondents tel/fax code is 3312)
e-mail:[email protected]
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