Japarov warns of plot to turn Kyrgyz and Uzbeks against each other
Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has warned that unnamed politicians are allegedly planning to provoke violence between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan to disrupt the upcoming presidential election.
In a Facebook statement, he said he had received information about discussions aimed at causing unrest before the vote.
Japarov stressed that the alleged plans had not progressed beyond discussions but warned they could still be carried out. He did not name those supposedly involved or present evidence publicly to support his claims.
Why did Japarov bring up the railway to Uzbekistan?
Japarov also linked the alleged plans to opposition to the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, a major infrastructure project intended to improve regional trade connections.
«When people refused to fall for provocations surrounding China, they began plotting to divide two brotherly peoples — Kyrgyz and Uzbeks — and turn them against each other,» Japarov wrote.
He suggested that some political opponents fear the railway’s completion because of its potential economic benefits for Kyrgyzstan. However, he provided no evidence connecting opposition to the project with preparations for ethnic violence.
The president has previously defended the railway, arguing that it could open new trade routes to Europe and the Persian Gulf.
Japarov also insisted that Kyrgyzstan was better prepared to deal with unrest than during previous periods of ethnic violence. The president warned that authorities would take strict action against anyone attempting to incite violence.
The two conflicts are still among the most tragic events in Kyrgyzstan’s modern history. Clashes between Kyrgyz and Uzbek communities killed hundreds of people in 1990.
In June 2010, violence in Osh and other southern areas left more than 400 dead and nearly 2,000 homes destroyed, according to Human Rights Watch.
His remarks come as Kyrgyzstan prepares for its 2027 presidential election. Japarov submitted his candidacy for a second term on 10 November.
The president urged both communities to ignore inflammatory rumours and report suspected provocations to the State Committee for National Security, the Interior Ministry or local authorities.
