OMBUDSMAN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST KYRGYZ-UZBEK SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001354

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PREF PHUM KDEM KG
SUBJECT: OMBUDSMAN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST KYRGYZ-UZBEK SECURITY
COOPERATION IN THE SOUTH

REF: BISHKEK 1226

BISHKEK 00001354 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On September 15 the Ambassador met with
Ombudsman Tursunbai Bakir-uulu to discuss Kyrgyzstan's
failing refugee regime, recent crackdowns on alleged
extremists in the south, and Kyrgyz-Uzbek relations. Stating
that the situation in the south seemed to be getting worse,
Bakir-uulu linked the killing and detention of suspected
terrorists to warming relations with Uzbekistan and the
Kyrygz security service's collaboration with its Uzbek
counterpart. Bakir-uulu also cautioned that Uzbekistan's
growing influence could lead to increased hostilities between
religious, ethnic groups and the state. To track these
issues effectively, Bakir-uulu said he needed additional
funds from, and closer cooperation with, the United States.
END SUMMARY.

KYRYGZ-UZBEK RELATIONS TO BLAME
--------------


2. (C) On September 15, the Ambassador met with the Kyrgyz
Ombudsman for Human Rights Tursunbai Bakir-uulu to get his
take on recent events in the south. Bakir-uulu linked each
of the issues addressed, from rising ethnic tension and
religious extremism to the deterioration in Kyrgyzstan's
refugee regime, to President Bakiyev's desire to improve
relations with Uzbekistan, especially before the need for
Uzbek gas surges this winter. In doing so, Bakiyev has
unnecessarily exposed Kyrgyzstan to Uzbek manipulation, said
Bakir-uulu. The Ombudsman accused the Kyrgyz Government of
moving away from its democratic ambitions towards closer
interaction with undemocratic neighbors, threatening
Kyrgyzstan's unique standing in Central Asia as a country
that adhered to religious freedom and human rights.


3. (C) Citing the killing of Imam Mohammadrafik Kamalov on
August 6 and the detention of other supposed religious
extremists since then, Bakir-uulu assessed that the Kyrgyz
National Security Service (SNB) had been collaborating
closely with its Uzbek counterpart. According to Bakir-uulu,
the fact that Kamalov's daughter married the son of an Uzbek
Imam, who the Uzbek Government believes to be extremist,
prompted the SNB to take action against Kamalov directly.
The belief that Imam Kamalov allowed members of Hizb
ut-Tahrir (HT) to pray at his mosque was yet another,
possibly more publicly accepted, reason to get rid of him,
according to Bakir-uulu.


4. (C) Bakir-uluu pointed to the August 9 refouling of four
Uzbek refugees and one asylum seeker, as well as the separate
disappearances of four other Uzbek asylum seekers in August
(Reftel) as concrete examples that the Kyrgyz Government had
allowed Uzbek security services to operate freely within
Kyrgyz territory. Calling these events Uzbek provocations,
Bakir-uulu forecast that, due to the unmonitored Kyrgyz-Uzbek
border, the Uzbeks could continue their operations with or
without Kyrgyz permission. In his view, the Uzbek
Government, because of President Karimov's concern over the
political orientation of its neighbors, had acted to gain a
strong foothold in Kyrgyzstan, taking advantage of
Kyrgyzstan's vulnerability with rising ethnic and religious
tensions and a porous border.


5. (C) Bakir-uulu also claimed that Bakiyev was using this
cooperation with Uzbekistan to strike at his political
opponents in the south. When Bakiyev ran for Parliament
prior to the March 2005 events, Hizb ut-Tahrir organized to
oppose Bakiyev's candidacy, denying him a victory. As
President, Bakiyev has used his power to suppress those he
deems to be a threat to his position. According to
Bakir-uulu, Bakiyev has, perhaps naively, accepted
Uzbekistan's offer to help the GOKG rid itself of unwanted
actors in Kyrgyzstan. From Bakir-uulu's point-of-view, such
cooperation will only create more problems for Bakiyev as

BISHKEK 00001354 002.2 OF 002


Uzbekistan continues to seek greater influence over its
neighbors.

ADDITIONAL FUNDS REQUIRED
--------------


6. (C) Stating that his budget had been slashed repeatedly by
Bakiyev, Bakir-uulu said he needed to locate other sources of
funding to continue his office's operations monitoring events
throughout the country. Though he was sporting an expensive
suit and cufflinks, he claimed that his employees did not
have enough money to pay for taxis outside of Bishkek.
Bakir-uulu appealed to the Ambassador for U.S. assistance to
aid in the purchase of new vehicles and to ensure the
completion of needed renovations throughout the building.
Bakir-uulu suggested that such assistance would be symbolic
of the United States' willingness to work closely with his
office, in support of human rights and Kyrgyz independence.
The Ambassador agreed to relay his request to Washington for
consideration.

COMMENT
--------------


7. (C) An outspoken figure with his own political
aspirations, Bakir-uulu did, nevertheless, come across as
being a sincere and candid interlocutor. Bakir-uluu has not
limited his verbal broadsides to Bakiyev and the Kyrgyz
Government; in August, he attracted attention when he refused
an invitation to attend an ombudsman conference in the United
States after he interpreted President Bush's remarks about
"Islamic fascism" as being anti-Islamic. More passionate
than in previous meetings, Bakir-uulu clearly has been
personally affected by the increased anti-terror operations
in the south, particularly the killing of Imam Mohammadrafik
Kamalov. A native of Karasuu, Bakir-uulu and the Kamalovs
have enjoyed a close relationship for many years. Bakir-uulu
claimed he was being harassed by the SNB at the behest of the
Uzbek Government and noted that he was going to file suit for
slander on September 20. (NOTE: As of September 21,
Bakir-uluu's office could not confirm that a lawsuit has been
filed. END NOTE.) He was negative about the same pressure
to others in the opposition under neighboring President
Karimov's influence. "Democracy cannot be established in
just one country," Bakir-uulu said and added that observation
of human rights and good relations with the Uzbeks could not
simultaneously exist while Karimov is in charge. It remains
to be seen how the Bakiyev government handles the Ombudsman;
the belief, shared by many, that Bakir-uulu is an HT
sympathizer may give the GOKG more of a reason to keep him
under close watch. END COMMENT.

YOVANOVITCH