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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 001354 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PREF PHUM KDEM KG
SUBJECT: OMBUDSMAN SPEAKS OUT AGAINST KYRGYZ-UZBEK SECURITY 
COOPERATION IN THE SOUTH 
 
REF: BISHKEK 1226 
 
BISHKEK 00001354  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch, Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  On September 15 the Ambassador met with 
Ombudsman Tursunbai Bakir-uulu to discuss Kyrgyzstan's 
failing refugee regime, recent crackdowns on alleged 
extremists in the south, and Kyrgyz-Uzbek relations.  Stating 
that the situation in the south seemed to be getting worse, 
Bakir-uulu linked the killing and detention of suspected 
terrorists to warming relations with Uzbekistan and the 
Kyrygz security service's collaboration with its Uzbek 
counterpart.  Bakir-uulu also cautioned that Uzbekistan's 
growing influence could lead to increased hostilities between 
religious, ethnic groups and the state.  To track these 
issues effectively, Bakir-uulu said he needed additional 
funds from, and closer cooperation with, the United States. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
KYRYGZ-UZBEK RELATIONS TO BLAME 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) On September 15, the Ambassador met with the Kyrgyz 
Ombudsman for Human Rights Tursunbai Bakir-uulu to get his 
take on recent events in the south.  Bakir-uulu linked each 
of the issues addressed, from rising ethnic tension and 
religious extremism to the deterioration in Kyrgyzstan's 
refugee regime, to President Bakiyev's desire to improve 
relations with Uzbekistan, especially before the need for 
Uzbek gas surges this winter.  In doing so, Bakiyev has 
unnecessarily exposed Kyrgyzstan to Uzbek manipulation, said 
Bakir-uulu.  The Ombudsman accused the Kyrgyz Government of 
moving away from its democratic ambitions towards closer 
interaction with undemocratic neighbors, threatening 
Kyrgyzstan's unique standing in Central Asia as a country 
that adhered to religious freedom and human rights. 
 
¶3. (C) Citing the killing of Imam Mohammadrafik Kamalov on 
August 6 and the detention of other supposed religious 
extremists since then, Bakir-uulu assessed that the Kyrgyz 
National Security Service (SNB) had been collaborating 
closely with its Uzbek counterpart.  According to Bakir-uulu, 
the fact that Kamalov's daughter married the son of an Uzbek 
Imam, who the Uzbek Government believes to be extremist, 
prompted the SNB to take action against Kamalov directly. 
The belief that Imam Kamalov allowed members of Hizb 
ut-Tahrir (HT) to pray at his mosque was yet another, 
possibly more publicly accepted, reason to get rid of him, 
according to Bakir-uulu. 
 
¶4. (C) Bakir-uluu pointed to the August 9 refouling of four 
Uzbek refugees and one asylum seeker, as well as the separate 
disappearances of four other Uzbek asylum seekers in August 
(Reftel) as concrete examples that the Kyrgyz Government had 
allowed Uzbek security services to operate freely within 
Kyrgyz territory.  Calling these events Uzbek provocations, 
Bakir-uulu forecast that, due to the unmonitored Kyrgyz-Uzbek 
border, the Uzbeks could continue their operations with or 
without Kyrgyz permission.  In his view, the Uzbek 
Government, because of President Karimov's concern over the 
political orientation of its neighbors, had acted to gain a 
strong foothold in Kyrgyzstan, taking advantage of 
Kyrgyzstan's vulnerability with rising ethnic and religious 
tensions and a porous border. 
 
¶5. (C) Bakir-uulu also claimed that Bakiyev was using this 
cooperation with Uzbekistan to strike at his political 
opponents in the south.  When Bakiyev ran for Parliament 
prior to the March 2005 events, Hizb ut-Tahrir organized to 
oppose Bakiyev's candidacy, denying him a victory.  As 
President, Bakiyev has used his power to suppress those he 
deems to be a threat to his position.  According to 
Bakir-uulu, Bakiyev has, perhaps naively, accepted 
Uzbekistan's offer to help the GOKG rid itself of unwanted 
actors in Kyrgyzstan.  From Bakir-uulu's point-of-view, such 
cooperation will only create more problems for Bakiyev as 
 
BISHKEK 00001354  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Uzbekistan continues to seek greater influence over its 
neighbors. 
 
ADDITIONAL FUNDS REQUIRED 
------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Stating that his budget had been slashed repeatedly by 
Bakiyev, Bakir-uulu said he needed to locate other sources of 
funding to continue his office's operations monitoring events 
throughout the country.  Though he was sporting an expensive 
suit and cufflinks, he claimed that his employees did not 
have enough money to pay for taxis outside of Bishkek. 
Bakir-uulu appealed to the Ambassador for U.S. assistance to 
aid in the purchase of new vehicles and to ensure the 
completion of needed renovations throughout the building. 
Bakir-uulu suggested that such assistance would be symbolic 
of the United States' willingness to work closely with his 
office, in support of human rights and Kyrgyz independence. 
The Ambassador agreed to relay his request to Washington for 
consideration. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶7. (C) An outspoken figure with his own political 
aspirations, Bakir-uulu did, nevertheless, come across as 
being a sincere and candid interlocutor.  Bakir-uluu has not 
limited his verbal broadsides to Bakiyev and the Kyrgyz 
Government; in August, he attracted attention when he refused 
an invitation to attend an ombudsman conference in the United 
States after he interpreted President Bush's remarks about 
"Islamic fascism" as being anti-Islamic.  More passionate 
than in previous meetings, Bakir-uulu clearly has been 
personally affected by the increased anti-terror operations 
in the south, particularly the killing of Imam Mohammadrafik 
Kamalov.  A native of Karasuu, Bakir-uulu and the Kamalovs 
have enjoyed a close relationship for many years.  Bakir-uulu 
claimed he was being harassed by the SNB at the behest of the 
Uzbek Government and noted that he was going to file suit for 
slander on September 20. (NOTE:  As of September 21, 
Bakir-uluu's office could not confirm that a lawsuit has been 
filed.  END NOTE.)  He was negative about the same pressure 
to others in the opposition under neighboring President 
Karimov's influence.  "Democracy cannot be established in 
just one country," Bakir-uulu said and added that observation 
of human rights and good relations with the Uzbeks could not 
simultaneously exist while Karimov is in charge.  It remains 
to be seen how the Bakiyev government handles the Ombudsman; 
the belief, shared by many, that Bakir-uulu is an HT 
sympathizer may give the GOKG more of a reason to keep him 
under close watch.  END COMMENT. 
 
YOVANOVITCH