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Dear Friends, dear guests of the conference, On behalf of my organization and personally from myself I would like to welcome you at the joint conference of the International Helsinki Federation, International Leagues of Human Rights and the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights called “Obligations in the field of human rights across the Central Asia: Achievements and problems” devoted to Central Asia. Unfortunately due to known to many of you circumstances I could not participate at this conference, but I hope that employees of KCHR and active workers of KCHR will make sure to hold a conference at a high level. Regrettably the human rights situation in the region remains very difficult despite the huge efforts of the international community to help the region. On the whole there is no visible progress in the region. Kyrgyzstan is inevitably losing its face and hopes for progress in the field of human rights and democratic changes after shooting civilian demonstrators on March 17-18th of 2002 Aksy region. The guilty ones in this event still remain unpunished despite the promises of the government. On the contrary, the government in each possible way protects the guilty party by various manipulations and frauds. The International Helsinki Federation of human rights, Human Rights Watch, the International League of Human Rights, International Federation for Human Rights, KCHR and others are continuing to demand the punishment of those responsible in the tragedy. The international community is insisting on releasing Kulov and demanding to stop persecuting of the journalists and human rights defenders. The international community defends the rights of Sergey Duvanov, Zhakianov and other persons from Kazakhstan and calls for launching an investigation and securing the victims from tortures and human rights defenders in Uzbekistan. In the year 2003, several resolutions were adopted at all international levels issued condemning Niazov’s regime. The recent events in Kyrgyzstan connected to detection of bugs in the cabinets of five oppositional deputies once again testify to the gravity of the human rights situation in the country. If Akayev’s regime totally ignores one of the branches of power, we cannot even speak about human rights at all. The human rights in Kyrgyzstan end with the mere appeals and slogans such as “Kyrgyzstan is a country of human rights, democratic code and a good governance”. In the year 2000, the government of the Kyrgyz Republic was heavily criticized by OSCE and other international and local organizations after parliamentary and presidential elections. However, since then there is no sign of improvements in the human rights situation promised by the president. On the contrary, manipulations with the president’s mere promises have further intensified what can be proven by a number of facts including additional round of elections in some regions of the republic. Starting with the end of the current year and up through the year 2005, Kyrgyzstan’s citizens will be involved in the parliamentary and presidential elections. However, it is clear right now that the regime is not going to give way to the expression of the genuine will of the citizens. Citizens of Kyrgyzstan are almost totally deprived of the opportunity to watch and to listen to fully independent TV and radio programs. There remains just several small-circulation newspapers published by courageous people under the circumstances of never-ending lawsuits supported by pro-Akayev judges. Kyrgyzstan independent mass media is gradually vanishing getting bankrupted with the huge fines and the citizens do not have access to the objective information. Kyrgyzstani people are limited to the programs praising the president and his family from state TV channels which belong to the family of Akayev. Only he has an opportunity to show himself and his family. In this respect, Kyrgyztan has come back to the times of Brejnev`s USSR. Our other colleagues are also in a tough situation; however, the struggle goes on. I genuinely admire you and no tyrant can stop us on our way; we will continue our fight against them anyway. Our friends and colleagues will help us in this struggle. I wish you all success and fruitful work to the work of the conference. I also wish to thank the government of Belgium, which supported the organization of this conference. Sincerely, |
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