Refugees International Calls on U.S. to Provide Diplomatic Leadership to Ensure Protection, Human Rights in Kyrgyzstan

The United States and other countries must demonstrate support for Kyrgyzstan’s protection of her citizens by urging the Permanent Council of the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to immediately deploy unarmed police monitors to the country’s troubled southern region to help stem on-going human rights violations there, Refugees International said today. The OSCE is scheduled to meet Thursday in Vienna to discuss strategies to ease tensions and prevent further violence in the aftermath of last month’s conflict that forced an estimated 300,000 people from their homes.

“An immediate presence of trained international police officers and human rights monitors is critical to protecting lives and human rights in this tinder-box of violence and abuse,” said Dawn Calabia, Senior Advisor for Refugees International, who returned last week from Kyrgyzstan. “Thousands of ethnic Uzbeks returned to burnt-out homes after fleeing ethnic violence last month, and now face human rights abuses and fear of targeted violence. The U.S. must urge immediate deployment of OSCE police to protect all citizens’ rights and prevent further bloodshed.”

Refugees International is also calling on the U.S. and other countries to fund a UN emergency appeal that will enable deployment of international human rights protection monitors to help reassure people living in an atmosphere of fear. Currently, only 17 percent of the protection budget in the $73 million emergency appeal has been funded.

RI recently returned from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan where they assessed the humanitarian situation for people who fled violent conflict in mid June. More than 100,000 people, mostly women, children, elderly, and disabled individuals, found brief refuge in neighboring Uzbekistan, but returned to Kyrgyzstan. Both ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks were killed, wounded and driven from their homes, but RI found that members of the minority Uzbek population are still being targeted in the aftermath.  People in both communities are still afraid and want objective information about what happened and how their government is responding.

“Despite reports of collusion by local officials, security elements and criminal gangs in the June attacks on local residents, ethnic Uzbeks whose homes and business were destroyed now find themselves facing interrogation, arbitrary detention and arrests as ‘organizers of violence,’” said Calabia.

RI reported that Uzbek citizens’ efforts to seek court or police assistance or protection from attackers and kidnappers have been ignored, while inter-ethnic tensions remain close to the boiling point. “It is imperative that the rule of law return as soon as possible to southern Kyrgyzstan, and that the people who suffered receive not only protection, but justice,” said Maureen Lynch, RI Senior Advocate for Statelessness. “The government of Kyrgyzstan, together with the United Nations High Commission of Refugees and partner agencies, must continue their important efforts to ensure people can replace national identity documents lost in the violence. There is no free movement without ID.”

RI also reported that thousands of Uzbek families who fled violence are still living in tents or with host families. Many are too afraid to go back to their homes, and are actively seeking ways to leave the country. RI asserted that neighboring Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan should keep their borders open to individuals seeking protection.

“As Kyrgyzstan’s official ‘forty days of mourning’ end, the government needs to stop the abuses and institute measures to reconcile the main ethnic groups so people can rebuild their homes and their lives,” stated Lynch. “Winter is not far off and rebuilding shattered communities is critical, but no action should be taken without consultation and involvement of local Uzbek residents, who fear that new building plans could push them outside of the economic centers of Jalal Abad and Osh.”

Refugees International is a Washington, DC-based organization that advocates to end refugee crises and receives no government or UN funding.  www.refugeesinternational.org [1].

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For Immediate Release: July 21, 2010
Contact:  Gabrielle Menezes
P: +1-202-828-0110 x225 C: +1-347-260-1393
gabrielle@refugeesinternational.org [2]