Press Review July 7 - 21

 ECHO CAR BLOWN UP

 The Newspapers informed that on Sunday, July 16, in Dushanbe the vehicle of the European Humanitarian Office (ECHO) was blown up. As the Interior Ministry Administration for Dushanbe informed the explosion had occurred in the yard of a block of flats located at the corner of Rustaveli Street and Pushkin Street opposite the garment ?Guliston?. According to the source an unidentified explosive was used. As a result of the explosion one girl was slightly injured. Officers of the Ministry of Security are investigating into that matter.

MURDERERS OF S. DAVLATOV IDENTIFIED

 Russian-language paper ?Biznes i Politika? (Business & Policy) # 29 informs that to solve the problem of integration of the former UTO militants and stabilize the situation in Kofarnihon, Leninsky districts and Karategin Valley the government commission has been formed. The Deputy Minister of Interior Habib Sanginov heads that commission. Habib Sanginov said in his interview with the paper that the main goal of the commission was to help local authorities with stabilizing the situation and deciding fates of armed groups operating in the that area. According to him the commission has been given great powers from the President. Thanks to the activity of the commission status of about 400 militants has been determined: a part of them were incorporated into the government forces and other returned to civilian life. All heavy weapons, mortars and anti-aircraft guns were removed. Habib Sanginov also said that persons having killed the Chairman of the Gharm district Sergey Davlatov had been identified. They belong to the armed group having moved to Gharm from Darband. Habib Sanginov considers that the commission coped with a task, an now, there are no more unaffiliated militants in the area. Powers of the commission terminate on July 30.

THEY SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR PEACE ON THE TAJIK SOIL

 Newspapers have informed that on Wednesday, July 19, a stone opening ceremony in memory of four employees of the UNMOT, which were killed by terrorists in 1998 was held at the admin center of the Gharm district. Two years ago, on July 1998, four employees of the UN Mission of Observers to Tajikistan ? citizen of Japan Yutaka Akino, citizen of Poland Richard Shevchek, citizen of Uruguay Adolpho Sharpego and citizen of Tajikistan Jurakhon Mahramov were brutally killed in the Labi Jar when they were coming back from their working trip to Tavil Dara. The Deputy PM of Tajikistan Saidamir Zuhurov, Representative of the UN SG and Head of the UN Tajik Office of Peace-building (UNTOP) Ivo Petrov, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Tajikistan Marin Buhoara, other officials and representatives of mass media participated at the opening ceremony.

TAJIK JUDGES ARE PASSING TEST

 Asia-Plus # 26 informs that on July 20, candidates to the post of judge began passing test. Tests were carried out in accordance with the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Tajikistan ?On Juridical Council? and the special review commission of the Juridical Council is carrying out the test. The test is carried out in the Hall of the Majlisi Oli. 270 candidates to the pot of judge are passing the test. 160 out of them are judges whose powers are terminating and the rest 110 are new candidates to the post of judge; they will pass the test for the first time. The test is transparent and free. Foreign observers from the OSCE and other international organizations are monitoring the test.

DOES THE CONSTITUTION OF TAJIKISTAN INFRINGE A BALANCE OF POWER?

 The official paper of the Islamic Revival Party of Tajikistan ?Najot? (Salvation) # 29 has published an article on that subject. The author of the article affirms that the Constitution of Tajikistan is required improving and bringing into line with international norms. According to him amendments and additions made to the Constitution by Referendum of September 26 1999 have not improved it but, on the contrary, they have alienated it from the international standards. The author holds that a new revision of Articles 49, 55 and 56 of the Constitution provides consolidates subordinate state of the judiciary. The Upper Chamber of Tajikistan consisting of representatives of the executive power is empowered to nominate and confirm all judges of the country, while the Lower Chamber, which is a legislative organ of the country, cannot influence he judiciary. The author considers that the Upper Chamber should be formed on the basis of universal and direct elections. The author expresses hope that deputies of the Lower Chamber of the Tajik Parliament will submit that proposal to a referendum.

ARMED PEOPLE IN MOUNTAINS OF LENINABAD?

 Asia-Plus # 26 informs that on July 14, the Interior Ministry Administration for the Leninabad region received information that a group consisting of 18 armed persons in camouflage had appeared in the Tabak area of the Bobojonghafurov district. On July 14-16, officers of the Interior Department for Kayrakum, the Ministry of Security Administration for Leninabad, Interior Department for Asht and servicemen of the Special Rapid Deployment Detachment of Leninabad raided the territory from the Oppon village to the Adrasman settlement of the Bobojonghafurov district. But these measures were still futile. Since the beginning of the operation 180 servicemen of the Regional Interior and Security Administrations of Leninabad as well as employees of the regional forestry have participated in that. But all taken measures were futile. Now, the search to find the armed persons is going on. The First Deputy Minister of Security Anatoly Kuptzov has confirmed that information. According to him they have received that information from local shepherds, but the search has not yielded yet results. General Kuptzov does not exclude that the information might be false.

