Subject: Media monitoring
From: Alisher Khamidov (alisher@elcat1.osh.su)
Date: Sun Dec 12 1999 - 22:47:31 EST
Media conflicts, that's how I would call the recent publications in Uzbek
and Kyrghyz media. They started at the beginning of 1999 simultaneously with
the issues of the border demarkation between Kyrghyzstan and Uzbekistan.
In February,1999, Uzbek president Karimov made a very critical statement in
regards to bread and products smuggling from Uzbekistan. He blamed Osh
oblast citizens for smuggling products and leaving nothing to Uzbeks. In
that interview, Uzbek president made a very harsh remark about the Kyrghyz
president Akaev. In specific, he said: "He (Akaev) always grins and smiles
but does nothing for his people."
The response of Mr. Akaev and the Kyrghyz authorities to the remarks made by
the Uzbek president was calm and even conciliatory. But for the opposition
press in Kyrghyzstan, the remarks were very insulting and agressive. Their
response was immediate.
Many people residing in Osh oblast were deeply affected by these statements:
with bread being a culturally sacred thing for Central Asians, they were
astonished by these remarks from such a respected person as the Uzbek
president.
Many ethnic Uzbeks of Osh oblast lost their positive belief of possible
support from Uzbekistan.
In my interviews with a number of Uzbeks from Aravan raion, which borders
with Uzbekistan, I observed despair and anger at Uzbek president. One of the
people I met said that now Kyrghyz Uzbeks are between two fires: Tashkent
and Bishkek.
The recent Batken events in the south of Kyrghyzstan clearly added to the
cooling off of relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrghyzstan.Further critical
statements about Kyrghyzstan by president Karimov and Uzbekistan press
resulted in bitter and agressive responses from the Kyrghyz media.
For example, Eshlar Kanali, Uzbek government owned TV-staion, made a TV
report during the Batken crisis. In this report, Uzbek journalists compared
Islamic extremists, who invaded Kyrghyz territory with coward rasckals which
act sneakingly from behind. This report also underlined weakness of the
Kyrghyz government to address the situation. " How can a country be
independent, if it cannot protect itself from enemies", the report stated.
Another critical statement of the report was that among terrorists were
mostly Kyrghyzstan Uzbeks and Tajikistan Uzbeks.
For the viewers from Osh oblast, this report produced a very deep
impression. People, and journalist whom I met stated that it was a blunt
propoganda of the Uzbek government.
Opposition press in Kyrghyzstan increased their harsh criticism and
agressive tone towards official Tashkent.
Bombing of the Kyrghyz territory by Uzbek air force was a momentum of the
Kyrghyz media's criticism of Uzbek government.
At the same time, the Kyrghys opposition press blamed the Kyrghyz government
for its weakness and inability to respond to official Tashkent adequately.
Opposition newspaper 'Asaba" published articles which alleged that
Uzbekistan might invade Kyrghyzstan.
One of the Kyrghyz parliament members ranked Uzbekistan N1 enemy for
Kyrghyzstan.
When the Uzbek authorities launched the installation of barbed wire along
its border with Kyrghyzstan, a number of issues emerged: during the soviet
time, some parts of the Kyrghyz territory were leased to Uzbekistan and
vice-
versa.
Recently, there have been cases when Uzbeks border officials intruded
Kyrghyz territory
and began the installation of barbed wire fences there.
In particular, there was a little fight between Uzbek border construction
people and people of the Kyrghyz village of Kerben, who opposed anauthorized
seizing of land by Uzbek barbed wire builders. Only opposition newspapers in
Kyrghyzstan covered the event.
In the press conferences of Osh oblast governor, Mr. Akmataliev, I have
asked him to comment on these issues as well as on the work of the joint
Kyrghy-Uzbek commission on border demarkation. Mr. Akmataliev was vague in
his comments about these issues. He refferred to the Ministries of Foreign
Affairs of both countries which are actively involved in this process. At
the end, he added that authorities in Kyrghyzstan are not necessarily
satisfied with recent developments at the border, and certainly there are
some disputable issues to address.
The Kyrghyz newspapers like "Vecherny Bishkek" covered the border
demarkation process. Their critical articles described how Uzbek customs
officers undressed a Kyrghyz citizen while checking before he entered Uzbek
territory.
In the Kyrghyz newspaper "Asaba", there was an article which alleged that
Uzbeks of Osh oblast might claim autonomy from Kyrghyzstan and or claim to
be part of Uzbekistan.
