after September 11 2001 human rights situation in KGZ has worsened, because USA Government worked clousely with President Akayev to establish new USA military Base in Bishkek, capital city of KGZ. Autoritarian regim led by Akayev having support of Coalition Forces ignored citizens demand for justice. On March 17-18th 2002 6 peacefull demonstators were shot by police and hundred yuong people was beaten and tortured by police. For today we conitinue our actions to demand justice and rule of law in Kyrgyzstan.

LOBBYING, ADVOCACY AND PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Victims of human rights violations

 Defending rights of Aksy tragedy victims. In 2006 the HRC together with the independent jurist Sartbay Jaychibekov achieved paying of compensation to the victims of Aksy tragedy. At the beginning of the year families, who lost their relatives and persons who were personally injured during the peaceful protest of March 17, 2002 (after September 11, 2001 when Kyrgyz President Akayev and Kyrgyz Government started a new collaboration with USA Government regarding new American base in Bishkek, GANCI and Aksy tragedy was left behind attention of international organizations) in Aksy were given material compensations the total sum of which made up 12 450 000 soms. In addition to this the HRC with the director Tolekan Ismailova provided public defense of 13 Aksy residents from February to June 2006. They demanded to punish persons guilty in Aksy tragedy. Rejection by the court of such punishment made the former demonstrate in front of the Government house, where they were beaten up by policemen. The delegation of Aksy victims was received by the President, who promised a just decision on their case. Our Center also assisted Aksy victims in covering their transportation and accommodation costs during the judicial process. Tolekan Ismailova, jurist Sartbay Jaychibekov and network partner Aziza Abdurasulova were included into the Commission on investigation Aksy events, a commission created by the General Prosecutor’s Office. Today this issue remains one of the most troubled ones, and human rights defenders have not given up, even in the face of General Prosecutor Office’s conclusion that policemen actions did not violate the functioning legislation shooting 6 peaceful citizens to death on March 17, 2002 and torturing more than 100 young residents of Aksy at the night of March 17-18, 2002. To this day human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan continue demanding access to fair juridical system in order justice and respect human rights and rule of law to be reached.

 Defending the rights of Barskaun tragedy victims. The HRC, together with Erkingul Imankojoeva, succeeded in gaining payment of compensations to the victims of Barskaun tragedy which amounted to 3 million USD – the money paid for the lost harvest of 1998-99, the result of cyanide accident, “Kumtor Operating Company” to be blamed for that. On January 7, 2006 45 Barskaun residents demonstrated in front of the office of the “Kumtor Operating Company” to protest the meeting of the former with “Kyrgyz Altyn” company which was held secretly with no access to the public. Participants of the demonstration demanded public access to information concerning all agreements reached between parties and payment of compensations amounting to 2 000 000 to the victims. After the meeting with the leadership, the demanded compensation was paid out on January 13.

Given success became a good example for the staff of “Kumtor Operating Company” who, together with the labor union, united to protect workers’ rights. On December 19, 2006 workers started a strike on company facilities with the demands of raising wages and additional payment for working in mountain conditions, the one provided for by the Kyrgyz legislation. Due to the efforts of workers and the trade union, all demands were satisfied.

ATTEMPTS TO CURTAIN NGO AND MASS MEDIA RIGHTS

In 2006 there were several attempts to curtail activities of non-governmental organizations. On January 24, 2006 the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic proposed to audit all NGOs financed by international donors. Later the Ombudsman Tursunbai Bakir uulu declared the necessity of controlling the activities of NGOs and proposed a number of amendments to the Law “On non-for-profit organizations” which would ban NGOs financed by international governments, political parties, foundations and citizens pursuing political aims as well as those threatening the constitutional order, state structure and national security of Kyrgyzstan. Given proposals were negatively accepted by the non-governmental sector that opposed all attempts to curtail their activities and collectively blocked the adoption of proposed amendments. In addition, authorities attacked the freedom of speech in Kyrgyzstan. Promise of the President to reform the Kyrgyz National Television (KTR) into a public channel was not fulfilled; with KTR today having become a loyal “loudspeaker” for the current power. Independent mass media are periodically persecuted by the authorities: legal persecution, pressures on personnel, blocking their re-transmitting to cable channels, destruction of equipment and physical assault on the staff of “Piramida” channel by the unknown in September 2006, pressures on the leadership of NTS channel and endowment of the General Prosecutor’s Office with powers of judicial persecution of private persons, channels and publishing houses for distribution of information discrediting the President.

