Fairness is the way to reconciliation
The tragic events in southern Kyrgyzstan that took place in June 2010
resulted in many casualties, including murder, rape and numerous violations of
fundamental rights and freedoms, which in turn led to mass emigration.
The UNHCR estimates that due to the ethnic conflict in southern
Kyrgyzstan, 300 thousand people were displaced, of whom 169,500 have not
returned to their homes. Thousands of people were forced to leave Kyrgyzstan permanently.
Since 11 June 2010, ethnic Uzbek residents of southern Kyrgyzstan have been
leaving the country. Ethnic Kyrgyz residents who do not support the
nationalists have been leaving too.
According our organisation’s observations, the majority of victims who left
for another country never received international protection. Those who moved to
Russia turned into migrant workers; many of them are wanted by Kyrgyz
authorities for alleged involvement in the riots (in June 2010). In addition, those
who moved to countries outside the CIS do not always find international
protection, they are often afraid to give their real names for fear of
disclosure of their location and causing problems for their families living in
Kyrgyzstan. A large group of ethnic Uzbeks are forced to live in the territory
of Uzbekistan illegally, but under a total control of the National Security
Service of Uzbekistan. There is a high risk of their mass expulsion to
Kyrgyzstan, contrary to Article 3 of the UN Convention against Torture.
Since June 2010, the Association for Human Rights in Central Asia - AHRCA has
received more than 3,000 reports of numerous cases of violations of human
rights from the residents of southern Kyrgyzstan: torture, fabrication of
accusations of ethnic discrimination, violation of property rights and the
absence of effective remedies.
Association for Human Rights in Central Asia - AHRCA calls on countries which
took in the victims of ethnic conflict in southern Kyrgyzstan to:
- stop the enforcement of the deportation of ethnic Uzbek, Kyrgyzstan national, asylum seekers;
- review the application of ethnic Uzbeks in respect of whom a decision to deport was made;
- provide access to legal aid for refugees from Southern Kyrgyzstan and create conditions for their legalisation;
- provide humanitarian aid, if necessary, including the right to education of minors and health care.
Association Human Rights in Central Asia - AHRCA urges the government of
Kyrgyzstan to implement consistently the recommendations of the Independent
International Commission for Inquiry into the events of Southern Kyrgyzstan in
June 2010, the International Crisis Group, which said that the situation in
southern Kyrgyzstan is extremely difficult.
In southern Kyrgyzstan, ethnic Uzbeks continue to experience fear. It is
amplified due to lack of protection of Uzbeks from a repetition of the tragedy.
They have a right to international protection, including by UNHCR.
