World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Uzbekistan

Environment

The Republic of Uzbekistan borders Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the south-east, Turkmenistan to the south-west and Afghanistan to the south. North-western Uzbekistan consists of the Karakalpak Autonomous Republic (165,600 square kilometres), which includes part of the Aral Sea. Uzbekistan borders Kazakhstan to the north and west.

History

Large groups of Turkic tribes started to move into this part of Central Asia following the Mongol invasions of the 13th Century which saw the disappearance or absorption of many of the native Iranian peoples. Their language derived from Chagatai, an extinct Turkic language which acted for a time as a lingua franca in Central Asia. Other tribes arriving in the 15th and 16th centuries were to coalesce into what would become known as 'Uzbeks', forming for a while their own state ('Uzbekistan') which would break up into three parts and eventually be absorbed into the Russian empire during the mid to late 19th Century when the Emirate of Bukhara and the Khanate of Khiva became Russian protectorates in the period after the Tsar's conquest of Tashkent in 1865. Few Russians settled in Uzbekistan during the Tsarist period, but many of the millions of Russians and Ukrainians who settled throughout Central Asia under the Soviet regime ended up in this country.

Until 1924, most settled Turkic populations were known as Sarts by Russian authorities, and only those speaking Kipchak dialects were called 'Uzbeks'. What are today the borders of modern Uzbekistan are for the most part the result of the creation in 1924 of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic which would become independent after the breakdown of the Soviet Union in 1991. It was also in 1924 that the Soviets abolished the term 'Sart' and that all of the settled Turkic speakers would be known as Uzbeks.

Some of Uzbekistan's minorities are from ethnic groups such as Koreans, Meskhetian Turks, and Crimean Tatars were exiled here en masse under the directive of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin during World War II.

During perestroika, Uzbekistan was a scene of serious inter-ethnic violence. In 1989 bloody clashes occurred between Uzbeks and Meskhetian Turks in the Ferghana valley, and further interethnic tensions arose when fighting broke out between Kyrgyz and Uzbek populations of the Osh Oblast (Kyrgyzstan) in 1990. Border crossings were sealed to prevent up to 15,000 armed Uzbeks joining their co-nationals in Kyrgyzstan to retaliate. A state of emergency was declared in the Andijan oblast, bordering Osh in Kyrgyzstan.

Uzbekistan declared independence on 31 August 1991. Islam Karimov, a former first secretary of the Uzbekistan Communist Party, was elected President. Russian-speaking minorities supported Karimov, seeing him as capable of restraining the nationalist opposition. During 1992 Karimov's rule became increasingly authoritarian. More than 1 million may have left the country since then, a majority being Russians and other minorities. It is thought that throughout 1991-2000 from 85,000 to 150,000 people left Uzbekistan every year, almost entirely minorities: as a result, out of perhaps 600,000 Germans living in Uzbekistan perhaps more than 95% have emigrated. Part of these migratory trends are also connected to Russia's relative economic prosperity and accessibility continuing to be a powerful magnet for many workers from Uzbekistan.

Opposition movements and Muslim groups were suppressed and dissidents prosecuted. The most recent parliamentary elections in December 2004 were seen by the OSCE as flawed, despite some notable improvements, because of the restrictions on the political parties allowed to participate in the elections, and the similarities in their platforms which deprived the electorate depriving voters of a genuine choice. A referendum in 2002 resulted in President Karimov's term being extended by an act of parliament to December 2007.

Peoples

Main languages: Uzbek, Russian, Tajik, Kazakh, Tatar

Main religions: Sunni Islam, Orthodox Christianity, Judaism

Minority groups include Russians (6%), Tajiks (4.8%), Kazakhs (4%), Tatars (1.6%); other minorities include Karakalpaks, Koreans, Meskhetian Turks and Jews (National Census, estimate for 1998).

Uzbekistan is made up of a number of traditional populations of Turkic (Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Karakalpaks), Semitic (Bukhara Jews), and Iranian origins (Tajiks), as well as more recent minorities which arrived in the country during the Russian and Soviet domination (Russians, Crimean Tatars, Meskhetian Turks, Koreans and some Jews).

