TENSE WEEKEND IN TASHKENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000948 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2016 TAGS: PHUM PREL SOCI UZ SUBJECT: TENSE WEEKEND IN TASHKENT REF: TASHKENT 924 Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) Summary: The first anniversary of the Andijon unrest generally passed quietly in Tashkent. However, tension in the capital was higher over the weekend, as evidenced by several unrelated, yet illustrative, events. Students at several universities were ordered to report to class on May 13 for "registration" or face expulsion, a measure clearly aimed at keeping them off the street. A small protest by a group of human rights activists at the Russian Embassy was disrupted by law enforcement officials. There was also a brief standoff between a handful of bazaar traders and police at the city's main market. Emboffs also witnessed a highly unusual large-scale brawl in the center of the city. While there was no large scale commemoration of the 2005 events, Andijon was on everyone's mind, especially the government's. End summary. GOVERNMENT SENDS FORCES TO ANDIJON -------------- ¶2. (C) Though the first anniversary of the Andijon events of May 12-13 passed relatively peacefully throughout the country, tension was clearly high. The government, likely worried about possible unrest, had security personnel on alert. In fact, one local employee was informed by a former colleague and current member of the Tashkent-based BARS anti-terrorist unit (under the Ministry of Internal Affairs), that his unit was deployed to Andijon during the anniversary. Other law enforcement officials from throughout the country were also posted to Andijon over the past few weeks to ensure calm in the city. KEEP THE STUDENTS OFF THE STREET -------------- ¶3. (C) Students at the National University of Uzbekistan and Tashkent State Economic University told poloff that university officials notified them the evening of May 12 that they must report to class on Saturday, May 13, or face expulsion. Upon arriving at their respective universities, they were instructed to "register" and fill out questionnaires. The students told us that the entire exercise, which took several hours, seemed completely pointless, and was designed to keep them off the streets. UZBEK COTTON IS WATERED WITH BLOOD -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On the morning of May 13, a group of four human rights activists gathered at Tashkent's Earthquake Memorial to lay flowers in memory of the victims of Andijon. According to the activists, several unidentified women ran to them during the ceremony and tried to pull them away from the monument. (Note: Several activists held a similar commemoration on May 12 that was also disrupted - reftel. End note.) The activists then moved to the Russian Embassy, where they displayed a placard which read, "Russia, remember that Uzbek cotton is watered with blood." The activists displayed the placard at the Embassy for nearly one hour without interference, until the deputy chief of the local police precinct arrived and attempted to confiscate the placard. The activists then left the Russian Embassy. However, their taxi was soon stopped by several young men in civilian clothes, who identified themselves as students. The men detained the activists on the road for twenty minutes until the local Human Rights Watch (HRW) office director and poloff arrived. One of the "students" documented the entire scene with a video camera. (Comment: These tactics clearly suggest that the men were National Security Service (NSS) agents. End comment.) The men abducted one of the activists in a car, while HRW director escorted the remaining activists back to their homes. BRAWL -------------- ¶5. (C) On May 13 in the early afternoon ARSO witnessed a large-scale brawl in central Tashkent, involving two groups of high-school age young men. While it was unclear what they were fighting about, public fights are quite rare, especially of this magnitude. According to ARSO, a group of roughly 50 TASHKENT 00000948 002 OF 002 young men thoroughly beat up a smaller group of about 30 men in the middle of one of Tashkent's main thoroughfares. Traffic came to a standstill during the clashes. SMALL BAZAAR STANDOFF -------------- ¶6. (C) Also on May 13, Pol-Econ Chief witnessed a standoff at Tashkent's main Chorsu market between police and traders. About twenty police officers were arguing with fifty or so bazaar workers who were attempting to display their wares for the day. The standoff seemed to end peacefully, however, as after an hour the stalls had been fully assembled and trade was continuing normally. Police presence at bazaars throughout the city, including Chorsu, seemed much higher than normal. PURNELL