The Andijan events on May 13, 2005 caused a wide public outcry not only in Uzbekistan, but throughout the world. Riots and clashes with the country's power structures revealed a sharp political crisis that dragged on from the collapse of the Soviet Union.
According to various sources, up to several hundred people died during the conflict. Andijan events influenced the further development of domestic policy of Uzbekistan.
Background
The city of Andijan is located in the Ferghana Valley. This region for many centuries remained autonomous in ethnic terms. In many ways, the geographical features of the valley contributed to this. There is fertile soil and many plains. Therefore, most of the population is engaged in the agricultural industry. The population is extremely conservative. The principle of fraternity and primodrial nationalism is very developed. Due to some isolation, the population is practically not affected by migration processes. Therefore, the institution of kinship has been preserved here for many centuries. Many residents of the Ferghana Valley still adhere to ancient traditions and customs. By the beginning of the twentieth century, polygamy was still very common here. Not only the adult, but also the younger generation is on the principles of fundamental Islam. Increased religiosity made itself felt already on the eve of the collapse of the Soviet Union.
In the eighty-ninth year, amid the weakening of central authority, extremist religious sects rose to the surface. In addition to Islamism, they promoted radical nationalism. In the city of Namangan, several parties were created that began to incite ethnic hatred.
First pogroms
In May eighty-ninth, a conflict broke out between the Uzbeks and Meskhetian Turks. Uzbeks in the amount of several hundred people, armed with fittings, began to organize pogroms. They captured houses and brutally beat local Turks. In two days the character of the riots became quite organized. Thousands of Uzbeks began to arrive in all settlements of the valley in which the Turks lived. Then they captured the area, village or village, and destroyed it. During the pogroms, the radicals managed to capture several police departments and get to arms. To suppress the riots, it was necessary to use the internal troops of the Uzbek SSR and the aircraft of the RSFSR. Almost all Turks were evacuated. These pogroms clearly showed the problem of the region. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the authorities decided to simply close their eyes to these problems, which is why the Andijan events took place.
Start of conflict
In 2004, the Uzbek authorities decided to start a fight against the Islamization of the population. Religious sects were more like criminal gangs. Wealthy members of one group usually organized a common business. However, they did not embarrass themselves in the methods of eliminating competitors. And when bans of radical sects began in Uzbekistan, some people in power decided to use this situation to redistribute business in the country. In the spring, several prominent entrepreneurs of the Ferghana Valley were arrested. Among them was the chief judge of Andijan region (region).
The arrested were accused of involvement in one of the religious sects. Due to the influence of the accused, the trial was postponed to 2005. Andijan events began in the winter. Businessmen enjoyed the support of the population. They spent some share of the profits on charity; their enterprises had many jobs. In addition to their high salaries, they also provided workers with free treatment and meals in the canteens.
Therefore, all hearings in this case were accompanied by protests and pickets.
The beginning of the riots
On May 12, supporters of businessmen began to gather outside the courthouse. Initially, the rally was peaceful. People shouted slogans and held posters. However, the police who arrived at the scene began to detain the protesters. After that, the activists decided that they would not wait for justice from the authorities and decided to release the prisoners by force. Andijan events in Uzbekistan began to be shown in Kyrgyzstan and other neighboring countries. Toward night, protesters clashed with law enforcement. While the police fought with the protesters, a group of one hundred people captured a military unit and killed five soldiers. In the military unit, they managed to capture more than a hundred assault rifles and grenades. At one in the morning, armed and hastily formed groups attacked the prison. Using a truck, they broke through the gate and burst into the building. Already then a skirmish ensued. Several guards and protesters were killed.
Prison capture
The rebels released more than five hundred people from prison. Toward morning, the crowd decided to seize the regional administration. On the way there was a building of the security service of Uzbekistan.
A separate battle group went on his assault. A fierce battle began. The rebels managed to crush the resistance of the security forces. Thanks to this, they seized even more weapons and the crowd moved to the courthouse. Almost immediately, it was taken by storm. The policemen who were there were captured. A rally began in front of the building itself.