Since 1991 however, there has been a two-way flow of population which is continuing the dramatic change to the country's demographics. While there are thousands of ethnic Uzbeks who had been working outside of the country have been returning to Uzbekistan from Russia and other neighbouring countries, other minorities which are of more recent origin such as the Russians, Crimean Tatars and others have also been emigrating in large numbers.

Governance

Uzbekistan is an authoritarian regime with one of the world's worst human rights record. While there are in theory a series of provisions in the constitution and other types of legislation guaranteeing a series of human rights, the practice has been generally repressive towards opposition figures, the independent media, and non-governmental organisations. This has increased dramatically after the 2005 massacre in Andijan.

The Committee to Protect Journalists considers Uzbekistan as a leading jailer of journalists, using the war against terror as an excuse to crackdown on independent media; it has added the country as one of the '10 Most Censored Countries' in the world in 2006 because of strict government control and harassment and intimidation.

Elections and referenda in Uzbekistan are not considered to be free and fair: international observers refused to participate in the 2002 referendum. No truly independent opposition parties were able to participate in the 2002 elections for a new two-chamber parliament. While the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe did have a limited observation mission for that election, it concluded the elections were flawed and did not meet international standards. Some political parties were clearly formed with government approval. Independent political parties that do exist usually find they are refused registration. The overall oppressive climate has led to the arrest of several prominent opponents and for others to flee the country.

Even international non-governmental organisations have felt the wrath of the government for their reporting of events during the Andijan massacre (see below) with a court suspending for six months in 2006 the activities of Freedom House for violating laws on non-governmental organizations for 'providing free Internet access to Uzbeks and hosting unregistered organizations, including human-rights defenders and political parties.'

Torture and abuses appear widespread, and the government deals particularly severely with those it suspects linked with the banned Party of Islamic Liberation (Hizb ut-Tahrir).

It is in this context of control and oppression that minorities are also tightly controlled, with the state-directed Assembly of Peoples of Uzbekistan created at least partially for this purpose.

There are more recently some interesting signs in the efforts of the Uzbekistan government to comply with its international human rights commitments, with more than 10 periodic reports being submitted since 2004. Among the entities that may now deal with human rights in this country are the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights (ombudsman), the Constitutional Court, a National Human Rights Centre, and the Parliamentary Institute for Monitoring Legislation. The government proudly indicated in a 2006 report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination that it had not received a single complaint of violations of a right involving discrimination since around 2001.

However, an independent expert was appointed by the UN Commission on Human Rights to conduct a human rights assessment in response to numerous reports on serious human rights violations from international NGOs in 2005.

Minorities

• Karakalpaks
• Meskhetian Turks
• Russians and Ukrainians
• Tajiks

Resources

Minority based and advocacy organisations

General

Center for Studies on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
Tel: +998-71-1336092
Email: [email protected]

Ezgulik Human Rights Society
Tel: +998-71-131-48-72
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ezgulik.org/english.php

Human Rights Society of Uzbekistan
Tel: +998-71-124 82 47
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ilhr.org/ilhr/regional/centasia/friends/yakubov.html

International Society for Human Rights (Uzbekistan Section)
Tel: +998-71-93-180-4323, +998-71-153-1423
Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Russians and Ukrainians

Russian Cultural Center of Tashkent Region
Tel: +37171-6-25-23, 6-20-52, 2-07-05, 6-36-43

Tajiks

'Oriyona' Tajik Cultural Centre
Tel: +371-114-1289

Volga Tatars and Crimean Tatars

Tatar National Cultural Centre
Tel: +371-390-8532

Karakalpaks

'Kuat' NGO Centre
Tel: +99-861-223-90-67
Email: [email protected]

Public Research Center
E-mail: [email protected]

Koreans

Association of Korean Cultural Centres
Tel: +371-153-2248

Meskhetian Turks

The Memorial Human Rights Centre, Moscow, Russian Federation
Tel: +7-95-70-70-83
Email: [email protected]

'Vatan' International Society of the Meskhetian Turks, Russian Federation
Tel: +7-095-160-0870

Jews

Advocates on behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia (US)
Tel: +1-202-898-2500
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ncsj.org

Jewish Community Center and Jewish Community of Uzbekistan
Tel: +998-71-256-51-14

Sources and further reading

General

Akiner, S., Central Asia, London, MRG report, 1997.