The Uzbek press didn't give much of a highlight for the disputes in the
border demarkation process. Uzbek TV-stations made TV reports about the
necessity of strenghening borders with neighbours because of the security
issues.
Travel and trade between the countries became difficult. Buses and public
transportation was not allowed between these countries, and private vehicles
were thoroughly checked. There were times when the borders were completely
closed for any transportation means.
Andijon Media Conference.
In October, 1999, Osh Media Resouce Center, in association with
International Center for Training Journalist in Tashkent and Adenauer
Stiftung organized a media roundtable conference for Andijon oblast and Osh
oblast journalists.
We experienced some difficulties in organizing this event until we got
official consent from authorities.
One of the helpful things for brining Uzbek and Kyrghyz journalists was the
statement by the Uzbek president Karimov, which he delivered recently on TV.
In this statement, Mr. Karimov urged Uzbek journalists to cooperate with
their colleagues from neighbouring republics.
This aim of the conference was to bring Uzbek and Kyrghyz journalists
together to allow exchange of ideas and opinions and understanding the
viewpoints across the board.
The main emphasis was made on recent developments in Batken oblast.
Kyrghyz and Uzbek journalists made their presentations on pluralism of ideas
in media, issues of objectivity while covering various events.
Nearly all Uzbek journalists made a stress on terrorism coverage in the
reigon.
At the conference, in my private talks with Uzbek journalists, they
expressed their concern that the whole Batken crisis was a bit suspicious.
Uzbek journalists know that Islamic extremists were coming in and out of the
Batken area long time before the crisis. And the Kyrghyz govenment did
nothing to alert neighbours or to stop it. According to them, this was the
main issue which worsened relations. Another aspect of the suspicion was the
unofficial talks which Kyrghyz diplomats held with terrorists.
In particular, the suspicious visit of Mr. Tursunbai Bakir Uulu, Kyrghyz PM,
to Afghanistan where he met with terorist leaders.
President Karimov, in his interview with the Russian newspaper openly
criticized the "people's diplomacy" initiative of some Kyrghyz politicians.
He stated that this encourages terrorists.
For the Kyrghyz journalists, Uzbekistan didn't give much support to
Kyrghyzstan during the crisis. Instead, there was bombardment of the Kyrghyz
territory and harsh criticism. Some Kyrghyz journalists highlight the fact
that terrorists demanded a corridor for penetration to Uzbekistan, and that
Kyrghyzstan didn't allow this to happen, where as a number of Kyrghyz
journalists and politicians wouldn't mind that to happen.
One of the important presentation at the conference was the video, which was
prepared by the Uzbek Television. It linked Islamic terrosim in Cenral Asia
with Chechnia, Talibans in Afghanistan and some countries outside Russia
and Central Asia.
It showed brutal acts of violence by terrorists: chopping off heads, fingers
of victims, torture of children and captured people.
While giving concrete names of organizers,the video also described Tashkent
Bombings in February, 1999 and linked the organization of the terrorist act
to Osh oblast as well.
In general, it was a very powerful video. Kyrghyz journalists, who were
schocked by the cruelty and violent scenes in the presentation, were told
that Uzbek Television made it based on Russian Video which was aired in
Russia. The video was aired throughout Uzbekistan as well.
The Andijon conference was a very important event for both countries. For
the first time in several years, Kyrghyz journalist from the Ferghana Valley
visited the Uzbek oblast of Andijon. The conference encouraged exchange of
ideas and collaboration.
Uzbek journalists urged their Kyrghyz colleagues to cooperate in covering
issues of terrorism in the region.
One of the accomplishments of the conference was the exchange of contact
information and signing agreements on news exchange.
Andijon radio station "Vodi Sadosi" and Osh oblast radio station "Pyramid",
and "Almaz" agreed to organize a Radio bridge between them for the
students.
Osh Media Resouce Center is determined to continue its efforts to build a
media network in the region. With this purpose, we are organizing a Central
Asian Conference for journalists from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyghyzstan and
Kazakhstan at the end of the January, 2000. The conference will be held in
Tashkent and is part of the big project, titled "Central Asian Media Support
Project"
If you have comments or suggestions or different perspectives, feel free to
contribute.
Alisher Khamidov
Director/Osh Media Resouce Center
Osh, Kyrghyzstan
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