The world and Russia are observing the events in Uzbekistan indifferently [08.05 MSK]
Ferghana.Ru, D. Kislov, Chief Editor, 14.05.2005
The Ferghana Valley is cut off from the outside world. One out of a hundred attempts to reach Andijan by telephone is successful. In the city there are only three correspondents of foreign publications. In fact, one of them has already been arrested, and his life is in danger. The rebels' calls to Putin for help received no response. The head of the [Russian] Ministry of Foreign Affairs [Sergei] Lavrov mumbled something about "Uzbekistan's internal affair." The press-service in Washington is concerned about the release of prisoners [from jail]. Russian TV channels are reporting an outburst of religious extremism in the Ferghana Valley and showing Afghan mujahedin as background footage - viewers will swallow it. A million and a half Russian emigrants from Uzbekistan and three million Uzbek migrant workers are awaiting news about the fate of their family and friends. Meanwhile, people in Moscow or Tel Aviv are better informed about the events in Andijan than residents of Tashkent and Bukhara. The official media of Uzbekistan are either silent, or they are repeating memorized phrases which have been carefully censored by their caretaker from the security forces. Uzbekistan has been moving toward Friday, the 13th of March, 2005, for fifteen years. Over last night and this morning military units are intentionally wiping out peaceful residents of Andijan and shooting unarmed city-dwellers.
Translated by me.
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