# Russia sends troops into Krgyzstan as ethnic clashes spread



## CougarKing (13 Jun 2010)

And Russia sends troops into Krgyzstan: 



> OSH, Kyrgyzstan (Reuters) - *Russia sent hundreds of paratroopers to Kyrgyzstan on Sunday to protect its military facilities, Interfax reported, as ethnic clashes spread in the Central Asian state, bringing the death toll from days of fighting to 97.*
> Ethnic Uzbeks in a besieged neighborhood of Kyrgyzstan's second city Osh said gangs, aided by the military, were carrying out genocide, burning residents out of their homes and shooting them as they fled. Witnesses saw bodies lying on the streets.
> 
> 
> ...


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## 57Chevy (14 Jun 2010)

Uprising threatens U.S. toehold   (Reproduced under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act)

 Manas air base. Critical link in getting troops to Afghanistan

The uprising in Kyrgyzstan means the United States may have to bargain hard to keep its last military base in Central Asia.

Turmoil in Kyrgyzstan has thrust the fate of the Manas air base - which is crucial for fighting the Afghan war - to the forefront of rivalry between the United States and Russia.

Russia has long dreamed of evicting the United States from Central Asia and a Russian official said on Thursday that Moscow would urge the interim Kyrgyz government to shut the U.S. base.

(article continues)

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Uprising+threatens+toehold/2785280/story.html#ixzz0qrlMxnKz


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## 57Chevy (17 Jun 2010)

more news on Krgyzstan      

400,000 Kyrgyz refugees uprooted: UN

SURATASH, Kyrgyzstan - Makeshift camps on both sides of Kyrgyzstan's border with Uzbekistan are home to 400,000 refugees uprooted by ethnic violence, the United Nations said on Thursday, and the area remains extremely tense.

Many refugees are running short of basic supplies and fear fresh attacks. In one camp, clay houses were crammed with dozens of refugees and many others are having to sleep rough.

At least 191 people have been killed since June 10 in south Kyrgyzstan in clashes between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz. The government says the death toll is several times higher.

In Osh, the epicentre of the clashes, people in Uzbek neighbourhoods have built barricades, in effect demarcation lines separating them from Kyrgyz parts of the city.

(article continues)

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/world/Kyrgyz+refugees+uprooted/3166851/story.html#ixzz0rAS4Q9cu
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## PegcityNavy (18 Jun 2010)

What a shock for Stalin i mean Putin.


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## NSDreamer (18 Jun 2010)

I like how we're looking at another Rwanda here, and again the international community seems to be only interested in saving their own things. 

 That aside, I wonder what the Russians procedure for securing off base personel is?


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## mellian (18 Jun 2010)

NSDreamer said:
			
		

> I like how we're looking at another Rwanda here, and again the international community seems to be only interested in saving their own things.



What can seriously be done by the international community otherwise?


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## SocialyDistorted (18 Jun 2010)

Exactly. The Kyrgyz gov't wants Russian troops as "peacemakers"

IMO, what they don't understand is that in a situation like this peacemakers wouldn't be able to do much except fight both sides (assuming both sides are belligerents) and if the rumours of government troops (i.e. Army) is true, then it would technically be open war between Russia and Kyrgyzstan. Weird situation there


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## NSDreamer (18 Jun 2010)

mellian said:
			
		

> What can seriously be done by the international community otherwise?



 That's a good question. If nothing else, applying to Uzbekistan government to allow armed deployment of peace keepers surrounding the refugee camps to deter sniping by Kyrgs at defenseless refugees. I'm not suggesting we invade sovereign territory by any means, but I'm sure there are options that are out there beyond even this. 

 I by no means claim to be an expert on such information, it seems however that there are things to do beyond sitting back an watching. I wonder what avenues are open for sending aide to the camps.

"Humanitarian aid has been flown into the region from Russia, the United States and other powers. But observers on the ground said it was not reaching most camps and neighbourhoods on the Kyrgyz side because of security concerns."
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/world/Kyrgyz+refugees+uprooted/3166851/story.html#ixzz0rDVOeeoQ


 Could we not look at ways of insuring protection for international aide being sent in so these refugees have access to food and water for example.

 As I said, I'm not suggesting we invade soverign territory, however there are things we can clearly do.


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## aesop081 (18 Jun 2010)

NSDreamer said:
			
		

> , however there are things we can clearly do.



Clear ?

Ok....tell us, what are they ?


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## NSDreamer (18 Jun 2010)

I





			
				CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> Clear ?
> 
> Ok....tell us, what are they ?



