CIVICUS: We are deeply concerned about the worsening situation
in southern Kyrgyzstan
23 June 2010
To: H.E. Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General of the
United Nations
Cc: H.E. Navanethem
Pillay
UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights
Your
Excellency:
I write from CIVICUS: World
Alliance for Citizen Participation, an international movement of civil society
with members and partners in over a 100 countries. CIVICUS coordinates a
network of over 30 civil society organisations in the Eurasia region spanning
six countries.
We are deeply concerned
about the worsening situation in southern Kyrgyzstan
and are receiving daily reports from local civil society partners on the ground
about the continued violence in the country arising out of the ethnic conflict.
According to reports over
2000 civilians have been killed and over 400,000 have been displayed. At least
80,000 people have fled across the border to Uzbekistan fearing for their
lives. We have received many reports from the ground of hospitals being unable
to cope with the numbers of victims, of rapes, arson and rampage.
Although humanitarian aid is
flowing into Kyrgyzstan, there are grave problems
with regard to its reaching those most in need. The recently installed Interim
Government is severely challenged to assure security for all and rebuild the
country. It needs the support of the international community at this critical
juncture. The political, ethnic and humanitarian crisis is having a profound
effect on society. NGOs too, are struggling to carry out their activities in
the absence of rule of law.
Article 1 of the UN Charter
mandates the UN to “[t]o maintain international peace and security, and to that
end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats
to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches
of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the
principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of
international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace…”
Given the inability of the
local authorities to restore law and order, a number of local and international
civil society groups have urged that an international stabilization mission
under the auspices of the United Nations is sent to Kyrgyzstan
to ensure both equitable distribution of relief
supplies and security for citizens. CIVICUS supports these calls and calls upon
your good offices to pursue them with relevant UN organs including the Security
Council.
We believe that the UN has
an important role to play in rebuilding the political and humanitarian
structures of Kyrgyzstan, once called ‘an island of
Democracy in Central Asia.’
Sincerely,
Ingrid Srinath
Secretary General
CIVICUS: World Alliance for
Citizen Participation
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