Article

2005-05-17 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

More gunfire has been reported in the eastern Uzbek town of Andijan, days after a military crackdown there reportedly killed hundreds of people. The unrest on Monday night came as police and troops stepped up patrols in the city's streets. Last Friday, witnesses said soldiers tried to disperse an anti-government rally in Andijan by firing into the crowd. The unrest started when demonstrations over the trial of 23 local businessmen, accused of membership in an outlawed Islamist group, boiled over. But President Islam Karimov's government has long been accused of gross human right abuses and observers say the Uzbek authorities purge Muslims who do not follow state-sanctioned Islam.

US-based watchdog Human Rights Watch estimates that this religious persecution has resulted in the unfair arrest and incarceration of around 7000 people. The Uzbek government has banned the call to prayer, and forbids any discussion of an Islamic state or Islamic law. Attendance at a mosque can result in arrest. There is no independent media in Uzbekistan and all state-run media is subject to heavy censorship. The Uzbek government justifies this campaign by saying that it needs to act against terrorism and places its actions in the context of the war against terrorism.

Posted by Fred 2005-05-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11135 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 And this is more-or-less our only way into or out of Afghanistan?

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-05-17 01:04|| http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]">[http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-05-17 01:04|| Front Page Top

#2 There is Pakistan to the south, but well, you know...

Posted by Paul Moloney 2005-05-17 01:22|| 2005-05-17 01:22|| Front Page Top

#3 Clearly Islam Karimov needs to go... and quickly... before he becomes another Ceaucescu.

Posted by Howard UK 2005-05-17 06:42|| 2005-05-17 06:42|| Front Page Top

#4 It looks like it's too late to stop that, Howard...

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-05-17 08:34|| http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]">[http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-05-17 08:34|| Front Page Top

#5 Well, Phil, we could always take the scenic route out to the southwest... "Look at the ruins."

Posted by Jackal">Jackal 2005-05-17 16:40|| home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2005-05-17 16:40|| Front Page Top

#6 I wonder how much the Pakistanis would sell Balochistan for.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-05-17 18:22|| http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]">[http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-05-17 18:22|| Front Page Top

15:23 Procopius2k
15:20 trailing wife
15:16 trailing wife
15:13 Skidmark
15:11 badanov
15:08 Skidmark
15:05 trailing wife
15:02 trailing wife
15:00 ed in texas
15:00 Skidmark
14:59 Ebbuger Whuque4103
14:56 Skidmark
14:56 Rex Mundi
14:48 Skidmark
14:24 badanov
14:19 badanov
14:19 NoMoreBS
14:17 NoMoreBS
13:42 Jairong+Scourge+of+the+Gepids2435
13:41 Jairong+Scourge+of+the+Gepids2435
13:39 Jairong+Scourge+of+the+Gepids2435
13:37 swksvolFF
13:36 Jairong+Scourge+of+the+Gepids2435
13:35 SteveS