 One blazing example I alreay pointed out. Request permission of the Uzbekistan government to allow us to fly in and defend aide convoys to said refugee camps. Yes it's a complicated process, but it's not exactly wearing a ghili suit and hiding in the forest when it comes to clarity.


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## vonGarvin (18 Jun 2010)

mellian said:
			
		

> What can seriously be done by the international community otherwise?


Send in troops, tell the locals to sum up, and shoot those who go on killing men, women and children.  Shoot them in the face.  Repeatedly.


That's what could be done.   That's what the Soviets would have done.  Should it be done?  Not up to me.  If it were, this would have been last week's news as a  minor footnote in Krgyzstani history.


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## aesop081 (18 Jun 2010)

NSDreamer said:
			
		

> Request permission of the Uzbekistan government to allow us to fly in and defend aide convoys to said refugee camps.



And what happens when they say "NO" ?


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## NSDreamer (18 Jun 2010)

Repeat process with Urumqi, Kazakhstan an Tajikistan.



			
				CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> And what happens when they say "NO" ?



 What happens if the sun doesn't come up tomorrow? I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I have to wake up to find out. If you judge the basis of all attempts on the chance of failure existing, then you don't have much hope to begin with. 

 There is never a golden solution when it comes to international diplomacy/politics if you wish to be percieved as a democratic, emancipated nation. If you want people to look at you and go, "Oh they're the good guys!"

 Reality is harsh. What would I have done were I in charge back during the Rwandan situation? Said damn the guns and I would have ordered the exact same sort of response that we eventually got around to performing on Hitler. That's probably why I'm not in elected office though. For this situation it's more complex, what we have here isn't organized genocide, its rioting and genocide occuring, or at least that is what it is being presented as. While there is some suggestion that government forces are propping up this genocide in news articles, I have no first hand data. 

 What I do know is that people are stupid in mobs, but even stupid people don't charge entrenched and armed peace keepers just to get at helpless refugees (I'd like to 'think I know this anyway). So yes, we should ask permission don't you think?

 Then again I just remembered the Bore Wars and spear and shield armed natives charging the british rifleman so who knows! At least we can try.


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## sky777 (18 Jun 2010)

But why UN keeps silence?
200 people were killed.


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## aesop081 (18 Jun 2010)

NSDreamer said:
			
		

> Reality is harsh.



i know. I have been on tour in some of those places where reality is harsh. It is so harsh in fact, that cold political calculations have to be made.




> So yes, we should ask permission don't you think?



Indeed. Otherwise we would be invading a sovereign country. You think the West is prepared to do that ?



> but even stupid people don't charge entrenched and armed peace keepers just to get at helpless refugees



 :rofl:

Wish the world was that simple......


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## NSDreamer (18 Jun 2010)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> Wish the world was that simple......



 Here here.


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## The Bread Guy (18 Jun 2010)

sky777 said:
			
		

> But why UN keeps silence?
> 200 people were killed.


Not entirely silent....
20 May 10:  "Secretary-General Urges Calm, Restraint as Two Die in Kyrgyzstan Ethnic Clashes"
11 Jun 10:  "Secretary-General Deeply Concerned by Renewed Violence in Kyrgyzstan; Urges Utmost Restraint to Prevent Further Loss of Life"

Others have already highlighted, better than I could, how "simple" an international response to this would be.


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## 57Chevy (18 Jun 2010)

One million caught up in Kyrgyz violence, UN says:

GENEVA - More than one million people have been affected by the violent conflict in Kyrgyzstan and need food and other aid supplies, UN officials said on Friday.

They include some 400,000 people left homeless after fleeing ethnic clashes in the southern cities of Osh and Jalalabad that erupted a week ago. Some 300,000 are displaced within Kyrgyzstan while another 100,000 people have crossed over into Uzbekistan.

"For the moment, we estimate that we will probably need to respond to the needs of more than one million people, displaced people, refugees and people in host families who have been affected by the conflict," Christiane Berthiaume, spokeswoman of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), told a news briefing.

(article continues)

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Kyrgyz+leader+says+dead+ravaged+south/3170304/story.html#ixzz0rDxidgP7


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## armychick2009 (18 Jun 2010)

I've been taking Russian/Soviet history the past 6 weeks and... all I can say is, "_Wow_."  It's been probably the most eye-opening course I've taken so far with regards to culture and politics. The regimes and the reality (or, THEIR perceived reality) of events is just out of the realm of western thinking -- not something we can understand easily. 

