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22-Sep-2002

‘War on terror’ weakens human rights in Central Asia

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Post-Soviet Central Asia: Human rights and democracy have been eroded in Central Asia since last year’s attacks on the United States.
The September 11 atrocities and subsequent ‘war on terrorism’ had been used to justify a crackdown on human rights and delay democratic reforms in the region. This was concluded at a conference in Bishkek on 9 September 2002, as reported by Sultan Jumagulov and Andrew Stroehlein for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR).
Most of the region’s authoritarian regimes had clamped down further on civic movements, independent media and political dissent.
The event brought together journalists, human rights activists, NGO leaders, regional specialists, diplomats and politicians to discuss regional developments in Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan over the past year. It was sponsored by the IWPR and the European Union Mission to Kazakstan and Kyrgyzstan.
The situation under Uzbekistan’s authoritarian president Islam Karimov had been ‘difficult’ both before and after September 11, delegates said. While there had been some changes for the better since the atrocities, the changes were small and symbolic in nature and Karimov could reverse them at any stage.
These changes were made to please Tashkent’s (Uzbekistan’s capital) new ally – the US – but Washington’s post-September 11 support for the oppressive Karimov regime could lead to anti-American feeling in Uzbekistan, they warned.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan had demonstrated what happens in a retreat from democracy, which the country has experienced especially in the past 12 months, said civil society activist Tolekan Ismailova. Once considered the most democratic among the five post-Soviet Central Asian countries, Kyrgyzstan was becoming a police state, she said. For instance, in March 2002, six people were killed and dozens were injured when police broke up a peaceful demonstration in Aksy in the south of the country.
The regime of the increasingly Ceausescu-like ruler Saparmurat Niazov in Turkmenistan bore the brunt of criticism during the conference. Niazov had effected total censorship of the press, had complete control over the Internet and put in place sweeping customs restrictions on imported newspapers and magazines. However, much of this was in force prior to September 11, a delegate said.

Sultan Jumagulov is a BBC stringer in Bishkek; Andrew Stroehlein is
Training Co-ordinator for IWPR

Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)