The conspiracy of… democrats is brewing in Bishkek
Restless Topchubek Turgunaliev is uniting opponents of Nazarbaev, Karimov, Rakhmonov
and Turkmenbashi. The Congress says, “Yes”.
Daniyar KARIMOV
Opponents of the presidents across southern republics of the
Commonwealth of Independent States have found support in Bishkek [Kyrgyz capital]. Kyrgyz
democratic forces are ready to assist their colleagues from the near abroad to reach a
genuine, from their point of view, democracy. Which means, actually, to unseat the
incumbent leaders of the neighboring states and make them join Askar Akayev's company.
On October 13, Kyrgyz justice ministry registered a new political
organization, namely the Democratic Congress of Central Asia (DCCA) International
Foundation. As it was officially reported, the opposition parties of Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have joined the congress, along with the
representatives of German political elite.
On the wreckage of the “Red Empire”
The key figure of the democratic congress is Topchubek Turgunaliev, the
ideologist of a total democratization in Central Asia. At the same time, he is the
initiator of a regional group that originates, as it appears, in the last days of the
soviet empire.
According to Turgunaliev, the Democratic Congress was established on
May 17, 1991 in the capital of Kyrgyzstan, the then soviet republic. Due to many reasons,
however, the initiative of global changes in the region didn’t survive. Fourteen years
later, in summer 2005, opposition leaders reanimated the Congress. And then, in late
September, they held a conference in Warsaw and approved their joint organization bylaws.
“I met leaders of every opposition movement in Central Asia”,
Turgunaliev says. “Among them are those who live in forced exile. During the conference
held in the Polish capital, the coordination board was elected. And I was elected the
coordinator. Our goal is to unite all the progressive forces to promote democracy to the
states of the region”, Turgangaliev says. “Our immediate plans are to assist the
Kazakh united opposition. On December 4, the presidential election will be held in this
neighboring republic. Together with other Kyrgyz civil society activists, we will be
preparing observers. We are asking Western organizations to support us, to send more
observers to Kazakhstan, about 80,000. As we have come to know, Nursultan Nazarbaev counts
on falsifying the vote results at rural polling stations. And in Kazakhstan, the rural
population makes up to 63% of the voters."
Democracy comes down from the mountains
The Congress regards the support of democratic opposition in Uzbekistan
to be another priority for the nearest future. However, the group has chosen peaceful
methods of struggle for the victory of democracy, Topchubek Turgunaliev vows. Islam
Karimov should have no doubts about the non-violent feelings of the democratic activists,
who say that the pressure on them from the official Tashkent is mounting.
Emomali Rakhmonov, Tajikistan President, will have to think twice, too,
as well as Turkmen leader Saparmurat Niyazov. In their states, Turgunaliev’s regional
companions-in-arms say, democracy is not developing either. Especially in the country of
the “happy” Turkmen, hardly accessible even through officials channels. However, the
changes are looming, Turgunaliev predicts.
”Tensions with other republics’ governments are likely to
emerge”, he admits. “However, at the government level, the relations must remain
normal. We are not going to interfere. Our task is to develop and support civil society in
the region”.
But one can hardly expect the governments of the neighboring states to
understand the good resolves of the Congress, especially one cannot expect this from
Uzbekistan which regularly claims that its neighbors have been preparing opponents of its
ruling circles. And possibly, such attitude is justified.
In exile but not in bosom
Judging by the activities of Uzbek secret services in the south of our
[Kyrgyz] republic, regularly reported by our human rights activists, the government of
this neighboring state is sure: the opposition to Karimov has been brewing with the
assistance of Kyrgyzstan. In Osh and Jalalabad regions, Islam Karimov’s opponents are
known to have many supporters. And the story of Andijan refugees moved to Romania has
strengthened the Tashkent’s suspicions.
Uzbekistan today is perhaps the only state in the region where not only
the peaceful but also the armed opposition, the IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan),
oppose the government. Before the US-led war against the Taliban, the camps of IMU
militants were reportedly located in Afghanistan and highland Tajikistan. In a similar
manner, President Emomali Rakhmonov had opposed the divisions of united Tajik opposition.
Turkmenbashi has banned the opposition altogether. One of the leaders,
Boris Shikhmuradov, has been jailed for a long term. Others rushed to flee. Many of them
went to Europe, others – to Russia. Saparmurat Niyazov's opponents publish their
newspaper and hope for revenge. Otherwise, why should they have joined the Democratic
Congress of Central Asia?
VB’s Note
The Democratic Congress of Central Asia comprises the following
members:
In Kyrgyzstan: Erkindyk Party, Republican Party of Kyrgyzstan, the
Party of Developers, the People’s Movement of Kyrgyzstan;
In Kazakhstan: United Kazakh Opposition (over ten parties and public
movements, with the headquarters in Almaty);
In Uzbekistan: parties Erk, Birlik, Ozod dehkonlar and the “Round
Table of the Young Democratic Associations;
and the Democratic Party of Tajikistan and the Republican Party of
Turkmenistan.
Vecherniy Bishkek, October 21, 2005
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