SAMARQAND GOVERNOR THE LATEST TO GET SACKED AS

C O N F I D E N T I A L TASHKENT 000469 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2018 TAGS: PGOV SOCI PINR UZ SUBJECT: SAMARQAND GOVERNOR THE LATEST TO GET SACKED AS SHAKE-UP CONTINUES Classified By: Political Officer Tim Buckley for reasons 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (C) Summary: State-controlled press reported on April 16 that President Karimov traveled to Samarqand, where he relieved Provincial Governor (Hokim) Azamkhon Bakhromov of his duties, appointing the Bukharan-born Uktam Barnoev in his place. This is the fourth provincial governor to be fired since Karimov began his new term in 2008, following changes at the helm in Ferghana, Khorezm, and Surkhandaryo Provinces. There are reports that the deposed Bakhromov is now under house arrest in Samarqand, and that the Provincial Prosecutor and Chief of Internal Affairs have also been fired in this shake-up. Rather than merely a desire to bring in a fresh team for the new term, the Samarqand officials may have personally angered Karimov, a native son. End summary. ¶2. (C) The main state-controlled newspaper "Narodnoe Slovo" (People's Word) reported that Karimov convened a session of the Council of People's Deputies of Samarqand Region on April ¶16. As was the case in three other provinces since January (Ferghana, Khorezm, and Surkhandaryo),Karimov removed the Hokim from his duties. Bakhromov only had the title of Acting Hokim of Samarqand Province, and was only in the office since December 2006. His successor Barnoev is a Bukharan, who is tasked with developing local industry and attracting more foreign investment. ¶3. (C) Since the 1930s Tashkent has always treated Samarqand as a sensitive case. The majority of the population in the broader region is Uzbek, but the majority in Samarqand city itself is Tajik, and has its own powerful clan that rivals Uzbek-dominated clans. Karimov himself is a Samarqand native and seems to tread carefully with Samarqand affairs, which is probably why he had not officially appointed a Hokim in the past one and one-half years. ¶4. (C) The website uzmetronom.com further reported that the deposed Bakhromov is now under house arrest, and that the Provincial Prosecutor and Chief of Internal Affairs have also been fired. The website also speculates that the Samarqand City Mayor, Sukhrob Rafikov, will also soon be removed from his post. Comment: -------------- ¶5. (C) Karimov has publicly lambasted fired hokims at these special regional sessions for poor performance, notably in Ferghana and Khorezm earlier this year. However, it is unusual for a number of officials to be relieved at once in a wholesale change and even more surprising if Bakhromov is indeed under house arrest. This may suggest that the authorities in this sensitive province personally angered Karimov, and we will watch for any signs that the clans are restless. It is also interesting that one-third of the country's provincial governors have been replaced in the first few months of Karimov's new term, which may be an attempt to deflect responsibility for continued poor economic conditions and convey the appearance that Karimov is striving to field a team that will set things straight. Bio Note for Barnoev -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Prior to his appointment as Hokim of Samarqand, Bukhara-born Uktam Isaevich Barnoev worked in the Cabinet of Ministers, where he supervised the agricultural complex. More recently, he served as the First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Management. NORLAND