Long-Distance Revolutionary: Uzbek Exile Strives to Foment Protest Movement in Tashkent

The odds against Bokhodir Choriyev realizing his regime-change dreams in Uzbekistan are daunting. His movement numbers a few hundred people scattered across the globe. Much of his time he'd like to spend organizing is consumed by a full-time job as a construction worker. And he lives 7,000 miles away from Uzbekistan, in St. Louis, Missouri.

But Choriyev shows no sign of abandoning his quest. To him, the key to success is gaining access to mass media outlets, especially Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which can spread his message of resistance to the Uzbek population. So far, RFERL has kept him at arm's length. Aiming to get the broadcaster to give him air time, he's bending the ear of every member of Congress he can find, threatening lawsuits, and going on hunger strikes.

Choriyev, the leader of the Birdamlik (Solidarity) movement, has drawn up an elaborate multi-stage plan of civil disobedience in Uzbekistan, based on elements from the so-called "color" revolutions in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan. First, on one weekend day, participating Uzbeks would remain at home all day. If that form of protests succeeds in building momentum, he would ask people to stay at home on a work day. And then several work days in a row.

In the meantime, people would be alerted to turn off their lights for 10 minutes at predetermined times, and would be asked to wear white shirts as a symbol of opposition to the government. In addition, people would be expected to turn off the television or radio when Karimov is speaking. Eventually, once the movement gained a critical mass, he would ask Uzbeks to take to the streets to demand President Islam Karimov's departure from power. The message would be: "Resign, or we'll force you to leave," he said.

At present, few people, if anyone, are aware of his protest plans. That's where RFE/RL fits in. He is seeking 10 minutes per day on the radio's Uzbek-language service to explain his platform. "If it's on Radio Liberty, everyone will hear it," he said, estimating that about 60 percent of the people in Uzbekistan listen to the Uzbek-language service. "If RFE/RL gives us a chance, we can do it [bring down Karimov] in a year."

While RFE/RL officials may empathize with the plight of many Uzbek dissidents, they insist the network's mission is to inform, not to foment revolution. "Dealing with activists and especially dissidents from a place as bad as Uzbekistan is ... they don't see our mission that way. They see our mission as working with them to overthrow the government," said Joyce Davis, RFE/RL's associate director of broadcasting.

Choriyev is not the only Uzbek dissatisfied with RFE/RL's lack of revolutionary ardor. Abdurakhim Pulatov, another dissident, is critical of the US government-funded broadcaster. "He calls us KGB radio; he says we are working for Karimov. They don't pay attention that we're trying to get information from this closed society