Amnesty International U.S.A: International investigation into the recent violence in southern Kyrgyzstan

[M.T. Al-Mansouri, Ph.D.]

Kyrgyzstan's government failed to protect the country's ethnic Uzbek population from grave human rights abuses. Now perpetrators of the violence may actually get away with it. Call for an impartial, international investigation into the recent violence in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Dear M.T. , We could read their signs of distress from outer space. People trapped on the blood-stained streets of southern Kyrgyzstan painted massive signs on roads and sports fields for the sake of sending one simple message that the entire world could understand – "S.O.S." This international code for help was as clear as day from our satellite images of the country1. However, nearly two months after the worst of the violence has subsided, the international community has failed to push for justice. To this day, entire neighborhoods are still burned to the ground and the people who lived there are still looking for a place to call home. It’s not too late for the international community to finally answer Kyrgyzstan's calls for help. Take action now to ensure that those accused of colluding in abuses don’t end up leading the investigation. Reports are prevalent that Kyrgyzstani law enforcement abused its authority by failing to protect those citizens who were being targeted during the period of unrest. Now that video and photographic evidence from local journalists and residents who documented this abuse of power are beginning to surface, law enforcement officers are re-igniting a new wave of terror – silencing journalists and anyone who dares to reveal the truth about the horrific acts of violence that were perpetrated primarily against Kyrgyzstan's ethnic Uzbek population. It wasn’t bad enough that Kyrgyzstan's government failed to protect its citizens from violence, now the perpetrators of the violence are about to get away with impunity. Don’t let Kyrgyzstan's government get away with this outrageous abuse of power. Call for an impartial, international investigation into the recent violence in southern Kyrgyzstan. Thank you for taking action, Christoph Koettl Crisis Campaigner Amnesty International USA