DUSHANBE, January 19, 2014, Asia-Plus – The Public Association of Ethnic Tajiks in Kyrgyzstan (Association) has made an appeal to the government and the peoples of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
The appeal that was published in Kyrgyzstan’s newspaper
Vecherniy Bishkek
, in particular, notes that the Association is member of the Assembly of Peoples of Kyrgyzstan and “it always feels support of the Assembly of Peoples of Kyrgyzstan and its Board.”
“The Government of Kyrgyzstan has given us an opportunity to keep and develop our language, culture and traditions. Ethnic Kyrgyz also live peacefully in Tajikistan due the balanced interethnic policy of the Government of Tajikistan,” the appeal said.
“We realize the some unsolved problems are legacy are of the Soviet Union and it not so easy to solve the problem of disputed areas. But we are sure that it is possible to come out of this situation only through negotiations.”
The Association of Ethnic Tajiks in Kyrgyzstan has called the peoples of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to tolerance.
We will recall that five Kyrgyz border guards, one Kyrgyz policeman, and two Tajik border guards were hospitalized with injuries on January 11 after tensions escalated into exchanges of gunfire along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border.
Experts note that the segment of border between the Isfara (Tajikistan) and Batken (Kyrgyzstan) districts is one of the most conflict-prone parts in the Ferghana Valley. Conflicts over land ownership, delineation of the border, and water resources have caused tension between villagers on both sides of the border.
