{news} Fw: Silence in Uzbekistan - Why it Matters for Peace-in-Space Activists

[Charlie Pillsbury]

fyi, charlie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Global Network 
To: Global Network 
Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2005 6:25 PM
Subject: Silence in Uzbekistan - Why it Matters for Peace-in-Space Activists


Silence in Uzbekistan - 

Why it Matters for Peace-in-Space Activists


We can thank the BBC, the Russian Interfax news agency, and various 
human rights organizations for getting the truth out about Uzbekistan, 
after its government, the US government, and various Western news 
agencies tried to put the "fix" in Friday night.  Here's what really 
happened: an armed group of local residents of Andijan (NOT IMU or 
Hizb-ut Tahrir militant supporters) stormed the local prison to release 
local business leaders.  Local civic activists charged that the Uzbek 
government had been advised by the US government, without evidence, 
that these leaders were IMU "terrorists" and should be held in prison 
indefinitely.  The prison doors were opened and everyone was freed.  
Later, more than 10,000 mostly-unarmed citizens, with a high percentage 
of children, gathered in the public square to demand the resignation of 
Islam Karimov.

The BBC accurately reported as of noon Eastern time on Friday that 
security forces had opened fire on protesters with submachine guns, 
killing at least 500, including at least 100 children.  Condoleezza 
Rice and State Dept. spokesman Richard Boucher said that they did not 
believe the reports, and in any event, these people were probably 
supporters of terrorists.  Sure enough, on Saturday morning all the 
Western news reports from AP, Reuters, etc. said that only 10 were 
dead, and that these were "armed rebels".  The BBC had warned Friday 
afternoon that bodies were being taken to Uzbek government hospitals, 
the hospitals were being closed, and that bodies would no doubt 
"disappear." Isn't it funny how some Russian news outlets told the 
truth, while virtually all Western sources outside BBC served as Uzbek 
government mouthpieces?

Luckily, by Saturday afternoon, reports were emerging that 500 dead was 
probably an understatement.  This should be a warning to all Stalinist 
governments that, in the Internet age, hidden massacres are simply 
impossible to maintain.  It should also be a warning to the US to watch 
out for its seamier friends.

This issue is of immediate relevance to Global Network and all working 
for peace in space, because the US maintains a major space and 
intelligence base, a so-called "Forward Operating Location", at 
Khanabad Air Base in Uzbekistan.  Consequently, we will support Islam 
Karimov unflaggingly.  But the position of Condi Rice and the US 
government will look more and more untenable over the next few days.

Loring Wirbel
CPIS/PPJPC
Colorado Springs



Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space
PO Box 652
Brunswick, ME 04011
(207) 729-0517
(207) 319-2017 (Cell phone)
globalnet at mindspring.com
http://www.space4peace.org
http://space4peace.blogspot.com (Our blog)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist10.pair.net/mailman/private/ctgp-news/attachments/20050515/5c2886cd/attachment.html>