Uzbekistan Opposes Int'l Probe of Violence

[maddezmom]

By EDITH M. LEDERER, Associated Press Writer
31 minutes ago



UNITED NATIONS - Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov said he opposes an international investigation into the worst violence since the country's independence in 1991, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Thursday.

"He said he had the situation under control and was taking every measure to bring those responsible to account and didn't need an international team to establish the facts," Annan told The Associated Press Thursday night.

Government troops opened fire after protesters stormed a prison in the eastern city of Andijan on Friday, freed inmates and then seized local government offices. Many of the demonstrators were citizens complaining about poverty and unemployment.

Karimov's government has denied that troops fired at civilians, and Karimov blamed Islamic militants for the unrest. The government says 169 people died in Andijan, but opposition activists say more than 700 were killed — over 500 in Andijan and about 200 in nearby Pakhtabad — most of them civilians.

~snip~
more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050520/ap_on_re_eu/un_uzbekistan

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Of course...

He does. I would be dissappointed if he did. Kinda.

[K8-EEE]

2. BUSHCO TOLERATING/ENABLING EVIL TYRANT??

I thought they didn't DO that....isn't that why our people are over there dying every day, because he just couldn't have evil tyrants around?

OH IT'S ALL SO CONFUSING...not...

[femme.democratique]

3. You know what they say about history....

today's friend, tomorrows foe....what natural resources do they have?

[hector459]

4. Why should they. The US wouldn't tolerate it either. Follwing example

set by Bush.

[bemildred]

5. Tsk, so much for "transparency". nt

[tmooses]

6. Wasn't Condi in Iraq this weekend talking about how we have

learned our lesson on ignoring dictators for political reasons?
This creep tortures his own people-is this part of the march to freedom?

[Moderator]

7. kick to combine

[shawn703]

8. Washington Retains Strong Ties With Uzbekistan Despite Notorious Human Rig

Uzbek President Islam Karimov has rejected calls for an international inquiry into a bloody crackdown on protesters in the town of Andijan last week. Human rights groups say as many as 750 people were killed, while the government claims just over 150 died.
The bloodshed took place last Friday in eastern Uzbekistan when between 60 and 100 armed men stormed the local prison to free 23 businessman believed to be unjustly accused of religious extremism. They also released some 2,000 other prisoners.

Thousands of demonstrators then assembled in Andijan's town square to protest Karimov's repressive government. Soldiers soon arrived and opened fire on the crowd, shooting indiscriminately. Even the local police begged the soldiers to stop shooting. In the end hundreds of bodies -- including those of women and children -- filled the square. A mass of survivors fled the square towards the border of Kyrgyzstan where witnesses say Uzbek troops fired on them once more. Some reports put the final death toll as high as 750.

Uzbekistan is one of the Bush administration's closet allies in Central Asia despite the country's notorious human rights record. The US has an airbase in the south of the country which provides logistical support to operations in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, the head of US Central Command - General John Abizaid - said that operations were being scaled back at the base as a "prudent move." But he said this was not intended to be a political message of disapproval to President Karimov.

more...
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/05/20/1425243

[hector459]

9. This could read: "US opposes international probe of violence"

and apply it anywhere the US and its allies occupy or control.