Uzbekistan: Institute for New Democracies Director Denied

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TASHKENT 000271 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EUR/ACE, SCA/CEN, AND INL/AAE ASTANA FOR ALMATY USAID AMEMBASSY HELSINKI PASS TO AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PASS TO AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG AMEMBASSY ASTANA PASS TO USOFFICE ALMATY AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PASS TO AMCONSUL HYDERABAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 2018-12-22 TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM EAID PINR UZ SUBJECT: Uzbekistan: Institute for New Democracies Director Denied Accr editation REF: a) A.) 08 TASHKENT 1247, b) B.) TASHKENT 231 TASHKENT 00000271 001.2 OF 003 CLASSIFIED BY: Timothy P Buckley, Second Secretary; REASON: 1.4(B),(D) ¶1. (C) Summary: On March 5 the recently arrived AmCit Country Director of the U.S. Government-funded NGO Institute for New Democracies (IND) was denied accreditation by the Uzbek Government. This is a surprising and disappointing event which, as usual, has not yet been explained (Ambassador is writing to Foreign Minister Norov). Numerous theories include the ghosts of Andijon, the possible influence of a jealous predecessor, affiliations with the former ABA-CEELI, or retaliation for the recently issued Human Rights Report and/or the selection of Uzbek national Mutabar Tojiboyeva as an International Woman of Courage. Some sources, while distancing themselves from the NGO, still indicate the "decision is not yet final;" however, experience suggests it does not bode well for this seasoned NGO worker. The government's mercurial handling of the matter illustrates that international NGOs are still subject to the same old games of intrigue that have frustrated the international community for years. End summary. Accreditation Denied -------------- ¶2. (C) On March 5 the new AmCit Country Director for IND, which receives USAID funding support for its activities in Uzbekistan and was itself just registered in July 2008, was summoned to a meeting at the Ministry of Justice. The AmCit was informed that his accreditation was denied, which was confirmed in a brief letter signed by Deputy Minister of Justice C. Holbaev which noted "upon review of the submitted documents, the Ministry decided that accreditation would be inadvisible." (Note: The choice of words in Russian, especially "netseloobrazniy," eerily echoes last summer's surprise response to our proposal to reestablish a DEA presence at post. End note.) In true bureaucratic manner, the Ministry of Justice Head of the Accreditations Department referred the AmCit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if he wanted "further clarification." The AmCit Country Director was not appointed out of the blue, as he had participated in habeas corpus trainings organized by IND in November 2008 and made a subsequent trip along with Washington-based IND staff in December. On both trips he received visas and was treated well. Tainted by Andijon? -------------- ¶3. (C) Ministry of Justice officials informed the AmCit during the meeting that his previous activities in Uzbekistan in the immediate aftermath of the 2005 Andijon incidents were a contributing factor in the decision. At that time the AmCit worked for the American Bar Association - Central Europe and Eurasian Legal Initiative (ABA-CEELI),which has since been renamed ABA-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA-ROLI). In a follow-up briefing with Charge and emboffs, the AmCit confirmed that he had visited Andijon three weeks after the incidents to check whether ABA brochures on police procedures had been distributed. During the same trip he also met with an advocate working at a U.S.-funded public defender center and passed through several checkpoints where his passport information was recorded for posterity. Concerns about the American Bar Association? -------------- -------------- -- ¶4. (C) It may be noteworthy that both this new AmCit Country Director and his Uzbek national assistant, Jurabek Aripov, previously worked together at ABA-CEELI. In 2008, after receiving numerous hints from the Government of Uzbekistan that the time was right for the ABA to return to Uzbekistan, post submitted a diplomatic note offering to use INL funds to enable ABA-ROLI to implement an assistance project that would focus largely on habeas corpus issues that the government had expressed comfort with. For reasons that were never explained this project was denied in September 2008 after a prolonged silence (ref A). It is possible that Uzbek officials are suspicious