[CivilSoc] Kyrgyz NGOs Pose Questions to Western NGOs re War on Terrorism

[Center for Civil Society International]

Civil Society International has received the statement reproduced
below from eight NGOs in Kyrgyzstan. I would like to take this
opprtunity to suggest an additional question, in addition to the
three posed by the Kyrgyz NGOs:
Given that Central Asian governments--some more than others--have for
years justified dictatorial measures against their populations by
reference to the threat (realistic or exaggerated) posed by Islamic
extremists ... how are democratic Central Asian citizen organizations
now to prepare for a worldwide campaign against terrorism in which
their authorities may act more repressively against pluralism and
dissent, whether lawful or unlawful, violent or nonviolent?
Please send any responses you may have to the questions posed by the
Kyrgyz NGOs directly to Elena Voronina <ccpub@infotel.kg>, with a
copy to <civilsoc@lists.civilsoc.org>.  We will post to CivilSoc
samples of responses that are short (5-7 KB) and to the point.
Holt Ruffin
Director
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__________________________________________________________
From: Elena Voronina
Sent: Friday, October 05, 2001 5:37 PM
Subject: Kyrgyz NGO on problems of War Terrorism
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Please find attached Press-Release from Kyrgyz NGO. Please send your
comments and news.
Sincerely,
Elena Voronina
International Centre Interbilim
NGO for Central Asia development
International Centre InterBilim (CIB)
16/2 Razzakova St. 		tel.: 996-312-660425
Bishkek 			fax.: 996-312-664434
Kyrgyz Republic			e-mail: ccpub@infotel.kg
720040 CIS
	KYRGYZ NGOs ON PROBLEMS OF WAR AGAINST TERRORISM
Dear friends and colleagues,
These days we have been receiving lots of letters and appeals with
regard to the tragic events of September 11, 2001.  They are full of
concerns and anxieties--what if security issues fully overshadow the
values we have been battling for during these latest decades. All our
actions were based on the principles of non-violence and therefore we
consider terrorism as absolute evil that can not be justified by
anything or by anyone.
Commitment to confront this truly worldwide evil should not tempt us
to apply rules of collective guilt or collective punishment. This
would lead only to a new wave of violence and hatred.
While discussing these and other issues, a number of well-known
non-governmental organizations of Kyrgyzstan came out with an idea to
appeal to you, i.e. our long standing Western partners and friends,
with a series of questions. We did not invent these questions but
they echoed voices of the people we ourselves are a part of, and
therefore we are well aware of main concerns of those who live in
this part of our planet. All of a sudden we found ourselves in the
focus of the world attention, we are, however, not flattered with
this at all for the following reasons:
For a very long time Central Asia has been hosting lots of various
cultures, ethnic groups, religions--Islam, Christianity, Buddhism.
Even a demise of the Soviet Union did not generate lasting conflicts
along these fault lines although there were some bursts of violence
out here as well. Now are greatly concerned because a resource of
accumulated tolerance is tested for its sustainability. Your answers
to our questions will help us to oppose intolerance and possible
outbursts of inter-civilization enmity. Therefore we urgently request
you to answer the questions, we have limited their number taking into
account your busy schedule in these troublesome times.
Questions:
1. We are under impression that security services (as it turned out,
they failed their job, in the long run) are now trying to oblige us,
entire countries and regions, to fulfill their duties. This is
seemingly the contents of the latest anti-terrorism Resolution by the
UN Security Council. Are we ready to accept this maneuvre?
2. What will be after the strikes? Is there any understanding in
political and public circles of your countries that military
operations can fail?
3. We are witnessing the United Nations (that we pledged so much
aspirations to and believed in) is collapsing. Should we continue to
support it in its present form or should we join efforts in building
a new UN - a body that would eliminate its enormous bureaucracy, a
flexible structure capable to react and take actions?
These questions have been raised by the following civil society
organizations of Kyrgyzstan:
Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law  (Natalia Ablova);
International Centre "Interbilim" (Asiya Sasykbaeva);
NGO Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society (Tolekan Ismailova);
Youth Human Rights Group (Dmitri Kabak);
Centre of Human Development "Tree of Life"  (Kalia Moldogazieva);
Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights (Alexander Fomenko);
Human Rights Organization "Spravedlivost" in Jalal-Abad region
(Valery Uleev)
Foundation "Journalists in Need" (Gulhan Borubaeva).