----------------------------------------------------------------
For the moment (Friday, November 13) we have 499 members in Central Asia, including 181 in Kyrgyzstan, 163 in Kazakhstan, 110 in Uzbekistan, 39 in Turkmenistan and 6 in Tajikistan.
----------------------------------------------------------------
1. Political situation.
The general political situation in Uzbekistan is much more worse than even in Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan, even without speaking about Russia and Ukraine, and could be compared with the political landscape in neighboring Turkmenistan with dictatorship of Saparmurad Nijazov (Andrej Roscin who visited Ashkhabad in October, was searched and in fact exiled from the country after 3 days of stay there - the details about the situation there are availiable in Agora Notizie Radicale Sector, text # 4980).
The president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr Islam Karimov is in fact the owner of the country - not only in political but also in economical sence: in fact, all the commercial structures in the country act under his control or with his participation (for example, Britis-Uzbek joint venture Uzxerox is made between Rank Xerox Corporation and "Shark" poligraphic concern by President of Uzbekistan).
Mr Karimov underlines constantly, that only his power is an alternative to the Islamists. Exactly under pretext of the struggle against Islamist treat and of the preventing the Tajik scenarium each kind of independent political activity, first of all concerning democratic organizations (even of those which are officially registered), is in fact prohibited. The democratic activists are persecuted officially and inofficially. For example, Mr Abdumannob Pulatov, president of not-registered Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan,
In the country there is absolutely no independent press, every newspaper is governmental and publishes only reports from cotton fields and articles about president Karimov's speaches and decrees. The same about Uzbekistan's TV.
2. Political parties and organizations.
The governing (all the places in the Supreme Council, except very few party-less deputies) and almost the only legal party in the republic is the Communist Party of Uzbekistan, which changed its name after proclaiming independence (September 1, 1991) and calls now PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF UZBEKISTAN. Its president is Mr Islam Karimov.
The first independent political movement in the republic which was created in 1989 on the wave of perestroyka according the model of Baltic People's Fronts is BIRLIK PEOPLE'S MOVEMENT ("Birlik" in Uzbek language means "unity"). Later, in the framework of this movement almost all the parties and organizations were created. Among them the most important are:
ERK DEMOCRATIC PARTY ("Erk" means "Freedom") is the only officially registered oppositional party in Uzbekistan. In its old program the standart general democratic aims are neighboring with the demands of national independence of Uzbekistan, more essential role of Uzbek language, etc. President of the party prof. Mohammad Salikh, MP which declared earlier this year about his exiting out the parliament as a protest against dictatorial methods of the state leadership (he also joined recently Radical Party). In spite of Erk's official registration and having the office in the center of the city, this party has practically no possibilities of the real activity. Recently its computers, fax machine etc. were confiscated by the authorities.
BIRLIK PARTY was organized also on the base of still existing Birlik People's Movement. Unlike Erk Party, Birlik is more general democratic party, having less national aspects in its program. As a party it is not registered, don't have an office and practically operates in the underground. Its president, Mr Abdurashid Pulatov outlived recently the attempt on his life. Some members of its leadership, like Mr Hajit Abdullaev, member of presidence of the party, are also members of the Radical Party.
The small GREEN PARTY is not registered too.
Very few is known about the ISLAMIC REVIVAL PARTY, which operates in Uzbekistan in the conditions of a deep underground.
Close connected with Birlik Party is HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIETY OF UZBEKISTAN, many its activists are also members of the Birlik Party and joined RP. It is also not registered by the authorities and its activity is persecuted. As an alternative to the Human Rights Society so called NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS was created as a para-governmental structure.
3. The political agenda for the RP in Central Asia.
I use here the conditional term "Central Asia", meaning ex-Soviet republics of Middle Asia (Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) plus Kazakhstan, which differs with Middle Asia geographically, demographically and politically, without including into this term other Central Asian states, as Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc.
The situation in Central Asian states differs very much not only with Russia or Ukraine, but also between each other.
Very approximately these states could be devided into the 3 groups:
1) ex-Communist dictatorships in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan;
2) more or less democratic (in comparison with the first group) regimes in Kazakhstan and especially in Kyrgyzstan, where more political and economical liberties are provided and economical reforms, beginned by Mr Nazarbaev and Mr Akaev, are in course;
3) Tajikistan, an Iran speaking republic (unlike other 4 Turkish speaking countres), where is now in fact no power, except Russian 201st army and where the bloody clan war is going.
