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Islam Karimov has ruled Uzbekistan for twenty-four years © Wikipedia |
23.11.13 19:11
Karimov should resign
The currently unfolding family feud has shone a bright light on the mafia-like nature of the Karimov family where even the mother – Uzbekistan’s First Lady – is corrupt.
By Galima Bukharbaeva
Islam Karimov has ruled Uzbekistan since 1989 and today he has plenty of problems to consider. The main one – how to get out of the situation in which he has found himself. His best move – for him personally and for the country – would be to resign.
It’s difficult to imagine how he could continue to lead the country. How he could face the people again, even his subordinates and bodyguards.
His closest person – and the most corrupt as a result of this proximity – his daughter Gulnara has told the entire world what his regime and his family are like.
His reputation has never been so low before not even in the wake of the Andijan massacre in 2005.
In 2005 he managed to quickly cover up the bloodshed, scare off the survivors and find the support among other leaders who are not too bothered by mass killings – surprisingly almost all of them.
But it’s much more difficult to neutralize your own wife and children than the Andijan victims. Especially if you are the one who bears the most responsibility for their debauchery and crimes.
Without this “father” who gave them an entire country to play with and abuse and who created the conditions of complete and utter lawlessness – Tatiana, Gulnara, Lola and many of their relatives would not be where they are today.
Played the part of a housekeeper
Turns out Tatiana Karimova with her modest image of the president’s silent wife has been engaged in corrupt business dealings and controls the strategic state industries, such as Fergana Oil and Gas (FNPZ) and other vital businesses.
She wields enough power to send law enforcement for a raid if he vassal – her sister’s son Akbarali Abdullaev in this case – has made her angry.
Moreover, this housewife can have the objects of her wrath arrested for an indefinite period of time without even charging them with anything.
Abdullaev has been under arrest since October 10 and no one has heard a single word of a trial. Has it happened already? And if not, will there be one?
Now apparently angry with her own daughter, the First Lady threatens to “destroy” her and is well under way to do so, at least when it comes to Gulnara’s Uzbek business assets.
Drug addict and daughter-in-law to a casino lord
Gulnara tweeted on November 21 that she too could live the life of luxury and leisure like her younger sister Lola, who, according to Gulnara, is spending her days snorting cocaine on her yacht.
So should be assume that Lola is a cocaine addict?
In another Tweet Gulnara wrote that Timur Tillyaev, Lola’s husband, is a son of a criminal casino lord. Are we to assume that Karimov’s son-in-law comes from criminal circles?
Gulnara then went on to say that Lola and Timur are billionaires and that they indeed live in one of the most expensive mansions of Beverly Hills, the 58 million US dollar purchase has been so far only rumored in the media.
Gulnara is modestly silent about her own riches and real estate sprinkled all over the world. It is however known that compared to the older sister all the other family members’ riches fail in comparison.
The shutting down of brand-name stores in Tashkent Gulnara explains away by her mother’s dislike of trendy clothes. She did not like the clothes her daughter sold so she closed down the stores.
It was also quite surprising to find out that all the brand-name stores that have opened in Tashkent in the last few years belong to Gulnara. And that in a country of 30 million!
The family feud has also exposed the absolute lawlessness of the country’s law enforcement and judiciary branches.
How easy it is to lose your business: if Gulnara Karimova likes it, she will simply take it away. How, most likely, many people will get beaten up in the process or cases be fabricated against them. And how easy it is to use people as pawns in Uzbekistan – a few bright young people that had the bad luck to be accepted into Gulnara’s school for young entrepreneurs were arrested and charged with terrorism. Just to get at Gulnara.
Resign
This very public dressing down of Karimov’s regime has no precedent in the world. Not a single leader has experienced such humiliation.
So what will Islam Abduganievich do? Will he pretend that nothing has happened and deliver yet another pompous speech about the growing extremism and terrorism in the country and about the need to solve the situation in Afghanistan?
The World is watching. Uzbekistan is holding its breath. Other Central Asian countries are on alert, watching the events unfold, and not without a certain degree of glee, it should be said.
Uzbekistan is a beautiful country and it should not be ruled by a mafia in pants or skirts.
Islam Karimov’s government needs to find a solution as soon as possible. And no, locking Gulnara away in a mental hospital is not it.
Karimov must pass leadership to a capable member of the government who in turn should prepare the country for real elections in 2015.
For the people are starting to realize that they are being ruled by the mafia and that is not good for either the country or it people. The world at large and the future of humanity.
Do you remember Islam Abduganievich how you used to speak about the future?
Galima Bukharbaeva is the editor-in-chief of Uznews.net
http://www.uznews.net/news_single.php?lng=en&sub=top&cid=30&nid=24458