 Uzbekistan's autocratic leader Islam Karimov faced increasing international pressure Tuesday as the reported toll from a military crackdown in the eastern town of Andijan rose to 745. Four days after soldiers fired into crowds protesting against Karimov's iron-fisted rule over this impoverished Central Asian nation, the Soviet-era leader found himself facing rare tough words from the United States, which considers him an ally in its war on terror. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said late on Monday that the United States was "deeply disturbed" by the reported violence.
| Boy, that's tough. Karimov must be taking the gas pipe... |
"We had urged and continue to urge the Uzbek government to exercise restraint, stressing that violence cannot lead to long-term stability," he told reporters. The comments came on the heels of two days of statements by Britain's Foreign Minister Jack Straw, which called the Andijan violence "a clear abuse of human rights" and "totally condemned" the alleged firing on civilians by Uzbek soldiers. The United Nations has also called for restraint following the clashes, while France encouraged dialogue. The Swiss government said it would review its development aid contributions for Tashkent, some 11.5 million Swiss francs for this year.
In one of the first public protests following the violence, 15 supporters of the Free Farmers party, a secular opposition group, gathered in front of the US embassy in Tashkent. "The United States is partly to blame for the situation in Uzbekistan because they supported, and support, the Uzbek regime," one of the organisers, Akhtam Shaimadanov told AFP.
| Somehow, I just knew it was our fault. Riots, slaughter, bloodletting, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, hurricanes, mudslides, indigestion or incontinence, it's always our fault... |
However, he added that the protestors had chosen the site of the US embassy because they had less reason to fear retribution from the Uzbek authorities, in full view of their US allies.
| I think I'll go lie down... |
"We would be beaten if we had this protest near a government building - we had it here because the Uzbek authorities don't want to spoil their reputation," he told AFP. Protests are rare in Uzbekistan, a poor nation of 24 million people, where Karimov had effectively stamped out all opposition during his rule.
| How'd he do that? There wasn't any opposition before his rule, either. There were commies. |
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