OSH, Kyrgyzstan, (23 July 2010) – From the outside, the walled compound of the Kozybaeva household looks relatively undamaged, raising hopes that unlike most of the neighbouring houses, this one might be intact. But just beyond the gate is the burnt-out shell of what used to be the family car. And beyond that are the ruins of what was once the family home.

A solitary tent in the courtyard is shared by the entire multi-generational family as they try to rebuild their lives.

Ош, Кыргызстан (22 июля 2010 года) – По инициативе ПРООН и местных властей, больше 1100 человек начали работы по ремонту дорог, очистке ирригационных систем, уборке мусора и восстановлению парков в городах больше всего пострадавших в результате событий прошлого месяца.

После кризиса в регионе, который вынудил более 400000 человек покинуть места проживания в прошлом месяце, ПРООН запустила проект «общественные работы» в городах Ош и Джалал-Абад, а также в пилотных селах программы ПРООН по сокращению бедности, для создания временных рабочих мест для безработной молодежи и женщин.

Bishkek (21 July 2010) -- The first of two rounds of national immunization days (NIDs) against poliomyelitis (polio) in Kyrgyzstan were launched on Monday, 19 July. The launch ceremony was held in an outpatient clinic in the capital, Bishkek, with the participation of Dr Sabirjan Abdikarimov, the acting Minister of Health of Kyrgyzstan, and representatives of WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Kyrgyzstan has reported over 90% coverage with three doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV) each year. It is supplementing routine immunization in response to the importation of wild poliovirus into Tajikistan, the first since the WHO European Region was certified as polio free in 2002. As of 12 July 2010, Tajikistan had reported 413 laboratory-confirmed cases of wild poliovirus type 1, with 19 deaths (4.6%). The latest confirmed polio cases had disease onset on 6 June 2010. In addition, six cases had been laboratory confirmed for wild poliovirus type 1 in the Russian Federation, the only country outside Tajikistan to confirm cases.    

GENEVA (20 July 2010) – The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said Tuesday that she has information that security forces in southern Kyrgyzstan have been responsible for repeated human rights violations – including arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment – and said their actions threaten the fragile peace and re-establishment of the rule of law, six weeks after inter-ethnic violence shook the Central Asian nation.

"Large numbers of people – most of them young men, and virtually all of them Uzbek – have been arbitrarily detained in ways that not only demonstrate flagrant ethnic bias, but also break many of the fundamental tenets of both Kyrgyz and international law," Pillay said. "My staff in Kyrgzstan have received information suggesting that local authorities are routinely turning a blind eye to illegal arrests, torture and ill-treatment of detainees leading to forced confessions."  

Executive summary

i. Kyrgyzstan has experienced escalating violence since the previous government was overthrown on April 7 and an interim government took power. Subsequently, violent clashes took place in Osh and Jalal-Abad Oblasts (province) throughout April and May and fighting reached its highest intensity from June 10-14 during which shooting, killing, looting, and property destruction were widespread in cities as well as in rural areas leading to mass population displacements. After four days, a state of emergency was declared and an uncertain peace prevailed until the June 27 referendum.

ii. On June 24th, in Osh oblast, UNHCR registered a total of 25 settlements / centres that received IDPs from different rayons (districts). One assessment team met with one displaced Uzbek community in Mady village (Kara Suu rayon) that was not registered by UNHCR. The exact figures on IDPs (how many and where they were/are) and on settlements are not available.    

SG/SM/13017  19 Jul 2010

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's message to the Informal Ministerial Meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), held in Almaty on 16-17 July, delivered by Ján Kubiš, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE):

I am pleased to convey greetings to this Informal Ministerial Meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. I thank the Government of Kazakhstan, and in particular Foreign Minister [Kanat] Saudabayev, for convening this important gathering and for your contribution to regional cooperation through Kazakhstan's Chairmanship-in-Office.

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, (16 July 2010) – A month after violence forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes in southern Kyrgyzstan, UNHCR estimates that some 75,000 people there are still displaced. Thousands continue to be affected by uncertain security, problems arising from the wide loss of personal documents, and a shortage of shelter.

The situation is calm in Osh and Jalalabad, but there are scores of police checkpoints and the two cities remain under night-time curfew. This, in turn, is presenting difficulties for people without personal papers and there are frequent allegations of police harassment.