ACTIVISTS OF ?HIZB UT-TAHRIR? ARE UNDER TRIAL

 Asia-Plus # 26 informs that criminal cases of 7 members of illegal religious party ?Hizb ut-Tahrir? have come up for trial to the Regional Court of Leninabad. They are found guilty for forming criminal group (Article 187 of the Tajik Criminal Code), arousing religious and ethnic dissension (Article 187) and for calling to overthrow of the constitutional government (Article 307). ?Tojikiston? paper adds that one of leaders of that organization for the Leninabad region N. Dadabayev has collected monthly from his subordinates more than TJR 100,000 each as membership fees. It is supposed that within the next few days, the regional Court of Leninabad will pronounce judgement on that matter. Besides, cases of 37 other members of ?Hizb ut-Tahrir? have been brought into the court. Investigation into cases of 82 members of that religious radical organization is still in progress.

TAJIKISTAN ? UZBEKISTAN: BOUNDARIES SHOULD BE DEFINED ACCORDING TO THE RESOLUTION OF 1961

 sia-Plus # 26 informs that on July, negotiations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on delimitation of boundaries between the countries completed. In the course of the work of the joint Tajik-Uzbek commission it has been decided that boundaries between the countries would be defined in accordance with the resolutions of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Tajik SSR and the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Uzbek SSR of 1961. The next meeting of special commissions of the two countries will be held in Dushanbe at the end of September The official paper of law enforcement agencies of Tajikistan ?Tojikiston? # 27 informs that Tajikistan has come into border conflict with Uzbekistan twice. The Chef of the Interior Ministry Department for the Nov district (Leninabad) Rustam Saidov said in his interview with the paper that in 1994 already, Uzbek border guards seized a part of the Tajik territory (about 42 hectares) n the Zafarabad, Nov, Mastchoh and Asht districts. At the same time, motorway traffic between Mastchoh and Nov districts of the Leninabad region was broken. The Uzbek border guards have returned that territory to Tajikistan after lengthy negotiation. But on May 17 of the current year, the frontier troops of Uzbekistan invaded the territory of Tajikistan with armored carriers and anti-aircraft guns and seized that territory again. The situation on the Tajik-Uzbek border became aggravated again. The Tajik side has demanded that they had to leave the territory of Tajikistan on no condition, and after lengthy negotiations Uzbek border guards have been forced to return that territory to Tajikistan.

POSITIVE CHANGES OUTLINED IN TAJIKISTAN

 The official Russian-language paper of the Tajik government ?Narodnaya Gazeta? # 29 has published an interview of the Minister of Economy and Foreign Economic Relations of Tajikistan Yahyo Azimov. The Tajik Minister said in his interview with the paper that for the last three years, positive changes had been outlined in Tajikistan. The Republic has managed to increase the growth of the Domestic Gross Product (DGP): growth of production in industry in creased in 1997 by 1.7 %, in 1998 ? by 8.2 % and in 1999 ? by 5 %; growth of production in agriculture increased in 1997 by 3.6 %, in 1998 ? by 6.5 % and in 1999 ? by 3.1 %

KAZAKHSTAN WILL DELIVER 350,000 TONS OF GRAIN TO TAJIKISTAN

 The official Tajik-language paper of the Tajik Government ?Jumhuriyat? # 60 informs that the Tajik Government has concluded an agreement with Government of Kazakhstan on delivery of 350,000 tons of grain and other farinaceous produce to Tajikistan.

BANDITS SLAUGHTERED MEMBERS OF ONE FAMILY IN THE IRONS OF DUSHANBE

 Tajik newspapers inform that one armed group has brutally killed 10 members of one family. This incident occurred on Friday morning, July 14, in the Teppai Samarqandi area of the Leninsky district (10 kilometers to the east from Dushanbe). Among the killed there are 6 men, two women and two boys. Two 7-year-old and 5-year-old girls with stab wounds were taken to Republican Hospital # 3, the 5-year-old girl died in the hospital. As the First Deputy Minister of Interior Habib Sanginov said in his interview to ?Biznes i Politika?, some days before the tragedy the family had sold one house for $ 11,000 (according to other data for $ 6,000). He says that three persons were arrested on suspicion having committed that crime. Habib Sanginov stressed that the former UTO field commander Mansur Muakkalov had rendered great assistance in detaining the criminals.