Kyrgyzstan clashes

NGOs have called for international intervention in the south of Kyrgyzstan, where they say ethnic unrest poses a threat to international security.

In a joint letter to the United Nations Security Council on Friday, Louise Arbour, leader of the International Crisis Group and Kenneth Roth of Human Rights Watch urged the council "to take immediate steps to address the ongoing crisis in Kyrgyzstan."

The groups hope to see the quick deployment of a stabilization mission in the region, where fighting between Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks broke out last week.

Kyrgyzstan's interim leader, Roza Otunbayeva, said Friday that the death toll from the ethnic clashes has likely hit 2,000 - 10 times the government estimate. While both sides have suffered losses, the Uzbek minority has been targeted hardest, causing hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

In response, the United Nations has launched a 57 million euro ($71 million) emergency appeal for humanitarian aid for Kyrgyzstan. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon added there would be a further appeal for Uzbekistan issued "early next week."

Violence in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad has raised fears over the future stability of the country of 5.3 million, where Uzbeks make up 14 percent of the population. The riots, which took place last Friday through Sunday, have been the worst interethnic clashes to hit the impoverished Central Asian state since the Soviet Union collapsed.

Uprooted

An estimated 400,000 are now displaced within Kyrgyzstan and neighboring Uzbekistan, where many ethnic Uzbeks have fled to escape attacks. As many as 40,000 ethnic Uzbeks are believed to be without shelter.

Uzbekistan has been quick to respond to the needs of refugees - amid calls for more help. "There is an absolute need now for takeover by the international community," said Jean-Michel Delmotte, UNICEF senior representative to Uzbekistan.

About 100,000 ethnic Uzbek refugees are currently receiving care from Uzbek authorities and aid workers. Uzbek authorities said there were already 30 camps alone in the Andijan region of eastern Uzbekistan, near the border to Kyrgyzstan, and an estimated 90 percent of the refugees at these camps are women and children.

U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said parts of Kyrgyzstan faced shortages of food, water, electricity and medical supplies.

Aid being distributed in the camps has come from several sources, including international aid organizations that flew several cargo planes into Tashkent earlier this week. Tons of aid supplies have also come from within Uzbekistan.

'We have always lived together'

Interim leader Roza Otunbayeva landed by helicopter in the devastated city of Osh on Friday, wearing a bulletproof vest and accompanied by a heavy security detail. It was her first visit to the city since unrest erupted one week ago.

"I came here to see, to speak with the people and hear firsthand what happened here," Otunbayeva said in her address to a handful of people at the main square. "We will do everything to rebuild this city."

Kyrgyzstan’s acting leader - whose government seized power on April 7 after President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted - has chosen to downplay the scale of animosity between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the country.

"We have always lived together and we always will live together," said Otunbayeva.

The interim government has pointed fingers instead at Bakiyev, who has been holed up in Jalalabad since fleeing the capital city Bishkek. Otunbayeva’s government has accused the former president of instigating the violence in his stronghold region by hiring militia to target both ethnic groups.

Dangerous timing

The unrest in southern Kyrgyzstan comes at a particularly dangerous time for Otunbayeva and Kyrgyzstan in general, with a referendum scheduled for June 27 that Otunbayeva hopes will secure public and international support for her self-appointed government.

Otunbayeva insists that her administration is in control of the country. If not, her failure to stop the violence could have grave results for Kyrgyzstan and the region.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made use of an interview with the Wall Street Journal to warn that Islamic extremists could take over the country if Otunbayeva did not keep her people's confidence.

"When people lose faith in the ability of the civil authorities to bring law and order and decide there is only one force that can do it, then we can end up with a Kyrgyzstan that would develop along the Afghan scenario, the Afghan scenario of the Taliban period," the Russian president said.

While many had hoped that Russia would come to Kyrgyzstan's aid, Medvedev has said that this matter is one for Kyrgyzstan to deal with on its own.

Author: David Levitz (AP/AFP/Reuters)

Editor: Martin Kuebler