Written by Abulfazal on Thursday, 3 June 2010
As neweurasia was informed by Bakhodir Choriyev, leader of Birdamlik people’s movement, activists of the movement hold a picket in front of the Honorary Consulate of Sweden in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 28, 2010. Their only goal was to demand the Swedish government prevent the deportation of five Uzbeks to Uzbekistan who were refused to be granted a refugee status in this Skandinavian country by local migration authorities on May 26.
As Mr. Choriyev informed us, these five Uzbeks had failed to provide a strong evidence for receiving political refuge.
What is going to happen to them now? First, Swedish government will deport Uzbeks to Uzbekistan. Secondly — and it’s predicted easily — they will face all the difficulties of “enemies of the state,” a favorite cliche invented by the Soviet totalitarian machine and productively used by Uzbek officials nowadays.
The group of Birdamlik activists living in the United States decided to appeal through this kind of protest and showed their solidarity with these five men in trouble. By the way, Birdamlik in Uzbek means Solidarity.
“We believe in human rights and respect to human dignity provided by international law. And Sweden is not a dictatorship country to be blind and not to see situation in Uzbekistan. They know for sure that these five will be tortured once they step on the grounds of the Tashkent International Airport. And we are shocked to realize that Swedish authorities let this happen; by doing this they actually encourage violence and tortures in Uzbekistan. We are here now to stand with our countrymen and show them that there are not alone!” says Bridamlik movement’s leader Choriyev to neweurasia.
Even though there are tons of reports stating that Uzbekistan is one of the worst dictatorships in the world, I want to shortly re-tell a story based on Uznews.net’s reports.
Dilorom Abdukadirova, a refugee from Andijan, returned from Australia where she was granted a refugee status because she believed her husband’s promises given to him by the Uzbek interior ministry’s officials that she wouldn’t be arrested if she returns by her own will. She did return herself, nobody deported to go back to Uzbekistan. All she wanted was to see her family, her children, to finally feel herself home. But few days after her return she was arrested and in the end of April sentenced to 10 years and two months in prison.
Isn’t that a strong proof for the Swedish government to predict with a 99% probability that these five Uzbeks, seeking for a safer life in democratic state, will face the same?
I tried to find contacts to write to Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, to support the case. I call upon your understanding and support to make our support stronger. Here are contacts you can use to let the minister understand that these poor Uzbeks came to Sweden not for luxuries but for a safer place to live.
Neweurasia.net