Till now Radical Party didn't have any concret political program, proposal, idea or even just a political direction for Middle Asian ex-Soviet republics (of course, excluding our general campaign against death penalty).
However, at least one thing is clear. The situation with human rights in Uzbekistan (and in Turkmenistan) is horrible and exactly this sphere could become battle field for the Radical Party. I mean even not only such rights like right to object military service or right not to be killed "by low", but the simple basic human rights and political liberties: freedom of speach, freedom of associations, freedom of manifestations, etc. We have to organize or to take part in the campaign for releasing prisoners of conscience, for right to non-violent political activity.
4. For the "United States of Asia".
Another important direction of our activity in Central Asia (in fact, very close connected with the previous one) could become an actual political demand of the political unity of Central Asian states on the laicist, democratic, federalist base - a sort of regional federalist unity (maybe, in the framework of CIS, like Benelux exists in the framework of EC). Such kind of regional federalist intergrity in the Third World is already proposed by the Radicals in Western Africa.
There were never before national states in Central Asia. Emirates of Bukhara or Khiva, for example, were powerful transnational states (like Austro-Hungarian empire) which united Turkish and Iran speaking people, but on the national base. In this sence there were no national tradition. Only Stalin created Soviet republics of Middle Asia on the national base. And only after not succesful cup d'etat in August 1991 and final crushing of Soviet Union the independence "foll down" (if it is possible to say) on these republics.
The political nostalgie about Soviet Union is still very important element of the political life in that region, unlike Ukraine and Belarus. It's not occasionally, that exactly Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are the authors of many proposals directed to the more essential intergration of CIS states. For the moment it is more or less clear, that no more federative or even confederative structure between Russia and Central Asian countries can be created. But it is clear also that new national states in Central Asia have no good future - neither in political, nor in economical sence. It is matter of fact both for common people and for poltical elite of these countries. That's why idea of political federative unification of Central Asia, being already in the agenda will be active supported by different political forces in that countries.
That is truth, that Central Asian regimes politically are very different. It's very difficult to imagine how Karimov's dictatorship could be united with more or less democratic regime in Kazakhstan in the framework of the same federal integrity. But it means only, that this question is just at the same time more genera question of democracy in Central Asia.
We discussed very much about this problem with Uzbek Radicals and representative of Uzbek political estabishment during my stay in Tashkent. Everybody was agree, that this subject could be the basic and themost actual Radical proposal to the current political agenda of Central Asia states.
As a first step on this way Radical Party could organize a conference "TO THE UNITED STATES OF ASIA: ON THE LAICIST, DEMOCRATIC, FEDERALIST WAY" - after the Congress in Rome, approximately in February 1993. Such conference could be organized in Tashkent (the technical and politcal possibilities there are not clear) or - better - in Alma Ata, where both political end technical conditions are much more better. This conference could be also the first reunion of Radicals from Central Asian state. But not only - it seams, this conference could be an important event in Political life of these countries.
Maybe it could be very useful to organize the 4th Conference of Radicals from New Independent States in Alma Ata - I think we have there all the necessary technical possibilities.
5. Technical problems of our presence in Central Asia.
For the moment (Friday, November 13) we have 499 members in Central Asia, including 181 in Kyrgyzstan, 163 in Kazakhstan, 110 in Uzbekistan, 39 in Turkmenistan and 6 in Tajikistan.
In Bishkek, Alma Ata and Tashkent we have groups of Radicals able to work; we have 11 deputies in Kazakhstan's parliament and 3 deputies plus 1 minister in Uzbekistan. Joining Kyrgyz and Turkmen deputies is only question of time, I suppose.
We have some political ideas (like United States of Asia) which can be our actual proposal and sence of our activity in that countries.
But I'm sure everything will be very difficult without a minimum of technical and organizational support, which could be provided from the new founded coordination center for Central Asia (like coordination center for Western Europe in Brussels and coordination center for Eastern Europe in Budapest). The place for this center could be in Alma Ata or in Bishkek (it is more easy because o technical and political problems), or in Tashkent (it is better according the geographical point of view, also is important our presence in this country in order to press to Uzbek government in favour of human rights).
Our contact address in Tashkent:
RADICAL PARTY
c/o Marat Zakhidov
Sharaf Rashidov 40-141
Tashkent, UZBEKISTAN
tel. (3712) 566 809
