Kyrgyzstan Update

In June, southern Kyrgyzstan erupted in ethnic violence, between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, resulting in an estimated 375,000 people fleeing and almost 80,000 taking shelter in neighbouring Uzbekistan. Although there were wounded and dead people on both sides, the most affected areas and communities were Uzbek.

As we are registered as a relief and development agency in Uzbekistan we made plans to respond to the crisis on the Uzbek side of the border. But an important referendum in Kyrgyzstan meant that the refugees within Uzbekistan and the tens of thousands of people sheltering at the, then closed, border returned to Kyrgyzstan.

Over 35,000 people found their houses burnt and destroyed and began to live in the remaining rubble, sometimes sleeping on the ground, other times in tents provided by NGOs.

Operation Mercy began work in Kyrgyzstan the first week in July. Food and basic material needs were being met adequately by some of the larger NGOs but it was clear that significant psychosocial support was needed.

“In both communities, many people are in urgent need of psychological support. And for Uzbek people living in constant fear in the mahallas, it is even worse. For them, it is like surviving an earthquake every day.”

Anja Wolz, MSF field coordinator in Osh

Operation Mercy has a track record of running successful and effective trauma counseling training seminars in Turkey, Sri Lanka, Georgia, Morocco and other locations of disaster. Locals are given basic skills in listening, empathy, caring for children in trauma and gender specific areas.

International trainers arrived to hold these two-day training seminars in both Osh and Jalalabad. More than 70 people, both Kyrgyz and Uzbek, attended the trainings in the two cities. On one occasion, ethnic tensions threatened to erupt as insensitive accusations were made from one side to the other. In one session, where participants were invited to state some of the worst things that had transpired in the violence, there were further accusations that led to upset and a sense of injustice. This merely reflects the level of tension that exists and illustrates the significant task there is to bring understanding and reconciliation between the communities.

As the training was taking place, other Operation Mercy workers visited families, bringing clothes and toys to children and spending time just listening to the many stories needing to be told.

Urgent appeal!
 


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