the U.S. is trying to reestablish ABA's old team within IND, especially now that issues like habeas corpus are on its agenda. Did a Jealous Predecessor Tip the Scales? -------------- -------------- TASHKENT 00000271 002.2 OF 003 ¶5. (C) The AmCit replaced Mjusa Sever, a Slovenian who worked on human rights and civil society issues in Uzbekistan for several years and built up impressive contacts with the host government. There was bad blood and a personality conflict between Sever and IND staff in Washington, which ultimately contributed to her separation from IND. However, Sever returned to Uzbekistan on February 20, ostensibly to pack up her things. Yet Sever told poloff at a chance encounter on February 22 that she had registered her own NGO in Slovenia and met with GOU officials immediately after arriving on February 20 about continuing her work on media freedom and civil society issues (ref B). It is possible that she encouraged her GOU contacts, particularly in the state-affiliated Foundation for Regional Policy, as well as the Institute for Strategic Studies under the Presidential Apparat, to deny her IND successor his accreditation. It may also be that her GOU contacts prefer working with Sever as a known entity with whom they built up trust (based in no small measure on the fact that President Karimov himself regards Sever highly as a model of an "effective" human rights worker) and derailed her AmCit replacement with no knowledge on her part. Poloff saw Sever again on March 8, and this time she seemed more deflated and said she was "going home for a while" since hoped-for funding hadn't materialized -- she reportedly will depart by the end of March. Is That Your Final Answer? -------------- ¶6. (C) As is typical in Uzbekistan, the plot always thickens. First, the MOJ noted that the AmCit could remain until his visa expires (at the end of April 2009) and apply for a visa extension. It is interesting that he had no problem obtaining a visa in the first place to enter the country, so why would authorities then deny his accreditation and even suggest that he apply for an extension? Could he continue to work, albeit on a short leash with restrictions, as an unaccredited NGO worker? Sayfiddin Juraev, the well-connected head of the Foundation for Regional Policy, noted that the "decision was still not final" and noted the letter was signed by the Deputy Minister of Justice rather than the Minister himself. Subsequently, however, Juraev reversed himself and said he could not engage us on this matter. Contacts Distancing Themselves -------------- --- ¶7. (C) When USAID spoke to MFA, the Institute for Strategic Studies, and the Foundation for Regional Policy on March 6, none expressed any awareness that the AmCit Country Director had been denied accreditation. Furqhat Sidikov of the Institute for Strategic Studies, who is closely involved in IND's events, even told Washington-based IND staff by telephone on the night of March 5 that he was "looking forward to the upcoming religious freedom conference" planned by IND in April. He denied any knowledge of the accreditation decision in a follow up call that same evening. On March 6 he had changed his tune and told an emboff that IND should suspend operations in the absence of an accredited Country Director, which is a bad omen for the planned religious freedom conference. Sidikov added that IND Deputy Director Aripov could not be the Acting Director because he is an Uzbek citizen working at an accredited foreign organization. Sidikov eventually said he learned the reason for the rejection, but added cryptically that we would have to submit a diplomatic note and see if we receive a response. Both the Foundation for Regional Policy and the Institute for Strategic Studies had expressed a desire to continue cooperation with USAID and IND after Sever's departure, but this accreditation decision could scare status-conscious Uzbeks away who do not want to be viewed as liaising too closely with an American NGO that clearly has a problem, particularly since the previous director was favored by President Karimov. Comment: -------------- ¶8. (C) The Uzbeks may believe that U.S. dependence on Uzbekistan for Afghan transit (NDN) may give them more leeway to jam us on human rights and civil society. Our challenge is to show them this is not the case, without in fact undermining important equities on Afghanistan. The Ambassador will pursue this particular case in a letter to FM Norov. TASHKENT 00000271 003.2 OF 003 . NORLAND To view the entire SMART message, go to URL http://repository.state.sgov.gov/_l ayouts/OSSSearchResults.aspx?k=messageid:1365 9a73-0e10-46ac-ab0d-515cca0280fa