DUSHANBE, August 22, 2012, Asia-Plus — On August 22, youth of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) released an open letter to President Emomali Rahmon.
In their letter, the GBAO youth ask the president to interfere in the Khorog events and promote the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
The letter notes that fragile peace reached in Tajikistan at the cost of vast human losses is currently under threat.
The GBAO youth note that they have been losing hope that stability and peace will reign in the country again.
“We were glad to hear that the sides sat down at the negotiating table to settle the conflict peacefully… Until August 10, the so-called field commanders did not violate any point of the truce agreement. Residents of Khorog were cooperating with the authorities in all directions.
“But two persons were killed and two other wounded at a checkpoint in the region on August 10 after government troops opened fire at a vehicle. Despite this incident, we hoped for the soon settlement of the situation and withdrawal of government troops from the region.
“However, one of informal leaders of the city — Imomnazar Imomnazarov — was killed today morning. Imomnazar Imomnazarov had always declared for peaceful settlement of the conflict and voluntarily laid down weapons for the sake of peace and tranquility in our country. We consider that such incidents may provoke further escalation of the conflict and lead to fast human losses both among military personnel and civilians…”
