Mostly women, children, and the elderly fled their homes to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border in fear for their lives. © Viktor Drachev/AFP/Getty Images.
Danger inside.
Terror outside.
.
"Many of us don't want to go, we fear for our lives, but we have no choice."
Bring those responsible for human rights abuses in Kyrgyzstan to justice.
Dear M.T. ,
Kyrgyzstan isn't protecting them.
Neighboring country, Uzbekistan, doesn't want to.
Violence is taking its toll on civilians, particularly the ethnic Uzbek population, living in Kyrgyzstan. Now we're hearing that the country may give way to looting, arson and waves of ethnic violence once again.
We can't shake the distressing sight of more than 100 "S.O.S" messages that were painted in massive letters across the country's roads and sports fields in June[1]. Actions taken by truly desperate people who felt their only hope was to be seen by our satellite images captured from space.
We were able to expose their cries for help because we had the resources necessary to keep our eyes on the ground. With your support, we can continue our work to monitor and report back human rights abuses taking place in Kyrgyzstan. Danger inside.
Terror outside.
As chaos was erupting inside Kyrgyzstan, terror was taking hold of those who ventured outside the country.
At least 100,000 people made the difficult journey from Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan. However, before stability had even been restored to the streets, Uzbekistani authorities were forcing civilians to go back to where they came from – the danger zone.
An Uzbek refugee told Amnesty International: "Many of us don't want to go, we fear for our lives, but we have no choice."
Thousands remain trapped in limbo – stuck between the lives they lost and the rights they continue to lose.
But you can help stop the impunity. Those who abused their power during this time of crisis deserve to be brought to justice.
Take action now to support our efforts to bring justice to the people of Kyrgyzstan.
In Solidarity,
Christoph Koettl
Crisis Campaigner
Amnesty International USA
Ottawa International Poets and Writers for human Rights (OIPWHR)