Uzbekistan: Feedback from the Embassy-hosted MLK Day

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000029

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM PGOV KPAO UZ
SUBJECT: Uzbekistan: Feedback from the Embassy-hosted MLK Day
Reception

REF: 10 TASHKENT 34; 09 STATE 131744


1. (U) Summary: On January 19, Post used a reception at
Ambassador Norland's residence to commemorate the life and work of
Martin Luther King, Jr., and at the same time reach out to civil
society and the human rights community regarding the Secretary's
December 14 Georgetown message. Participants took the opportunity
to share their stories and concerns regarding the past year. Our
civil society contacts painted a bleak picture of the state of
affairs in Uzbekistan, but were uniformly pleased that engagement
with the GOU is on the upswing. End summary.




2. (U) Nearly 100 people attended the reception, including
representatives from the human rights community and civil society,
government officials, journalists, and members of the diplomatic
community. The Ambassador spoke about King's legacy and showed a
video clip of the "I have a Dream" speech. The message of the
evening was that all those in the room should be on the same side,
working for a fuller realization of King's dream around the world,
including at home. The Ambassador drew from the Secretary's
December 14 Georgetown University speech to outline the
Administration's support for enduring international human rights,
and pointed to A/S Posner's Dec. 18 meeting with Foreign Minister
Norov in Washington.



An Appreciative Audience




3. (SBU) The majority of the guests were human rights
activists, and they came from miles around to attend. (Note: Some
even risked their personal safety by crossing a dangerous mountain
pass that is the only route from the Ferghana Valley to Tashkent.
The pass had been closed the day before the event due to avalanche
concerns.) In addition to Ferghana, attendees came from the
Bukhara, Jizzakh, Samarkand, Kashkadaryo, Surdaryo, and Navoi, and
Tashkent districts.




4. (SBU) The activists, some of whom have expressed concerns
in the past that our engagement on human rights has taken a back
seat to Afghanistan-related issues, universally expressed their
appreciation for the event. It is rare for so many activists to be
able to gather in one place, as law enforcement normally stands in
the way of such meetings. In this case, however, not one person
was stopped or questioned in advance of the event, and several
people commented on how good it was to be able to speak freely to
colleagues and the diplomatic community. The presence of a handful
of government officials seemed to put no damper on their enthusiasm
in this regard.




5. (SBU) Several activists spoke about increased harassment
and unwanted attention from law enforcement in the months prior to
the December 27 parliamentary elections. Many of these said that
this trend, in fact, continues, even though the elections have
passed. Despite the increased pressure, it appears that these
defenders are actively pursuing their human rights agendas.




6. (U) Most activists and journalists voiced their support
for continued engagement with the GOU. As one activist put it,
"sanctions and isolation like you do to North Korea and Cuba are
not the answer here. They do nothing to help and only make things
worse for us."



Journalists and a Photographer Under Scrutiny

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7. (SBU) Some of the journalists who were recently called in
to the prosecutor's office for questioning (see ref A) attended the
event, as did photographer Umida Ahmedova, who is being charged
with defamation and damaging Uzbekistan's image for pictures she
took in connection with two documentaries: "Customs of Men and
Women" and "The Burden of Virginity." Activists and fellow
journalists, many of whom have had similar charges levied against
them, expressed moral support and gave suggestions to their
beleaguered colleagues.




8. (SBU) Many attendees were trying to ascertain the reason
journalists had been called in for questioning. In general, media
representatives are very concerned that this is the beginning of
intensified pressure against independent journalists and that
criminal charges will follow. Others doubted that Ahmedova would
be jailed, but at least one journalist said they will be more
careful about the topics the choose to write about in the future.



Official Attendance




9. (SBU) Of note from the official community, Sayora
Rashidova, the Human Rights Ombudsman, attended, as did two MFA
officials, the Deputy Director of the Religious Affairs Committee,
the Deputy Prosecutor General, and the Deputy Director of Jahon,
the MFA's official news vehicle.




10. (SBU) One MFA official remarked to the DCM, "so who are
these guys, anyway?" and was surprised to be introduced to
Ahmedova. Rashidova, however, did speak with some human rights
activists, and observers said they had a cordial discussion.
Getting activists and officials in the same room only happens once
or twice a year, so any interaction between them is generally a
positive thing.



Comment




11. (SBU) Perhaps because it is so rare that all of these people
are gathered in one place, diplomats and journalists alike could
not help but try to get a sense of the big picture at the event.
Where are we now? Are things getting worse? Are they better?
There is no consensus on the answers. As has happened in the past,
authorities seem to target one issue for a while and then move on
to something else. The issue on the forefront right now is
certainly the calling in of the journalists. All are concerned
about media freedom and about what will happen if the few remaining
independent journalists cease their activities. Generally,
however, it seems the tough human rights landscape remains
unchanged. Some activists faced increased harassment in 2009, but
this may be because they were more vocal about their issues. The
fact remains that, despite the harshly controlling environment in
Uzbekistan, a significant number of activists and journalists in
Uzbekistan continue to carry out their work and attend functions
such as this one.



NORLAND
NORLAND