In some ways, I'm impressed at the ability of the Russian peoples to survive all that they've gone through at the hands of their own government... but, on the other hand -- I don't understand why after hundreds of years, history keeps replaying itself over and over -- each time expecting a different result but ultimately, ending in a place no different from where they started. 

I have a greater respect for Canada now (don't get me wrong, we have lots of issues here too that never seem to get resolved) but fortunately we seem to in these contemporary days, be able to avoid bloodshed while we work through our own issues. (Let's hope it stays that way!)


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## QORvanweert (18 Jun 2010)

Technoviking said:
			
		

> Send in troops, tell the locals to sum up, and shoot those who go on killing men, women and children.  Shoot them in the face.  Repeatedly.
> 
> 
> That's what could be done.   That's what the Soviets would have done.  Should it be done?  Not up to me.  If it were, this would have been last week's news as a  minor footnote in Krgyzstani history.



Aye aye! That is the first sensible suggestion I have heard regarding that whole mess.


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## 57Chevy (18 Jun 2010)

Kyrgyzstan toll 'much higher':

Roza Otunbayeva, the interim president, visited the city of Osh, epicentre of the violence and said the number fatalities was likely to be 10 times the official death toll of 223. The UN warned that it was preparing to provide long-term assistance for one million people.

Mrs Otunbayeva arrived in Osh by helicopter to inspect the damage inflicted by mobs that her government accuses toppled president Kurmanbek Bakiyev of organizing.

She said many of the victims were buried before sunset on first day of the fighting. "I would increase by 10 times the official data on the number of people killed," Mrs Otunbayeva added.

A UN aid airlift into Kyrgyzstan was scheduled to begin this weekend. Two chartered Ilyushin-76 cargo planes carrying 80 tons of relief items are expected to arrive in Osh.

(aqrticle continues)

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Kyrgyzstan+toll+much+higher/3170304/story.html#ixzz0rES9LgUk

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## sky777 (18 Jun 2010)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Not entirely silent....
> 20 May 10:  "Secretary-General Urges Calm, Restraint as Two Die in Kyrgyzstan Ethnic Clashes"
> 11 Jun 10:  "Secretary-General Deeply Concerned by Renewed Violence in Kyrgyzstan; Urges Utmost Restraint to Prevent Further Loss of Life"
> 
> Others have already highlighted, better than I could, how "simple" an international response to this would be.


In my opinion it is time to send UN peacemakers.


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## 57Chevy (19 Jun 2010)

U.S. urges Kyrgyzstan to end humanitarian crisis:

BISHKEK, June 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. envoy for Central Asia urged Kyrgyzstan on Saturday to create conditions for a safe return of hundreds of thousands of refugees uprooted by last week’s outburst of ethnic violence.

The clashes have killed up to 2,000 people and set off a massive wave of refugees, with 400,000 people crammed in squalid camps with little access to clean water and food on Kyrgyzstan’s sun-parched border with Uzbekistan.

Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake, speaking after talks with Kyrgyz officials, said an international investigation must be held into the possible causes of the violence.

"It is important for the provisional government to establish the atmosphere of trust and security so the refugees in Uzbekistan and the internally displaced persons in Kyrgyzstan can feel confident that they can return to their homes and live in safety and harmony with their Kyrgyz neighbours," he said.

"I think clearly there was an ethnic element to the violence that took place. But the United States does not have any independent information about what happened ..."

Kyrgyzstan’s tiny, under-equipped army has struggled to bring order to the south and relief organisations have been unable to reach the worst-affected areas for security reasons.

Some Kyrgyz officials have said a referendum on a new constitution, due be held on June 27, should be postponed until the situation stabilises.

The United States and Russia, both operating military air bases in the strategic Muslim nation, are concerned that continued turmoil in Kyrgyzstan could spread to other parts of Central Asia, a vast former Soviet region north of Afghanistan.

(article continues)

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/urges+Kyrgyzstan+humanitarian+crisis/3176303/story.html#ixzz0rJiQmtnb

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## 57Chevy (19 Jun 2010)

Canada to give $500,000 to conflict-plagued Kyrgyzstan:

OTTAWA — Canada will provide $500,000 in assistance to those affected by the violent clashes in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, where as many as 2,000 people have been killed this month.

International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda said Saturday the funds would support the International Committee of the Red Cross to evaluate the needs of the conflict-stricken population, which the UN estimates is about one million people.

