Uzbek Events Could Prompt Geopolitical Shift

The March militant attacks in Uzbekistan have potentially profound geopolitical ramifications. Since the September 11 terrorist tragedy, Tashkent has served as the United States' key strategic partner in Central Asia. There are indications, however, that the four-day bout of violence in Tashkent could hasten a move by President Islam Karimov's administration to improve relations with Russia.

A massive security sweep was continuing in Uzbekistan, and there were no reports of violence. Officials maintain that Islamic radicals, with backing from an international terrorist group or groups, are responsible for the violence. A statement issued by the Prosecutor-General's office April 2 provided official casualty figures, saying 14 civilians, including three children, had been killed during the attacks. In addition, 10 police officers died and 24 were wounded. "During the course of the special operations, 33 terrorists, including 7 women, were liquidated," the statement added.

Human Rights Watch said in an April 2 statement that non-violent independent Muslims had been subjected to arbitrary detention. The statement added that HRW monitors had received word that at least 11 people who are "mostly former religious prisoners and their relatives" had been detained arbitrarily within hours of the initial attacks, and we being held incommunicado. Uzbek authorities have acknowledged that at least 30 individuals have been detained in connection with the violence. "Detainees held incommunicado in Uzbekistan are in immediate danger of torture," Rachel Denber, acting executive director of Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia Division, said in the statement. [For additional information of Uzbekistan's crackdown on Muslims click here].

In addition, Uzbek authorities appear to be taking action to limit information gathering, especially by representatives of foreign media organizations. The Moscow-based news web site Ferghana.ru issued a statement April 2 stating that Uzbek authorities were harassing the site's freelance correspondent in Tashkent, Sergei Yezhkov, over his reporting on the violence. The statement said the government was tightening control over domestic media, creating an "informational vacuum" in Tashkent.

"On April 1, the fourth [sic] day of attacks on policemen and explosions, local newspapers did not print A SINGLE WORD on what was happening in the country. ... Local journalists are ordered instead to provide [editorial] articles on subjects [headlines] like