Protests in Uzbekistan over trade law

Big News Network.com November 3 Several thousand people have reportedly staged protests against the government over new trade laws in Kokand, Uzbekistan. The BBC reported Monday that eyewitnesses said protesters threw stones, set police cars ablaze and smashed the windows of a government tax building. One eyewitness said the Kokand mayor climbed on a market stall to address the protesters, but the angry demonstrators drowned him out. At issue is a law that puts new restrictions on trade making it illegal for traders to use intermediaries and if traders buy goods abroad, they must sell them personally and not use other retailers. In addition, each trader must now have a special government license to trade. The government said the new regulations would keep prices down, but many believe tens of thousands of businesses would collapse under the new restrictions.