Uzbekistan update
John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and John Sununu (R-NH) traveled to Uzbekistan, met with four main opposition parties (presumedly Birlik, Erk, Ozod Dekhkonlar and another), and delivered a statement condeming the May 13 attacks and demanding an international probe into the actions of the Uzbekistan government.
However, no Uzbekistan officials met with the senators, Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov declared that he would “investigate” the charges and police began another crackdown over the weekend. Karimov’s blaming of the attacks on Islamic extremists will only cause further problems, as it will licence further religious and political oppression.
The Andijan massacre is having effects elsewhere throughout Central Asia: Kazakhstan is re-examining its domestic policies, Afghanistan is protects refugees from having to return to Uzbekistan.
With Washington trapped between the geostrategic necessity of its military bases (thus supporting the Karimov regime) and its commitment to democracy and human rights (supporting the opposition), will Uzbekistan’s “second transition” deliver the country into a civil war?
