Kazakh Khabar TV
April 11
 n Central Asia, the Fergana Valley [in eastern Uzbekistan]
is a
particular focus of attention for extremists. The militants of what is
called the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan [IMU] have announced that
their
main purpose is to create a caliphate in the Fergana Valley. Our
correspondents have a report explaining why this particular place might
become a scene of conflict.
Most members of the
so-called
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan are known to have come from the Fergana
Valley. The leaders of the IMU, Tohir Yoldosh and Juma Namangoniy, are
also
from this place: the [eastern Uzbek] Namangan Region is their native
area.
The militants have repeatedly tried to enter the Fergana Valley, hoping
that they would find many supporters there.
The population of the Fergana Valley, which falls within Uzbekistan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, is 11m people. The valley is the most
densely
populated area in Central Asia. The militants' hope for support is
built on
the fact, first of all, that people's living standards are too low
here.
The main social problem is the high level of unemployment and shortage
of
arable land.
Kahramon Gulamov, political scientist: "There used to be many enterprises, a textile factory,
chemical plant and other things here. Today, these are all virtually
standing idle. People have lost their jobs. In addition, the issue of
giving plots of land to peasants is being very badly handled. There is
not
enough land for all." This is the main reason for social tension,
independent expert Kahramon Gulamov thinks.
The residents of Fergana Valley have always stood out because of their
piety
and political activity. This has been particularly obvious up till now.
In
Namangan our film crew witnessed a case when part of the congregation
who
had gathered for Friday prayer could not find room in a mosque and
prayed
on the pavement. The idea of religious extremism is spread mainly
among
such believers.
A policy of resettling residents [to less densely populated areas of
Uzbekistan] was carried out during the Soviet era. Still, this place
did
not manage to avoid interethnic conflict in the 1990s [between ethnic
Uzbeks and Meskhetian Turks in Uzbek Fergana Region and between ethnic
Uzbeks and ethnic Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan's Osh Region] which was caused
by
social problems.
In recent years, the residents of the Fergana Valley, the peasants,
have
felt more acutely the shortage of fertile land and irrigation water
more
acutely. On the other hand, the authorities are not able to provide
jobs
for all. As a consequence, various forces are trying to use the
people's
difficult social conditions for their own purposes.
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