Arena, Committee for Freedom of Speech and Expression: www.freeuz.org/eng

Blandy, C.W., Instabilities in Post-Communist Europe: Central Asia, Sandhurst, Conflict Studies Research Centre, 1994.

Carlson, D., Uzbekistan: Ethnic Composition and Discriminations, Harvard University, August 2003.

'Closure of NGOs in Uzbekistan', 6 June 2006, New Eurasia, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.uzbekistan.neweurasia.net/?p=91

Craumer, P., Agricultural and Rural Development in Uzbekistan, London, Royal Institute of International Affairs, 1995.

Critchlow, J., Nationalism in Uzbekistan: Soviet Republic's Road to Sovereignty, Westview Press, 1991.

Degtiar, M., Emigration and the recession of cultural and scientific development in Uzbekistan in 1991-2000, Central Asia Bulletin, 6 April 2001, International Eurasian Institute for Economic and Political Research, retrieved 19 January 2007, http://www.iicas.org/english/an_en_06_04_01.htm

'Ethnic Minorities', 3 December 2003, Stop Violence against Women, retrieved 18 January 2007, www.stopvaw.org/Ethnic_Minorities5.html

Kamalova, N., Vitaliev, V., and Shields, A. (eds.), 'Front Line Central Asia: Threats, Attacks, Arrests and Harassment of Human Rights Defenders', 2004, International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, retrieved 18 January 2007, www.frontlinedefenders.org/pdfs/3044_Front%20Line%20Central %20Asia.pdf

Human Rights Watch, 'Human Rights Activists under Siege', 9 December 2006, Reuters and AlertNet, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/eb6200da53106e4e0c9595 7d5a473049.htm

'Human rights situation in Uzbekistan', 9 December 2006, ТУРОНЗАМИН, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.uzbekcongress.wordpress.com/2006/12/09/human- rights-situation-in-uzbekistan

Human Rights Watch/Helsinki, Human Rights in Uzbekistan, New York, 1993.

Memorial Human Rights Center and the International League for Human Rights 'On Uzbekistan's Observance of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: NGO Comments To the Second Periodic Report of Uzbekistan to the Human Rights Committee', March 2005, International League for Human Rights, retrieved 19 January 2007, http://www.ilhr.org/ilhr/reports/uzb_hrc.html

Ochs, M., Human Rights in Central Asia, retrieved 18 January 2007, www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/tamerlane/Tamerlane-Chapter5.pdf

Patnaik, A., 'Nations, Minorities and States in Central Asia', MAKAIAS, 2003.

Saidov, A., Country Study: Uzbekistan, 2000, National Human Rights Centre of Uzbekistan, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.hdr.undp.org/docs/publications/background_papers/saidov2000.pdf

Sheehy, A. and Nahaylo, B., The Crimean Tatars, Volga Germans and Meskhetians: Soviet Treatment of Some National Minorities, London, MRG report, 1980.

Turonzamin: http://uzbekcongress.wordpress.com/tag/english

'Uzbekistan: Ethnic Composition', U.S. Library of Congress, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.countrystudies.us/uzbekistan/19.htm

Russians and Ukrainians

Abdullaev, E., 'Russians in Uzbekistan as an Urban Sub-ethnos', Journal of Social and Political Studies, No 5, 2000, CA & CC Press Publishing House, retrieved 19 January 2007, http://www.ca-c.org/journal/eng- 05-2000/23.abdul.shtml

'Assessment for Russians in Uzbekistan', 31 December 2003, Minorities at Risk, Center for International Development and Conflict Management, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/assessment.asp?groupId=70401

Gvosdev, N.K., Turkey and Uzbekistan: A Comparison of Policies vis-à-vis their Greek and Russian Orthodox Minorities, The Justinian Centre, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/5357/uzb.html

Khalikov, Y., 'Uzbekistan's Russian-language Conundrum', Eurasia Insight, 19 September 2006, Eurasia Net, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav091906.shtml

Laitin, D., Identity in Formation: The Russian-Speaking Populations in the near Abroad, Cornell UP, 1998.

