The Andican uprising, 13 May 2005

Abstract

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union state building process in Uzbekistan became subjected to the social, political and economic problems. When all these factors came together Andican Uprising occurred on 13 May 2005. In this thesis I tried to clarify the basic motives behind the Andican Uprising. By investigating these motives, I attempted to shed light on religious fundamentalism that the Government of Uzbekistan faced after the collapse of the Soviet Union. As a part of problematical state building process, role of domestic politics in the emergence of the uprising was also covered by pointing out the characteristics of clan politics and civil society in Uzbekistan. Reasons of the event were also investigated on international level. In this context geopolitical strategy of international actors, the colored revolutions and U.S – Uzbekistan relations were explored. Economic integration of Uzbekistan to world economy and its failing reformation process was explored. While promotion of iv democracy in Uzbekistan was necessitating broader freedom for society, religious fundamentalism led the government to intensify its authoritarian character. These two conflicting characteristics of the country created two sides over which international actors played their cards. While the west insisted on the democratization of the country the east supported the Uzbek government’s harsh measurement over religious groups. Andican Uprising is an important case in which it is possible to find all prominent characteristics of the Uzbek politics, and therefore this thesis can be taken as a laboratory work in which all relevant traces were investigated to understand Uzbekistan.