VZCZCXRO6237
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHNT #0948/01 1361250
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 161250Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5754
INFO RUEHTA/AMEMBASSY ALMATY PRIORITY 7905
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT PRIORITY 1980
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK PRIORITY 2510
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY 2413
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1464
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 6654
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000948 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/16/2016 
TAGS: PHUM PREL SOCI UZ
SUBJECT: TENSE WEEKEND IN TASHKENT 
 
REF: TASHKENT 924 
 
Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL, FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The first anniversary of the Andijon unrest 
generally passed quietly in Tashkent.  However, tension in 
the capital was higher over the weekend, as evidenced by 
several unrelated, yet illustrative, events.  Students at 
several universities were ordered to report to class on May 
13 for "registration" or face expulsion, a measure clearly 
aimed at keeping them off the street. A small protest by a 
group of human rights activists at the Russian Embassy was 
disrupted by law enforcement officials.  There was also a 
brief standoff between a handful of bazaar traders and police 
at the city's main market.  Emboffs also witnessed a highly 
unusual large-scale brawl in the center of the city.  While 
there was no large scale commemoration of the 2005 events, 
Andijon was on everyone's mind, especially the government's. 
End summary. 
 
GOVERNMENT SENDS FORCES TO ANDIJON 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (C) Though the first anniversary of the Andijon events of 
May 12-13 passed relatively peacefully throughout the 
country, tension was clearly high.  The government, likely 
worried about possible unrest, had security personnel on 
alert.  In fact, one local employee was informed by a former 
colleague and current member of the Tashkent-based BARS 
anti-terrorist unit (under the Ministry of Internal Affairs), 
that his unit was deployed to Andijon during the anniversary. 
 Other law enforcement officials from throughout the country 
were also posted to Andijon over the past few weeks to ensure 
calm in the city. 
 
KEEP THE STUDENTS OFF THE STREET 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Students at the National University of Uzbekistan and 
Tashkent State Economic University told poloff that 
university officials notified them the evening of May 12 that 
they must report to class on Saturday, May 13, or face 
expulsion.  Upon arriving at their respective universities, 
they were instructed to "register" and fill out 
questionnaires.  The students told us that the entire 
exercise, which took several hours, seemed completely 
pointless, and was designed to keep them off the streets. 
 
UZBEK COTTON IS WATERED WITH BLOOD 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) On the morning of May 13, a group of four human 
rights activists gathered at Tashkent's Earthquake Memorial 
to lay flowers in memory of the victims of Andijon. 
According to the activists, several unidentified women ran to 
them during the ceremony and tried to pull them away from the 
monument.  (Note: Several activists held a similar 
commemoration on May 12 that was also disrupted - reftel. 
End note.)  The activists then moved to the Russian Embassy, 
where they displayed a placard which read, "Russia, remember 
that Uzbek cotton is watered with blood."  The activists 
displayed the placard at the Embassy for nearly one hour 
without interference, until the deputy chief of the local 
police precinct arrived and attempted to confiscate the 
placard.  The activists then left the Russian Embassy. 
However, their taxi was soon stopped by several young men in 
civilian clothes, who identified themselves as students.  The 
men detained the activists on the road for twenty minutes 
until the local Human Rights Watch (HRW) office director and 
poloff arrived.  One of the "students" documented the entire 
scene with a video camera.  (Comment: These tactics clearly 
suggest that the men were National Security Service (NSS) 
agents.  End comment.)  The men abducted one of the activists 
in a car, while HRW director escorted the remaining activists 
back to their homes. 
 
BRAWL 
------ 
 
¶5.  (C) On May 13 in the early afternoon ARSO witnessed a 
large-scale brawl in central Tashkent, involving two groups 
of high-school age young men.  While it was unclear what they 
were fighting about, public fights are quite rare, especially 
of this magnitude.  According to ARSO, a group of roughly 50 
 
TASHKENT 00000948  002 OF 002 
 
 
young men thoroughly beat up a smaller group of about 30 men 
in the middle of one of Tashkent's main thoroughfares. 
Traffic came to a standstill during the clashes. 
 
SMALL BAZAAR STANDOFF 
---------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C)  Also on May 13, Pol-Econ Chief witnessed a standoff 
at Tashkent's main Chorsu market between police and traders. 
About twenty police officers were arguing with fifty or so 
bazaar workers who were attempting to display their wares for 
the day. The standoff seemed to end peacefully, however, as 
after an hour the stalls had been fully assembled and trade 
was continuing normally.  Police presence at bazaars 
throughout the city, including Chorsu, seemed much higher 
than normal. 
PURNELL