10th Anniversary of the Andijan Massacre
May 13, 2005
Very few people will be able to tell you the importance of this date. Of course, given Central Asia's image in the world, it is expected. Even US presidential cadidate Herman Cain stated in 2011 in an interview that he knew nothing about "Uzbeki-beki-beki-stan-stan."
This depressing note, however, does nothing but empower me to report on issues that have gone ignored for far too long.
On May 13, 005, an estimated 1,500 protestors in Andijan, Uzbekistan were killed mercilously by the Uzbek government. Thousands of protestors had gathered in the city in opposition to the government's crackdown based on "Islamist extremism." In neighboring Kyrgyzstan, the Tulip Revolution had peacefully toppled the autocratic president. Inspired, thousands of protestors gathered in the middle of the city to protest corruption and the persecution of "radical" Muslims. In response, Karimov, the President of Uzbekistan, ordered a death sentence. Troops fired into the crowd, killing men, women, and children alike.
To this day, survivors and family of the victims are too afraid to seek justice for the slain. Karimov, in short, has fostered a climate of fear within his country. Without international attention, the Andijan Massacre will never achieve the justice it deserves and the Uzbek government will continue its regime of terror.
