What is a democracy?

Democracy is not only about getting foreign aid. It is also about being committed to respecting human rights, freedom of speech and rule of law…

But:

• August 27, Karasuu city, Johongir Bozorov, father of small kids, ethnic Uzbek, sentenced to 23 years;
• September 3 , Karasuu city, 5 people in trial, all ethnic Uzbeks;
• September 13, Jalalabad city, 11 people in trial, all ethnic Uzbeks.
• September 15, Nooken district, 8 people in trial including a human rights defender Azimjan Askarov, all ethnic Uzbeks, 5 sentenced to life (including Askarov), 2 to 20 years, 1 to 9 years.

- September 17, trial of a journalist Ulugbek Abdusalomov, ethnic Uzbek.

All these people are being accused of instigating and participating in bloody June events in Osh and Jalalabad cities of Kyrgyzstan. It must be noted that despite obvious facts (HRW reports, rights activists and journalists’ stories) that government troops and police were involved in criminal actions in June events, non of them are in trial.

Another surprising thing is that many well-educated and open minded people in Kyrgyzstan are silently refusing to accept this truth. No one, except few human rights defenders (Umetalieva, Bagyshbekov, Kabak), are openly discussing this issue. They have been calling HRW and well-respected foreign media biased.

Only international organizations are working in Southern Kyrgyzstan helping people offering them temporary jobs, shelter and helping them build their burnt houses. Yet, Kyrgyz officials are accusing them of “ideological subversion”.

This is what is left of an old good Akaev’s “island of democracy”… who actually did a good job of building an inter-ethnic harmony.

Advertisement