Press Release
Militaries of Uzbekistan invaded the Disputed Territory of Kyrgyz-Uzbek border

On 18 March, early morning around 7:30, in Ala-Buka region of Jalal-Abad oblast militaries of Uzbekistan came by armored troop-carriers and trucks to the territory of Kyrgyz-Uzbek borders, which was not delimited. At this territory, they established block stations and started to control cars and citizens of Kyrgyzstan. This place is under the control of Kyrgyzstan from the time of the former Soviet Union.

Agency Kabar informed, that Kyrgyz militaries were sent to the territory, where the border was violated. Also on 19 March, two Kyrgyz armored troop-carriers were located in front of the block stations, which were established by Uzbek frontier guards.

Actually Kyrgyzstan didn’t build the border fence, and it was created from the Uzbek side. Frontier guards protect the border from the Kyrgyz side.

As for this situation, of course, this is considered as a problem, which must be solved by intergovernmental agreements. But, there are many such problems. For example, in 2013 year, when the Kyrgyz government sold “Kyrgyzgas” (Kyrgyz company) to Russia then Uzbekistan fully terminated an export of gas to Kyrgyzstan. After this, Kyrgyz Ministers said that Uzbek ministers did not arrange meeting with them. The Uzbek authorities have ceased to consider officials of the Kyrgyz government as leaders of an independent country. Even Uzbek authorities do not meet with Kyrgyz Ministers in order to resolve these problems. That is why Kyrgyzstan authorities are forced to serve both the US and Russia.

But this is no reason for this problem. Some influential groups of Kyrgyzstan started to strengthen the idea that the only force, which can and must to solve problems is the Kyrgyz nation. This is a very dangerous position, which can reinforce international conflict. Appearance of this problem, i.e. aggressive actions of Uzbekistan is related with activation of oppositional forces in Kyrgyzstan. The problem of Uzbekistan is not Kyrgyz authorities. Karimov is afraid of a possibility of repetition of the international conflict of 2010.

Lately, the Kyrgyz government started to appoint representatives from the social layer, in which national feelings are strengthened. In its turn, they spoil society and strengthen nationalism, using national feelings and their authority. Representatives of Muftiyat and elite act on a basis of nationalistic direction under pressure of law enforcement authorities.

This threatens Uzbekistan’s authorities. They will exert some support to representatives of Uzbek nation, who have nationalistic sentiments, by means of such actions, like above. Because representatives of the national elite of Kyrgyzstan have highly aggravated the situation in the country. Even they started to call famous religious figures and Ulema as an “Ulemas of the Kyrgyz nation”, although this religion is not national.

Military forces of Kyrgyzstan cannot to confront army of Uzbekistan. Therefore, to arouse patriotic feelings of people is stupidity and this in turn cause international conflicts. This will lead to civil war i.e. Uzbekistan can arm representatives of Uzbek nation in Kyrgyzstan, in order to start some actions in this region, at the same time Uzbekistan claims that it does not participate in these actions, just as Russia's armed pro-opposition in the east of Ukraine, and claimed that they did not participate in the Ukrainian crisis !!

This problem can be solved. Only it is necessary to create a true Islamic atmosphere and to use it correctly for solving this problem. For this, it is necessary to liquidate the nationalistic situation in Kyrgyzstan. Because opposition or “third forces”, like Russia, can use and exploit this situation.

For this, representatives of law enforcement authorities must give a possibility for religious organizations and figures to do a correct calling to Islam. But, lately instead of this, the Kyrgyz authorities started:

– to exert pressures to them;

– to hold any attestation;

– to establish censorship, which is contradicted to Sharia;

– also some illiterate representatives of authority give to Imams a text, containing lies and slander, for sermons (Khutba). In this way, the Kyrgyz authorities prevent Islamic calling. It must give for Muslims a possibility to express their opinion in regard to vile manifestations and incorrect directions in our society.

Otherwise, Uzbekistan will continue such actions, considering that the Kyrgyz authorities create situations, which threatens Uzbekistan, and as a result of its actions, this situation threatens Kyrgyzstan itself. And the Kyrgyz authorities force the Ulema to be silent and exert pressures on them, who have possibility to be protected from such nationalistic situations. It is necessary to fight against vile and amoral manifestations in our country, and to fight against forces, which specially create such situations.

Head of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir

in Kyrgyzstan