On October 16, 2006 the Minister of Justice Kayipov M. attempted to limit the freedom of speech by amending the Law “On mass media” to ban publications “containing extremist motives”. Given amendments could have served as one more instrument of limiting the activities of independent mass media in objectively informing about the shortcomings of the current power and as a means of blocking information on actions of civil protest, meetings and demonstrations as well as a cause for persecution of independent journalists, opposition figures and further assault on the rights of Muslims.

PERSECUTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

After November demonstrations members of the Movement “For Reforms” E. Baysalov, A. Sasykbayeva, Ch. Jakupova, and R. Kadyrova were persecuted by the National Security Service and General Prosecutor’s Office. Special services declared that they have a floppy disk that features voices of Movement activists with plans of overthrowing the current power by violence. This case was named “Disquette gate”. Besides, E. Baysalov twice was assaulted in 2006 and as a result of the latter one got brain injury. For conducting meetings and demonstrations against Kyrgyzstan’s joining the HIPIC Interior Ministry officials persecuted human rights activist Aziza Abdurasulova under the allegation of “hooliganism”. Another person persecuted by the officials of the General Prosecutor’s office was human rights activist Sartbay Jaychibekov, who collaborated with us in defending human rights of victims of Aksy tragedy in the courts.

VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER THE COVER OF STRUGGLE AGAINST TERRORISTS

The year 2006 featured increasing cases of violation of human rights under the guise of struggle against terrorism. In summer, in the south of the republic, interior officials, in collaboration with Uzbek security forces, conducted special operations on detecting “religious extremists” or persons declared terrorists. On the grounds of the oral decree of the Minister of Interior M. Sutalinov, passport regime was strengthened starting July 14, 2006 with several religious people arrested, houses searched and several confessions gained from people under torture about participation in extremist organizations and movements. Many refugees from Uzbekistan were arrested. On August 25, UNHCR office publicly announced its concern with “multiple cases of persecution of persons seeking asylum”. Thus, all operations conducted by our special forces turned out to be repressions of believers.

VIOLATING RIGHTS OF REFUGEES

On August 9 Kyrgyz officials, contrary to the norms of international law, forcefully extradited five Uzbek refugees. All of them were incriminated by Uzbek officials with participating in violence in Andijan. Four of the deported persons were recognized as refugees by the UNHCR and the fifth person requested such a status. State officials ignored all appeals of local and international human rights organizations to withhold deporting refugees, an act which violated the norms of the Convention “On the Status of Refugees” of 1951. According to the Convention, it is prohibited to extradite refugees or persons seeking asylum to a country where they could be persecuted. Since all five of them could possibly be tortured, the UN Convention against Torture of 1984 would ban their extradition. In July and August, at least five people disappeared in Osh, who was officially registered as citizens seeking asylum.

I heard on a National Public Radio program that after September 11th, the United States had a big jump in people volunteering for non profits. It made me wonder if this was true world-wide or if it was unique to the United States.  Any discussion from others would be welcomed.

A few comments were posted about the regions in which some effects where felt, such as possible increases in volunteerism. What about changes in impact over time? Were most changes felt immediately, or have some impacts been built up over time? Are there any impacts that were felt early on that no longer apply?

Friends,

A report that we received here at the Center for Victims of Torture from the International Rehabiliation Council on Torture (IRCT) states: Preliminary conclusions from an international fact-finding mission to the Philippines led by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) find that torture, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings are common practice there in the context of the US-led “war on terror”.

Read the full article at http://www.irct.org/Default.aspx?ID=159&M=News&PID=5&NewsID=942

Read the full text of the preliminary conclusions of the Philippines International Fact-finding Mission at

http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/philippines-mission.pdf

It is likely that the behavior of the Philippine government is not really an impact of Sept 11 because there is history of the use of torture, disappearance and extrajudicial killings (from the 70s and 80s under the Marcos Dictatorship). The US-led "war on terror" is giving an excuse for the government to "justify" the behavior, as we see the US doing as well.

Fact-finding missions are one tactic used to gather information. Coming up on the 26th of September, we'll also look at other ways for organizations to collect, organize, store, share and distribute information with our first monthly tactical discussion on "Information is Power: Librarianship and Human Rights." I hope you'll join us for the discussion.

nancy