Landau, J.M., and Kellner-Heinkele, B., Politics of Language Use in the Ex-Soviet Muslim States: Azarbayjan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, University of Michigan Press, 2001.

Leclerc, J., L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde: Ouzbékistan, retrieved 19 January 2007, http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/AXL/asie/ouzbekistan.htm

Schlyter, B., 'New Language Laws in Uzbekistan,' In Language Problems and Language Planning 22:2 (1998), pp. 143-181.

Tajiks

'Assessment for Tajiks in Uzbekistan', 31 December 2003, Minorities at Risk, Center for International Development and Conflict Management, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/assessment.asp?groupId=70402

Beeman, W.O., Violence in Uzbekistan Not the Mark of Al Qaeda, 30 March 2004, Pacific News Service, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=0e302f8f26e70b953395886a80292209

Gurr, T.R., Marshall, M.G., and Mincheva, L., Risks of ethnopolitical conflict in Central Asia in the early 21st century: an analysis of the Uzbek national minorities in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and the Tajik and Kyrgyz national minorities in Uzbekistan, Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM), University of Maryland, 2000.

Liu, M., 'The Perils of Nationalism in Independent Uzbekistan', The Journal of the International Institute, 2002, Volume 4, Number 2, The University of Michigan, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.umich.edu/iinet/journal/vol4no2/uzbek.html

Patnaik, A., 'National Minorities in Central Asia', Dialogue, April- June 2002, Volume 3, No. 4, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.asthabharati.org/Dia_Apr02/national.htm

'Tajik president urged to help solve problems of Tajik speakers in Uzbekistan', Tajikistan Daily News, 10 September 2003, Eurasia Net, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.eurasianet.org/resource/tajikistan/hypermail/200309/0010.shtml</ a>

'Uzbeks evict Tajik citizens', Tajikistan Daily News, 2 May 2001, Eurasia Net, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.eurasianet.org/resource/tajikistan/hypermail/200105/0004.html

Volga Tatars and Crimean Tatars

'Crimean Tatars: Repatriation and Conflict Prevention', Open Society Institute, Forced Migration Projects, September 1996.

Fisher, A., The Crimean Tatars, Hoover Institution, 1978.

Kelaart, L., and Genya Vasyuta, G., 'Headed Home: Crimean Tatars Struggle to Leave Uzbekistan', 25 June 2004, Eurasia Net, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.eurasianet.org/departments/culture/articles/eav062504.shtml

Lazzerini, E., 'Volga Tatars in Central Asia, 18th-20th Centuries: From Diaspora to Hegemony', In Manz, B.F. (eds.), Central Asia in Historical Perspective, Westview Press, 1994.

Rorlich, A. The Volga Tatars, a Profile in National Resilience, Stanford University Press, 1986.

Sheehy, A., Nahajlo, B., The Crimean Tatars, Volga Germans and Meskhetians: Soviet Treatment of some National Minorities, Minority Rights Group, London, 1980.

Tatar Gazette: www.tatar.yuldash.com/eng_index.html

Tatar Net: www.tatar.net

Uehling, G.L., 'The Crimean Tatars in Uzbekistan: speaking with the dead and living homeland', Central Asian Survey, Volume 20, Number 3, 1 September 2001, pp. 391- 404.

Karakalpaks

Borisova, O., 'Thousands escape poverty in Karakalpakstan', Reporting Central Asia Number 150, Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Nukus, 30 September 2002.

Dosumov, Ya. M. and Ametov, K. A., 'The national demarcation of Central Asia and the formation of the Karakalpak autonomous region', in History of the Karakalpak ASSR, Volume 2, Fan Publishing House, Tashkent, 1986.

