Uzbekistan:  Where Privatization and Massacre go hand-in-hand with the
Fight Against Terrorism

by Sophia Barkat



In the recent war to fight terrorism, the Bush Administration has made friends with 
many totalitarian governments. One of them is the Uzbek government of present. 
Islam Abduganievich Karimov has been President of Uzbekistan since 1991, and 
through many an unfair election has extended his power until 2007. (See 
Wikipedia.com). His undemocratic behavior and other reasons have built up strong 
public opposition in Uzbekistan, and the recent protest and massacre of protestors
in Andijan is the result.




May 13th Massacre


On May 13th, 2005, Uzbeks in the city of Andijan were protesting Karimov's 
government when officials attacked them. Human Rights Watch labeled
the attack a massacre, and reported on June 9th, that the Uzbek government was
now arresting and targeting human rights activists, who were vocal against Karimov.
“The government harassment of human rights defenders is a transparent attempt 
to hide the truth about what happened in Andijan,” said Holly Cartner, Europe and 
Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Others have been beaten by 
unknown assailants, threatened by local authorities, and placed under house 
arrest", reports Human Rights Watch. "In Tashkent and Jizzakh, numerous 
human rights activists have been questioned about the events in Andijan and 
threatened with arrest or criminal charges should they engage in demonstrations 
or other public activities," HRW reported. (See HRW.org)


Not just western organizations but also Russian journalists are corroborating the 
cover-up by the Uzbek government. "Spokespeople for the Uzbek government 
say that some 173 people were killed in the uprising, whereas international 
organizations and independent observers present a larger number of victims -- 
not less than 500," reports Pravda. 


Karimov's general record on human rights and press freedom is so poor,
it prompted the former British Ambassador in Uzbekistan Craig Murray to
publically disclose reports of Karimov's government boiling people to death, and 
the United Nations has found torture "institutionalized, systematic, and rampant" 
in Uzbekistan's justice system. Karimov is still a close friend and staunch ally 
of George W. Bush, who has used Uzbekistan as a military base since 
September 11, 2001. 


The Uzbek government, which has been the US ally in the fight against "terrorism",
has declared its opponents to be "WAHABISTS" and "TERRORISTS", leading
to a fleeing of political leaders in the last few years. 




At the Core of the Unrest


Public animosity towards Karimov is many fold. At the heart of it is Karimov's
persistent privatization of the economy by opening it up to foreign competition.
Before privatization became Karimov's motto, public education was free, as were 
health care and even child care. But now, working people can't afford to send their 
children to school if they want to put food on the table, and working women now
cannot work because it's cheaper to take care of the children at home than to
seek day-care in the private economy. 


Privatization if anything has pushed women back into the home, according to 
"In Search of Islamic Feminism", authored by Elizabeth W. Fernea, which is 
a biography of her visit to the country and many more Muslim nations. Women 
have been dropping out of professions and higher education in Uzbekistan thanks 
to inflation and privatization. More so, those trying to get back into the work force 
are being met by radical Muslim political parties who state that under the economic 
conditions it would be best if women stayed at home. Uzbeks in general are finding 
Karimov's leadership to be much more trouble than help.

IMF and WTO Happy with Karimov


Karimov's loosening of controls on the Uzbek market has attracted much foreign 
investment from the West. The International Monetary Fund and the WTO are
very happy with the "progress" they see in Uzbekistan."Executive Directors of 
International Monetary Fund welcomed the steps taken by the Uzbek authorities 
in laying the foundation for economic growth by introducing current account 
convertibility and continuing privatisation, particularly in agriculture," reports 
UzReport.com. "Directors were encouraged by the recently announced plans 
to reform the banking sector. They urged the authorities to abolish mandatory 
cash deposits and foreign exchange surrender requirements, free banks from 
their role in tax administration and financial oversight, and eliminate the 
distinction between cash and non-cash payments.  More generally, taking 
note of Uzbekistan's lagging transformation to a market economy, Directors 
emphasised that significant reforms are needed to enable Uzbekistan to reach 
its economic potential, attract foreign direct investment, and improve living 
standards and reduce poverty substantially. In particular, decisive efforts are 
called for in order to further liberalise domestic and foreign trade, improve the 
business climate and governance, press ahead with privatisation plans, and 
raise the quality and provision of economic data to international standards." 


It should be noted that Karimov's family is cashing in on this "golden calf". 
Karimov's elder daughter, Gulnara Karimova, who serves as an Advisor to the 
Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Russia, is believed to have built an extensive 
business empire that includes the largest wireless telephone operator in 
Uzbekistan, night clubs, and a large cement factory thanks to daddy.
(See Wikipedia.com).


 

Political
Social
Economics
Religious
Science