New Delhi: In contrast to the US and European Union’s call for a credible investigation, India has effectively supported the Uzbek government’s efforts to “restore law and order” after 18 people were killed in protests in the country’s autonomous province of Karakalpakstan last week.
In the worst bout of violence in the Central Asian nation in 17 years, 18 people were killed and 243 wounded during protests against plans to curtail Karakalpakstan’s autonomy last Friday. Uzbek authorities officially released the information on Monday (July 4).
On Saturday, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev dropped plans to amend articles of the constitution concerning Karakalpakstan’s sovereignty and right to secede. He also declared a month-long state of emergency in the northwestern province.
Karakalpakstan – situated on the shores of the Aral Sea, for decades an environmental disaster site – is home to the Karakalpaks, an ethnic minority group whose language is distinct from Uzbek, although related.
There are an estimated 700,000 Karakalpaks among Uzbekistan’s 34 million people, most of them in the autonomous republic. Geographic and linguistic proximity has led many to seek work and sometimes relocate to neighbouring Kazakhstan.
Reuters reported that some observers believe Tashkent’s miscalculated attempt to curtail Karakalpakstan’s autonomy may have been a bid to pre-empt any upsurge in separatism against the background of the war in Ukraine.
After the Uzbek authorities admitted to the fatal protests, the US urged authorities to pursue a credible investigation into the deadly violence on Tuesday.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price in a statement, urged parties to seek a peaceful resolution and called on Uzbekistan’s authorities to “protect all fundamental rights, including peaceful assembly and expression.”
The European Union had also called for “an open and independent investigation into the violent events in Karakalpakstan”.
The Indian foreign ministry spokesperson said that New Delhi had been following the “proposed constitution reform process in Uzbekistan, including the recent developments in Karakalpakstan” and offered condolences to the kin of the deceased.
“We have seen the steps taken by the Government of Uzbekistan to restore law and order and prevent any further escalation. As a close and friendly partner of Uzbekistan, we hope for an early stabilisation of the situation,” added the MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, essentially aligning itself with Tashkent.
The Indian response echoed that of the Russian government, which termed the unrest as an “internal matter” for Tashkent.
Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia considered Uzbekistan a “friendly country” and had no doubt that its leadership would work to resolve the issue.
(With Reuters inputs)