DUSHANBE, April 6, 2010, Asia-Plus — Tajik political scientists Saymuddin Doustov considers that actions of protest that were recently organized by Uzbek ecologists against operation of Tajik aluminum smelter are an evidence of the fact that Uzbek authorities have begun to introduce tough measures against Tajikistan.
According to him, these actions of protest were organized by the Uzbek ecological organization, which is supervised by Uzbek President Islam Karimov.
“Since 2004, Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) has been improving its environmental protection measures,” said Doustov, “This is one of conditions of partnership with European known companies such as Hydro Aluminium. Indeed, the Tajik aluminum smelter has some environmental protection problems, but they are not so serious as Uzbek specialists describe them.”
He is sure that those actions of protest are connected with Tajikistan’s plans to complete the construction of the Roghun hydroelectric plant (HPP) rather then with environmental protection problems in the TALCO operations.
“In the future, Uzbekistan’s information pressure on Tajikistan will increase,” stressed the expert, “This year, emphasis has been made on creation of an appropriate information background within the world information space and in the near future, they will launch the campaign on getting European experts” and MPs involved in ecological organizations and clubs of friends of Uzbekistan.”
Doustov noted that Uzbek authorities would gradually reach their goals because Tajik government had nothing to oppose to them. “The most dangerous period for Tajikistan is November-December 2011 when the height of the Roghun dam will reach 70-90 meters and the first two units will be introduced into operation,” said the expert, “The main objective of the Uzbek side is in making the Tajik government curtail the Roghun hydroelectricity project and abandon its plan to increase the dam height. It all may come to introduction of only two units into operation and construction of 100-to-120 meter high dam.”
We will recall that in late March, around 1,000 students and university professors in the southern Uzbek town of Termez protested Tajikistan’s plans to expand its smelter plant, saying industrial waste from the plant had caused health and environmental problems.
Relations between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan cooled after Tajikistan decided to raise funds within the country to complete the construction of the Roghun HPP. Uzbekistan says the Roghun station will leave it facing water shortages.
