Rights groups applaud EBRD decision

Rights groups have welcomed a decision by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) linking investment in Uzbekistan to an improvement in its much criticised human rights record. “The specific bench marks they have spelled out are certainly very welcome,” Matilda Bogner, office director for Human Rights Watch (HRW) in the Uzbek capital Tashkent told IRIN. “It’s great that the European bank has taken these on board and are pushing for specific improvements.” Echoing that sentiment, Dr Aaron Rhodes, executive director of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights told IRIN from Vienna it was right to engage the Uzbek authorities about their human rights practices and the impact of those practices on political stability and economic growth, concurring it was right to condition the EBRD’s lending programme on improving human rights. “No society suffering under human rights abuses like those currently endured by the Uzbek citizens can be stable or can prosper. International financial institutions like the European Bank must try to see the social reality of Uzbekistan behind the government’s promises and excuses,” Rhodes explained. Their comments follows an EBRD strategy report released on Sunday calling on the hardline regime of President Islam Karimov among other things to give more freedom to the media and allow local non governmental organisations (NGOs) to function effectively, while at the same time calling on Tashkent to express publicly its opposition to the use of torture, which the United Nations described as “systematic” in Central Asia’s most populous state. “Should no progress be made in these areas the scope of new investments in Uzbekistan during the strategy period - 2003-2004 - will be limited, both in the private and public sectors,” the bank warned. Commenting on the report, Julia Zilberman, press officer for the bank, told IRIN from London that EBRD’s strategy on Uzbekistan reiterated its commitment to the country, but stressed the Bank’s concern with the state of multi-party democracy, respect for the rule of law, human rights and freedom of the press in Uzbekistan. “The Bank will be paying close attention to the developments in these vital areas and will be reviewing its progress throughout the coming year,” she vowed. But according to Bogner, pressure to bring about change can be implemented immediately, referring to the fact that the 62-member bank is set to hold its annual meeting in the Uzbek capital in May - a venue most rights groups find controversial. “The Uzbeks will use a meeting in May to show that the international community approves of the current way the government is governing,” she said. “However much the bank wants to escape that, if they don’t introduce reform needed prior to the bank’s meeting in Tashkent, that is how it is going to be used.” She called it “unfortunate” that the bank was not using the upcoming meeting as a pressure point on the government for specific changes to be made before May. "The Uzbek government wants this meeting much more than the bank does. The bank should use this as leverage for change prior to May,” she claimed. According to the activist, if an order comes for change, it can happen overnight. “There are no barriers to having quick improvements before May, nor are there any excuses in delaying those improvements for a year,” she said. Meanwhile, Rhodes asked whether the Uzbek people ever realised tangible benefits from international credits. “Do the programmes of international institutions contribute to human rights and freedoms or do they strengthen authoritarian repression?” he asked. “In order not to have a negative albeit well-intentioned influence, the EBRD should work closely with Uzbek civil society and international human rights groups, that have demonstrated their commitment to human rights, to determine if additional loans should be made.” The EBRD has been strongly criticised for its engagement in Uzbekistan by various rights groups who maintain there has been little improvement in Tashkent's rights records since independence in 1991. However, according to a Reuters report on Monday, bank president, Jean Lemierre said the EBRD would monitor freedom before, during and after its meeting. “That’s what I call constructive engagement,” he reportedly said.