Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Unrest in Uzbekistan

Uzbek President Islam Karimov likes to label anyone opposed to his autocratic rule as an Islamic extremist. Regardless of the truth of the matter, it is a convenient designation that Karimov thinks gives him political cover to repress those he sees as threatening his tight, Soviet-style grip on power. His weapons of choice are arbitrary imprisonment and torture. It is estimated that Uzbekistan's prisons have held more than 6,000 political prisoners, with some being boiled alive.

Other than the outcry of international human rights groups, Karimov has received little opprobrium for his brutality because he is considered a strategic ally both in terms of access to the potentially rich Caspian oil fields and in the war on terrorism. The United States has an important air base in the country.

But the gruesome events unfolding since last week have sharpened the world's focus on this Central Asian nation and Karimov's oppressive rule. If President Bush is serious about promoting democracy throughout the world, one place to start would be among some of the nations we call "friendly."

The trouble was ignited in the industrial town of Andijan, after Karimov put 23 prosperous local businessmen on trial as radical Islamists. While the area is known to have a population of Islamic militants, local residents say that the charges were trumped up and the businessmen were targeted by officials seeking to take their property. During the trial, demonstrators expressed their dissent peaceably, but as the trial was ending armed supporters took over the prison, releasing the 23 on trial and hundreds of other prisoners.

The next day, Uzbek troops moved in. Karimov claims that everyone killed was an Islamic militant, but eye witnesses say that hundreds of unarmed civilians were shot in a massacre. Estimates of the dead range from the government assessment of 169 to the opposition activists' claim that more than 700 were killed. Karimov is not the kind of leader to show restraint the way leaders in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan had in the face of massive public protests for democratic reform.

Relentless repression along with the country's grinding poverty have pushed Uzbeks who would normally be a loyal opposition into the hands of more extreme Islamic elements. The international community is right to blame the Uzbek government for the unrest. Karimov has brought this upon himself.

[Last modified May 21, 2005, 01:03:17]