“Canada’s support to the displaced people in their time of crisis once again demonstrates that Canadians will help those in need,” Oda said in a statement. “This contribution will provide humanitarian support to those fleeing conflict in southern Kyrgyzstan, leaving their homes in fear.” 

The bloody clashes erupted on June 10 with a series of co-ordinated attacks by unknown individuals. It quickly spiralled into fierce fighting between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, and entire neighbourhoods have since been torched.

As many as 400,000 people have been uprooted as a result, creating massive refugee camps along the border of the two countries.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Canada+give+conflict+plagued+Kyrgyzstan/3176704/story.html#ixzz0rLBnU9kk

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## 57Chevy (22 Jun 2010)

New Raid By Kyrgyz Forces Against Uzbeks Reported:

OSH, Kyrgyzstan (AP) ― Human Rights Watch says Kyrgyz government forces have raided an ethnic Uzbek neighborhood in Osh city, beating several dozen men and women and detaining 12.

Tuesday's operation in Kyrgyzstan came a day after Kyrgyz troops and police swept into an ethnic Uzbek village on Osh's outskirts, leaving at least 2 people dead and more than 20 wounded.

The brutal raids have reinforced the Uzbeks' claims that authorities are colluding in the ethnic violence. The violence also is likely to discourage hundreds of thousands of displaced people who have fled Kyrgyzstan's violence from returning home.

Human Rights Watch says Kyrgyz troops broke into a building in Osh's Cheryomushki neighborhood Tuesday. It was one of the few surviving buildings in the area.

http://wjz.com/wireapnational/Rights.group.reports.2.1764923.htm

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## 57Chevy (24 Jun 2010)

I kinda figured the Taliban was part of the violence. Seeing that there is a U.S. Airbase that brings supplies to the troops.
         _____________________________________________________________________

Kyrgyz authorities claim former president's family colluded with Taliban to stir up violence:

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AP) — Kyrgyzstan's security agency claimed Thursday that relatives of the toppled president colluded with the Taliban and other Islamic militant movements to provoke the ethnic violence that has destabilized the Central Asian nation.

The agency provided no evidence and there was no way of independently confirming the claim, which added to a series of allegations and counter-allegations about the cause of the violence issued by rival groups in Kyrgyzstan.

The security agency said two of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's relatives met last month in Afghanistan with representatives of the Taliban, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and Tajik militants to discuss plans to trigger unrest in Kyrgyzstan.

(article continues)

Read more:
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/06/24/kyrgyz-authorities-claim-presidents-family-colluded-taliban-stir-violence/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Fworld+%28Text+-+World%29

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## 57Chevy (24 Jun 2010)

Russia alarms West with plan for Kyrgyzstan military base:

Russia plans to build a second military base in Kyrgyzstan in a bold gambit likely to alarm Washington and other countries in the region.

The Kremlin tried and failed to win approval for the base in the south of the country last year and saw its chances evaporate when the man with whom it was close to making a deal, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, was deposed in a coup earlier this year.

But the Kremlin has quietly revived the plan as the interim government that succeeded Mr Bakiyev struggles to maintain order after an outbreak of ethnic violence in the south of the country that left more than 200 people dead. The base, to be located in either Osh or Jalalabad, would extend Russia's influence deep into Central Asia and bolster its position with both China and the United States.

The plan - which comes less than a week after Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, said he thought a U.S. airbase in Kyrgyzstan that supplied fuel and troops for the war effort in Afghanistan should not become a permanent fixture - is likely to be seen as an aggressive counter thrust.

"This is all about restoring the influence Russia lost when the Soviet Union collapsed," said one Russian analyst. Kyrgyzstan already has a Russian airbase and is the only country in the world with a Russian and a U.S. base.

(article cotinues)

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Russia+alarms+West+with+plan+Kyrgyzstan+military+base/3196904/story.html#ixzz0roCX3v2A


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## 57Chevy (24 Jun 2010)

Interesting to note is the Russians stating, "that the crisis was ultimately an internal matter"
              _______________________________________________________
U.N. Tells Security Council Kyrgyz Tensions Persist:

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A top U.N. official warned the Security Council on Thursday that ethnic tensions in Kyrgyzstan continue, along with fears that there could be another wave of violence in the strategic Central Asian state.

As expected, the 15-nation Security Council took no action. But diplomats said the council's decision to discuss the ethnic bloodshed in Kyrgyzstan that has killed hundreds and sparked a wave of refugees reflected the growing international concern.

(article continues)
Read more:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=11007327

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