Uzbek-Kyrgyz border incidents push for security measures
By Vusala Abbasova
Regular border violations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have sometimes led to a surge in violence, in some instances leading to losses in lives.
At a recent meeting following an incident on the frontier line on May 19 border representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan decided to carry out promotional and preventive work covering the use of weapons and border crossing procedures.
The meeting focused on the circumstances of the incident which occurred on the highway Kadamzhay - Kyzyl-Kiya in Uzbekistan during which two Kyrgyz citizens were injured by Uzbek border guards on May 19.
The Kyrgyz border guards have called for a ban on the use of weapons against civilians, in particular in absence of any threat to soldiers' life and safety. They also stressed that when Uzbek citizens have in the past attempted to cross the borders illegally and resisted arrest, in all cases Kyrgyz border guards abstained from using excessive force and weapons.
Following the meeting the sides decided to conduct appropriate measures to investigate the recent incident.
Under a bilateral agreement between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, vehicles traveling are not allowed to stop on the transit road.
A Kyrgyz citizen stopped on the way to Kaptarhana settlement of Uzbekistan to board on two women, who were Kyrgyz citizens. Uzbek border guards immediately demanded the driver to stop, but the demands were ignored. The Uzbek border guards then opened a fire, injuring two citizens of Kyrgyzstan.
Later on, Kyrgyz border guards rendered medical care at the border control post Ayribas, Kyrgyzstan.
Currently, the driver and the female passenger are at the Kyzyl-Kiya hospital.
A similar case occurred in Kygyr settlement, Kyrgyzstan on May 12, with more tragic consequences. Uzbek border guards fired at three Kyrgyz citizens who ignored their demands to stop while transferring vegetables and fruits through the state border. One of the Kyrgyz citizens was deadly shot, while the other was arrested and the third fled from the scene of the incident.
Kyrgyz Prime Minister Teymur Sariyev urged all to take appropriate measures to investigate such incidents, whilst such facts continue to grow in number.
The event of May 19 is the third similar incident this week, according to the Uzbekistan national security committee.
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