29.11.2006

Condition of the Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan is very difficult

Position of the Uzbek refugees who have arrived to Kyrgyzstan, after the Andizhan events of 2005, remains very difficult. According to messages, they have many difficulties in the social and economic plan. According to the Uzbek refugees their safety till now remains under threat.

According to the official data, for today in Kyrgyzstan are registered 114 Uzbek refugees . Basically they are those people, which right after the Andizhan events began to be exposed to prosecution, they are representatives of opposition, human rights deffenders and journalists, with the families and children . According to the Uzbek refugees, today in Kyrgyzstan without official registration, live more than 350 their compatriots. The basic part of refugees are in Bishkek, others in Osh. To survive, they are compelled to be engaged in black, hired work. After that in the summer of this year in Osh 5 refugees were missing, the majority began to get over to Bishkek. In moving of refugees to Bishkek helps public fund "Adilet". According to the data of the above-named fund, though it is officially declared of 5 Uzbek refugees who have disappeared, actually the site of 17 Uzbek citizens till now is not known.

According to the refugees for today living in Bishkek, their position is very heavy. The humanitarian help rendered them by representation of UNHCR in Bishkek is not sufficient.

From UNHCR, on a line with refugees from other countries, the Uzbek refugees for one person 1 time in 3 months receive 4 kg of sugar, 4 litres of oil, 10 kg of a flour, 10 kg of rice. Except for it for one person 1 time in 3 months it is allocated on 470 soms.

In connection with financial difficulties and expensive rent of apartments in Bishkek, living now in the city of Tokmok, refugee Togbai Razzakov, since 1989 a member of opposition party "Birlik ", has told about that except for financial problems, they also have a problem with safety:

- Now we do not have enough money even for food. To cook we have only an oil and macaroni. In Bishkek it is very expensive to take habitation for rent. At least 150 dollars. Therefore now I live in Tokmok. Here I pay for rent of habitation much less. But now thay want to move me from here in connection with non-payment for light, gas. I would like to pay, but I have no money. It is very difficult for me to live like this. I do not know where to go. Besides there are people which watch us, intimidate and threaten. I test it on myself. I do not know what to do.

Some from refugees with which we talked, have told to us that because of that they refuse to come back home or because in some mass-media the information criticizing the present government in Uzbekistan has appeared, their relatives living there also are exposed to prosecutions:


- Several times I have shared the opinion with some foreign mass-media about a present situation in Uzbekistan, position of human rights. At once after my sister called me, and with tears asked me « do not give more interview, think of our lives ». Since then I avoid interviews, - refugee Gafur Juldashev has told.


Practically all Uzbek refugees taking place in Kyrgyzstan, say that will not return to Uzbekistan while the today's political mode there will not be replaced, will not be established a democratic build, until then they are compelled to live abroad. In this occasion, arrived to Bishkek after the Andizhan events, one of citizens of Uzbekistan, the representative of party "Birlik " Akboraly Oripov, has told:

- We cannot return to Uzbekistan while the existing political mode there will not be replaced and will not be established democratic build. But we trust that sometime in our country democracy will be established, and people can freely express their ideas. Until then we shall live in the another's countries, we do not have other exit.

In the near future in corresponding committees of UNHCR applications of about 40 Uzbek refugees about granting of a refuge to them abroad will be examined. But, as informed in representation of UNHCR it is not known yet, which countries will accept the Uzbek refugees.

According to some information, after bloody events in May, 2005, in Andizhan to Kyrgyzstan has arrived more than 800 Uzbek refugees. From which more than 400 have been sent in the third countries, to Romania, and then to USA, Canada and Australia.

Aziza Turdueva, Bishkek



From edition:

we shall repeat once again. In number from November, 17 of our newspaper, the joke - parody at a theme
« Secret conversations in cabinet of Bakiev» has been published, below has been put the asterisk, and in same number of the newspaper on 14 page , the origin of given article has been explained. After short time, the service of a mass media of the president and the government, plainly not having understood a genre and character of a material, have transformed a parody into "provocation" and have left on protection of their owners. In following number of our newspaper ( 21.11.2006) we have published a material « the truth is afraid of criticism? » With an explanation of an origin of a material, « why are you so worry? There is nothing humiliating. as you are employees of printed management of the supreme grades of the country you should be little bit more judicious! » - In a similar way we tried to calm down them. The most interesting is that, yesterday there has come the letter from the public prosecutor of Lenin area. As if there came personal lawyers of Bakiev and Kulov. We have read. and were surprised. And then we have offered "caution" of the public prosecutor on consideration to our readers.

Persecutions on State TV have amplified.

After termless meeting on State TV excitements proceed. Bekeshov is transformed into the national hero. And on the contrary who says that white is white and black is black are subjects to prosecutions. Last week, Jyldyz Kurmanalieva, young journalist, tried to intimidate, threatening with dismissal. On what she has told « than to work on such management, I will leave myself », and having written the application has left. And yesterday on general meeting of radio, employee Zhazgul Zhamankulova has shown discontent to a management. And the reason is simple. Fault of the above-named journalists in that, they supported actions of movement « For reforms! » and wanted in the country a valid reforms. K. Kylych