Médecins Sans Frontières, 'Karakalpakstan: A Population in Danger', Tashkent, 2003, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.aerzte-ohne- grenzen.de/obj/_scripts/msf_download_pdf.php?id=1230&filename=bericht-2003-04-karakalpakstan.pdf

The Karakalpaks: www.karakalpak.com

Koreans

Kim, G., 'The Deportation of 1937 as a Logical Continuation of Tsarist and Soviet Nationality Policy in the Russian Far East', Korean and Korean American Studies Bulletin, 12:2-3 (2001), pp. 19-44.

Koryo Saram, The Koreans of Central Asia: www.koryosaram.freenet.kz

Lee, K., 'Overseas Koreans', Jimoondang International, Seoul, 2000.

Schlyter, B., Korean Business and Culture in Former Soviet Central Asia, 2002, Forum for Central Asian Studies, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.orient4.orient.su.se/centralasia/FocasWien.html

Ten A. Yu, Gentshke, V.L., and Ten, A.L., The Korean Diaspora in Uzbekistan: Marks of a History, Academy of Korean Studies, Seoul, retrieved 19 January 2007, www.aks.ac.kr/EngHome/files/cult9.htm

Meskhetian Turks

Aydingün, A., et al., 'Meskhetian Turks: An Introduction to their History, Culture and Resettlement Experiences', September 2006, Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, D.C., retrieved 23 January 2007, www.cal.org/co/pdffiles/MeskhetianTurks.pdf

Arif, Y., Meskhetian Turks: Twice Deported People, Institute of Peace and Democracy, Baku, Azerbaijan, 2000.

Degtiar, M., 'Emigration and the recession of cultural and scientific development in Uzbekistan in 1991-2000', Central Asia Bulletin, 6 April 2001, International Eurasian Institute for Economic and Political Research, retrieved 23 January 2007, http://www.iicas.org/english/an_en_06_04_01.htm

Helton, A.C., 'Meskhetian Turks: Solutions and Human Security', December 1998, Forced Migration Projects, Open Society Institute, retrieved 23 January 2007, www.soros.org/fmp2/html/meskpreface.html

Khazanov, A. M., 'Meskhetian Turks in Search of Self-Identity', Central Asian Survey, 1992, Volume 11, pp. 1-16.

Pentikäinen, O., and Trier, T., 'Between Integration and Resettlements: The Meskhetian Turks', September 2004, European Centre for Minority Issues Working Paper # 21, retrieved 23 January 2007, www.ecmi.de/download/working_paper_21b.pdf

Sheehy, A., Nahajlo, B., The Crimean Tatars, Volga Germans and Meskhetians: Soviet Treatment of some National Minorities, Minority Rights Group, London, 1980.

Wimbush, S. E., and Wixman, R., 'The Meskhetian Turks: A New Voice in Central Asia', Canadian Slavonic Papers 27, Nos. 2 and 3 (Summer and Fall, 1975), pp. 320-340.

Jews

Advocates on behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia - Uzbekistan Country Page: www.ncsj.org/Uzbekistan.shtml

Antisemitism in Uzbekistan: http://www.fsumonitor.com/stories/060506Uzbekistan.shtml

Benyaminov, M. R., Bukharian Jews, Gross Brothers, New York, 1992.

Degtiar, M., 'Emigration and the recession of cultural and scientific development in Uzbekistan in 1991-2000', Central Asia Bulletin, 6 April 2001, International Eurasian Institute for Economic and Political Research, retrieved 23 January 2007, www.iicas.org/english/an_en_06_04_01.htm

Degtiar, M., 'The Jews of Uzbekistan: The End of an Epoch', 26 December 2001, Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, retrieved 23 January 2007, www.fsumonitor.com/stories/122601Uzbeki.shtml

Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS: www.fjc.ru/default.asp

Jewish Uzbekistan: www.haruth.com/jw/JewsUzbekistan.html

The Virtual Jewish History Tour -Uzbekistan: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Uzbekistan.html

Uzbekistan Jewish Community: www.jewish.uz