News digest April 28th - May 4th

Central Asia looked east for energy co-operation this week. New deals included a
total of 24 agreements on energy collaboration between Kazakhstan and Japan, under which Kazakhstan plans to supply as much as a third of Japan’s uranium by 2010. The two countries will also join forces on a new nuclear power station in Kazakhstan. With this in mind, Inter Press News Agency analyses Japan’s involvement in the region. Meanwhile, China promised to deliver $209 million worth of equipment to Uzbekistan, at the same time as an agreement was signed to construct a new gas pipeline between the two nations.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, continued her tour of
Central Asia this week. In Tajikistan until Monday, she called for greater access to justice there and urged the country to admit human rights monitors. Ms Arbour moved on to Kazakhstan, which continues to emphasise its democratic credentials as part of its bid for the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009. She is due to visit Turkmenistan on from May 3rd-5th.

Ms Arbour was effectively barred from Uzbekistan when she undertook her Central Asian tour, and allegations of human rights violations there continue to emerge. The trial of Uzbek human rights defender Umida Niyazova unexpectedly began in Tashkent on Monday. Niyazova denied charges of smuggling and distributing material causing public disorder – charges widely thought to be politically motivated - but admitted illegally crossing the crossing the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border. On May 1st she was
convicted of all three offences and sentenced to seven years imprisonment. Human Rights Watch, for whom Niyazova worked as a translator, has said that her release should be a precondition for any further easing of sanctions against the country. Amnesty International also called for her release. Meanwhile, another Uzbek journalist, Alo Hojayev - currently associated with the web site Tribune-uz – has been denied an exit visa, required for any Uzbek to leave the country. He has previously been warned that he should close the website.

The situation in Kyrgyzstan remains unstable, with ex-president Akayev’s daughter hospitalised following a prolonged interrogation by prosecutors relating to the recent public protests.

The US has issued its new Country Reports on terrorism, offering verdicts on the ‘War on Terror’ participation of individual Central Asian nations. The reports highlight Uzbekistan as a country with a high risk of Islamic extremism. Meanwhile, the OSCE published its freedom of information survey, praising Kyrgyzstan for its freedom of information laws; however, it was noted that the laws do not necessarily translate into practice. Tajikistan came in for criticism for its lack of accurate health information and education. Both reports express continuing concern about the political changes in Uzbekistan dating from the Andijan massacre in early 2005.

Stay tuned to Central Asia Now for weekly news digests. Keep an eye out for our
fortnightly analysis slots by regional experts

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