JINSA Sends Election Observers to Uzbekistan
Dr. Stephen Bryen and The Hon. Beau Boulter of JINSA’s Board of Advisors served as election observers for Uzbekistan’s Presidential Elections in early January. The U.S. government and the European community had declined to send official observers on the grounds that Uzbekistan had not instituted full enough democratic reforms.
Dr. Stephen Bryen and The Hon. Beau Boulter of JINSA’s Board of Advisors served as election observers for Uzbekistan’s Presidential Elections in early January. The U.S. government and the European community had declined to send official observers on the grounds that Uzbekistan had not instituted full enough democratic reforms.
Believing that the U.S. and European community’s negative posture could discourage democratic development in Uzbekistan, JINSA agreed to send two unofficial election observers. Dr. Bryen is a former senior Defense Department official, and Mr. Boulter is a former Texas Congressman. While they agreed that Uzbekistan is still in the early stages of developing the sort of civil society that encourages diverse political opinions, both said the election process was conducted fairly. More importantly, it appeared to have the strong popular backing of the Uzbek people.
The two visited polling stations in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital city, and had an opportunity to speak with local election officials and to interview voters on a random basis. Both were impressed by the optimism about the election process, and the widespread belief that public support for the current President, Islam Karimov, was important to the future stability of the country. Uzbek voter signs in at polling station during recent elections. Uzbekistan is part of a group of Caucasus and Central Asian countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. It became independent in 1991. The country is 95 percent Moslem and it is facing increasing threats of terrorism combined with drug and weapons smuggling linked to internationally known terrorists. Among these terrorists are Osama Bin Laden, who is regarded as a major threat to the United States, and Tajik separatists backed by Iran.
It is reported that hundreds of young Uzbeks are being recruited and trained as terrorists in Chechnya, Afghanistan and Pakistan by a variety of radical Islamic organizations. Despite a common interest in arresting the spread of violent Islamic radicalism, appeals for assistance from the United States by Uzbekistan and its neighbors have gone largely unheeded. At the same time, the State Department frequently condemns Uzbekistan for human rights abuses in the fight against terrorist forces. Consequently, Uzbekistan and the other surrounding countries have been forced to rely on Russia for help, which incurs many risks for their future independence.
JINSA believes the government of Uzbekistan is working to follow a pro-Western, pro-American course both economically and politically. Accordingly, JINSA will continue to make efforts in the U.S. for recognition of the democratic gains made by the Uzbek government and people and to gain support for assistance by the U.S. government to help Uzbekistan fight terrorism. In this way we can help assure the security of this new Central Asian country and its long term independence and prosperity.