The Hindu : International : 9 killed, scores injured as unrest over terror trial quelled by army in Uzbekistan city

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Saturday, May 14, 2005

International

International

9 killed, scores injured as unrest over terror trial quelled by army in Uzbekistan city

Vladimir Radyuhin

Angry protesters demand the resignation of President Islam Karimov

RESTIVE: Protesters gather in downtown Andijan on Friday denouncing the trial of Muslim businessmen on terrorism charges. — PHOTO: AP

MOSCOW: The army opened fire to put down a rebellion in Uzbekistan's city of Andijan after armed protesters stormed a local prison and seized an administration building in violence that swept the 300,000 city in Ferghana Valley.

The army moved in on Friday night after Andijan was practically seized by people protesting against the trial of 23 local businessmen who are accused of belonging to an Islamist extremist group, the Ferghana.ru news resource said. Relatives and supporters of the businessmen on Thursday had stormed the local jail setting free the jailed businessmen and 2,000 other prisoners. They overran an administration building and barricaded themselves inside, vowing to fight till they die if attacked. Reports said dozens might have been killed in the army assault. Uzbek officials said nine persons were killed and 36 wounded in earlier violence, but eye-witnesses put the number of casualties at 20. Some reports said 15 to 30 soldiers were held hostage by the rioters, but the Government denied this.

The army, aided by pouring rain, disbursed a crowd of about 30,000 who gathered on Friday to demand the resignation of President Islam Karimov.

Mr. Karimov rushed to Andijan on Thursday to resolve the crisis. Officials said the situation in Andijan was under control. Andijian is in the impoverished Fergana Valley, stronghold of the militant Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which is linked to Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The IMU mounted armed attacks in the region in 1999 and 2000 in an effort to set up base for building a Central Asian Khalifat.

Andijan is just across the border from Osh, a Kyrgyz town in Fergana Valley, where a "tulip revolution" began in March which eventually led to the fall of Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev.

Uzbekistan has been the target of several attacks by armed groups and suicide bombers in recent years which claimed dozens of lives. The Government blamed the attacks on Islamic extremists based outside Uzbekistan, but analysts pointed to widespread poverty and iron-fisted rule of Mr. Karimov as possible reasons for unrest.

The Russian Foreign Ministry voiced "concern" over the unrest and expressed the hope that "stability and law will be restored" in the city.

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