By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, January 13 -- After attacks on ethnic Uzbek communities in Kyrgyzstan last year, what has the UN done? This month's Security Council president Ivan Barbalic of Bosnia painted a positive picture in a press statement he read out on January 13.
Inner City Press asked him if UN envoy Miroslav Jenca, in his closed door briefing, had mentioned continued charges of torture in Kyrgyzstan. Video here, from Minute 2.
Balbalic said that Jenca portrayed “a lot of progress achieved in Kyrgyzstan” but that it would be better to ask Jenca himself. That has not always been easy. As other Council members came out, Jenca walked by. Inner City Press asked, “Are you going to speak at the stake out?”
“No, I am going to UN Radio,” Jenca said. Inner City Press repeated Barbalic's statement, and asked about Kyrgyz torture.
“We are looking closely,” Jenca said, “attracting attention to the problems in the south.” Some would that a UN envoy who is seeking to attract attention to human rights problems would probably speak on camera at the stakeout. Kyrgyzstan is run by a former UN staff member, Rosa Otunbayeva.
Recently the Kyrgyz official inquiry into the clashes that pushed Uzbeks out of Kyrgyzstan blamed the incidents on the Uzbeks themselves. Inner City Press asked Jenca whether the UN took part in what's called the international inquiry headed by Finnish MP Kimmo Kiljunen.
The UN Spokesperson's Office never answered Inner City Press repeated questions about what role, if any, the UN would play, just as it did not answer Inner City Press' questions of January 13 and before about Ban Ki-moon's Panel on Sri Lanka, whether it will in fact travel to that country and make any public report.
“We maintain close contact,” Jenca said, “we provide technical assistance.” He said the work “on the ground” will be finished by the end of January, and a report out in February or March. We'll be waiting.
Inner City Press also asked about the water wars between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, an issue on which it is not clear if the UN Regional Office is doing anything. Jenca responded by referring, as before, to an different water issue, an organization to Save the Aral Sea.
“You've spoken with the Tajiks and Uzbeks, you know how it is,” Jenca said. “We need to keep impartiality.” He mentioned the dam at issue, and an World Bank risk assessment. “Both sides are looking at us,” Jenca said. “We cannot just be there and do nothing.” We'll see.