Government response
The Andijan events of 2005 took the government by surprise. In just one night, the protests escalated into a real rebellion. Thousands of people gathered on the square. They called their relatives and friends. Soon the whole city and its environs learned about the rally. By the middle of the day, the number of people doubled. Initially, the purpose of the rally was the desire of the people to express their dissatisfaction with the unfair trial of businessmen. Soon, however, cries of dissatisfaction with the authorities began to be heard. I remembered unemployment, lack of social protection and much more. According to many experts, it was precisely because of the political and economic crisis that the Andijan events took place in the country. Whether Allah Akbar shouted is still unclear. Authorities said this to discredit the rebels. Later, the head of state said that the audience demanded the establishment of the Caliphate. However, many eyewitnesses claim that the rebellion had nothing to do with religion.
Escalation of conflict
The riot continued to spread.
The rebels took many hostages. In the neighboring administrative buildings were the Attorney General, soldiers, members of the National Security Service. The president arrived in the province. He led the created headquarters to normalize the situation. The government understood that there were too many rebels, they were armed and they had hostages. Therefore, she entered into negotiations. Initially, they did not give a result. The negotiator from the headquarters demanded the release of all the detainees in exchange for the free passage of the rebels to the territory of Kyrgyzstan.
The beginning of the battles
The rebels demanded the release of their supporters. Toward night, they demanded that the prisoners not only be released from Andijan prisons, but also from prison in other areas. Authorities rejected these conditions. In the early morning, military equipment arrived at the square. Events in Andijan sharply escalated, escalation began. The military opened fire on the protesters. A skirmish ensued. Many administrative buildings were on fire.
Fights went on several streets. Toward evening, government troops began to storm the square. For this, two columns of armored vehicles were involved. As a result of the assault, many people died. The rebels began to retreat around the city towards the Kyrgyz border. The departure was accompanied by periodic skirmishes. Going to the building of the local TV channel, they found that the passage was blocked. Hiding behind the hostages, the rebels moved forward, but the special forces still opened fire. A fierce skirmish ensued. Some peaceful protesters sought shelter in nearby houses.
The retreat of the rebels
After a few hours of shooting, the rebels still managed to break through the cordon and go to the sleeping areas. After the sheltering participants in the events on the square saw that the military was no longer there, they moved forward. Old men, women and children hurried to the advanced armed groups, hoping to escape from the city. However, the next ambush awaited them further. It is still unknown how many lives the Andijan massacre of 2005 took. Near the fifteenth school, the rebels gathered in a tight group, and the military opened chaotic fire on them. According to eyewitnesses, the whole street was in the corpses of people. This is largely due to poor preparation and planning of the operation. In favor of this version is the fact that the military shot at the rebels, despite the fact that they used the hostages (senior officials) as a human shield.
Slaughter
After being shot near the school, fighting continued throughout the city. Despite the superiority of the military in armament, equipment and the number of soldiers (most of the protesters were not armed), the rebels fought fiercely. As a result, they still escaped from the city.
All night, refugees from the city walked towards the border (about fifty kilometers). In the border town, the convoy came across an ambush of soldiers.
Another shootout arose, which claimed the lives of several people. The local population began to provide assistance to the victims. Most of them gathered in the square and began a prayer. At this time, almost the whole world became aware of the Andijan events. The photo of the dead people the next morning flew around the front pages of many reputable newspapers.
Flight from Uzbekistan
The fugitives were going to find shelter in Kyrgyzstan. As a result, frightened and exhausted rebels sent an embassy of women and old men to the border guards. After hours of negotiations for a bribe, soldiers agreed to let the refugees go. When they reached the Kyrgyz side, they agreed to let them go after they lay down their arms.
A tent camp was set up at the site of the checkpoint. After that, the UN gave Andijan fugitives refugee status. They found political asylum in Romania.
The Andijan events of 2005 ended in complete suppression of the rebellion. Uzbekistan for a long time could not recover from this tragedy. Several Western countries have imposed sanctions on the country. Caught by the authorities, the rebels were sentenced to lengthy imprisonment.