Tashkent time is - 
13 May 2010
13:40 -
Abdurahim Polat: Remembering the 5 years since bloody Andijan events, we are required to move forward
5 years ago, Uzbekistan government shed hundreds of innocent people's blood in Andijan using own Security Services’ provocation made by the hands of so-called "Akromia" movement’s members. The traces of this event will remain forever in our nation's heart. The provokers and those who shed the blood will have to respond in front of the nation and history.
Our mission is not mourning and shedding tears, but to take a lesson from past days, to make Uzbekistan the better place to live without those kinds of events, to make steps forward to the level of the nations who can fight for their rights.
Everything is obvious. We took a lesson from the past already, our missions are clear, so we have to work.
There is no doubt that Andijan events were in order to stop the leader of democratic opposition - "Birlik", which had once again stood up on its feet with 25 thousand formal members and millions of followers in 2003, after 10 years of Uzbek regime’s repression. It is well known that by the decision of the Central Council of "Birlik" on 30 April of 2005, hundreds, then thousands of "Birlik" members were to come to Tashkent not for the meeting, but were going to show to Ministry of Justice "Birlik" as an organization. If done the government wouldn't have any choice but to register "Birlik" and then "Birlik" could have a big chance to win the very first upcoming elections or could become so powerful that the authorities could not ignore.
In May 2005, by shedding its own people's blood, the Uzbek government blocked the development of "Birlik" and democracy. In these kinds of situations, all democrats and patriots should join around "Birlik". But undeveloped Uzbek opposition couldn’t do it. Instead, the opposition dispersed to various small organizations and chose the path of waiting for the world to overthrow the dictatorship. Nobody heard their cry on their masochist sites to use sanctions against Uzbekistan.
As it always has, "Birlik" chose the right way. In the statements issued in the eve of anniversaries of bloody Andijan events in 2006 and 2007, "Birlik" did not call to the West for any more sanctions against Uzbekistan or for isolation of Uzbekistan from the world. On the contrary, it called for integration of Uzbekistan to the democratic world as a way of promoting democratic processes in the country and supporting democratic organizations of Uzbekistan.
The West accepted the offers of "Birlik". Integration of Uzbekistan to the democratic world rose up to a new level. Uzbekistan started to release political prisoners and the political environment relatively softened.
As a result, on May 1 of this year, a great event happened in opposition's life. "Birlik" Party's Extended Central Council’s Board meeting took place in Tashkent and strategies for the near months were developed.
On this occasion , we have to appeal to those Uzbeks who left their motherland after Andijan events.
- Remember that world wide actions like pickets, meetings, different kind of conferences in the West organized by the opposition activists during decades of dictatorship in Cuba, Iraq, Iran, China didn’t give any results at all.
- Only "Birlik" has masterly used every single possibility to revive opposition’s activity. So, take its example and join "Birlik".
- One must understand that reviving and intensifying the opposition inside Uzbekistan is the only way to soften the dictatorship and to change it by an evolutionary way.
Today, remembering the 5 years to bloody Andijan events, one must realize, that there is no other way of going forward except by the path offered by "Birlik".
Our mission is not mourning and shedding tears, but to take a lesson from past days, to make Uzbekistan the better place to live without those kinds of events, to make steps forward to the level of the nations who can fight for their rights.
Everything is obvious. We took a lesson from the past already, our missions are clear, so we have to work.
There is no doubt that Andijan events were in order to stop the leader of democratic opposition - "Birlik", which had once again stood up on its feet with 25 thousand formal members and millions of followers in 2003, after 10 years of Uzbek regime’s repression. It is well known that by the decision of the Central Council of "Birlik" on 30 April of 2005, hundreds, then thousands of "Birlik" members were to come to Tashkent not for the meeting, but were going to show to Ministry of Justice "Birlik" as an organization. If done the government wouldn't have any choice but to register "Birlik" and then "Birlik" could have a big chance to win the very first upcoming elections or could become so powerful that the authorities could not ignore.
In May 2005, by shedding its own people's blood, the Uzbek government blocked the development of "Birlik" and democracy. In these kinds of situations, all democrats and patriots should join around "Birlik". But undeveloped Uzbek opposition couldn’t do it. Instead, the opposition dispersed to various small organizations and chose the path of waiting for the world to overthrow the dictatorship. Nobody heard their cry on their masochist sites to use sanctions against Uzbekistan.
As it always has, "Birlik" chose the right way. In the statements issued in the eve of anniversaries of bloody Andijan events in 2006 and 2007, "Birlik" did not call to the West for any more sanctions against Uzbekistan or for isolation of Uzbekistan from the world. On the contrary, it called for integration of Uzbekistan to the democratic world as a way of promoting democratic processes in the country and supporting democratic organizations of Uzbekistan.
The West accepted the offers of "Birlik". Integration of Uzbekistan to the democratic world rose up to a new level. Uzbekistan started to release political prisoners and the political environment relatively softened.
As a result, on May 1 of this year, a great event happened in opposition's life. "Birlik" Party's Extended Central Council’s Board meeting took place in Tashkent and strategies for the near months were developed.
On this occasion , we have to appeal to those Uzbeks who left their motherland after Andijan events.
- Remember that world wide actions like pickets, meetings, different kind of conferences in the West organized by the opposition activists during decades of dictatorship in Cuba, Iraq, Iran, China didn’t give any results at all.
- Only "Birlik" has masterly used every single possibility to revive opposition’s activity. So, take its example and join "Birlik".
- One must understand that reviving and intensifying the opposition inside Uzbekistan is the only way to soften the dictatorship and to change it by an evolutionary way.
Today, remembering the 5 years to bloody Andijan events, one must realize, that there is no other way of going forward except by the path offered by "Birlik".
