NationStates Jolt Archive

The US Department of State has added Uzbekistan to its list of "Countries of Particular Concern for Severe Violations of Religious Freedom", because Uzbekistan is committing violent religious discrimination against Muslims.


It is estimated that thousands of Muslims who have no ties to extremist organizations have been harassed or detained simply on the basis of their religious beliefs and practices. Furthermore, authorities often resort to planting evidence. As a result of these abuses, observant Muslims have told us that they are afraid to be seen praying, attending mosque or otherwise expressing their faith

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2006/75927.htm


Interesting. The US used to be on good terms with Uzbekistan; I'm glad they're not turning a blind eye to the Uzbek government's repressive policies.

the us complaining about oppressing muslims?

the us complaining about oppressing muslims?

You see, it isnt a racist. I'm glad people finally see this

Of course, this is from the same country that has a nut job "president for life" trying to turn the country into a ski resort or something...or maybe that's Turkmenistan...I don't know; I can't keep the Stans straight unless they do something noteworthy, like blow up the Twin Towers or send us a funny-looking mustachioed weirdo to make movies. Not that those two actions are related in any way except being newsworthy.

As Borat would say

"..those assholes in Uzbekistan!"

Of course, this is from the same country that has a nut job "president for life" trying to turn the country into a ski resort or something...or maybe that's Turkmenistan...I don't know

You're thinking of Niyazov, President of Turkmenistan. Quite possibly the world's most insane leader.

The various countries of Central Asia are quite different, y'know, once you start reading a bit about them. (It still amuses me that people believe Borat looks anything like a Kazakh...)

You're thinking of Niyazov, President of Turkmenistan. Quite possibly the world's most insane leader.

That's who I meant. And if he's the world's most insane leader...wow, he actually passed Kim Jong Il. That's a feat. Not a feat to be particularly proud of, but a feat nonetheless.

That's who I meant. And if he's the world's most insane leader...wow, he actually passed Kim Jong Il. That's a feat. Not a feat to be particularly proud of, but a feat nonetheless.


Yeah, IIRC he renamed bread after his mother.

Lets just marvel at the sheer madness of a mind that even considers renaming bread.

And Ariddia, even though the Kazakhs are traditional a Mongoloid people (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Kazakhs.jpg), due to immigration during the Soviet era it would not be too unlikely for a Kazakhstani to be similar in appearance to our friend Borat Sagdiyev.

Yeah, IIRC he renamed bread after his mother.

Lets just marvel at the sheer madness of a mind that even considers renaming bread.

And Ariddia, even though the Kazakhs are traditional a Mongoloid people (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Kazakhs.jpg), due to immigration during the Soviet era it would not be too unlikely for a Kazakhstani to be similar in appearance to our friend Borat Sagdiyev.

Oh right, he's the guy who renamed the months, including one after the book he wrote. You're right; for raw insanity, he wins. We just don't notice because he's not a n00b like Kim Jong Il trying to build n00ks.

As Borat would say

"..those assholes in Uzbekistan!"

Borat law?

And Ariddia, even though the Kazakhs are traditional a Mongoloid people (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Kazakhs.jpg), due to immigration during the Soviet era it would not be too unlikely for a Kazakhstani to be similar in appearance to our friend Borat Sagdiyev.

Yes, I'm aware of the ethnic diversity in Kazakhstan. I was just assuming that Borat was supposed to be an ethic Kazakh.

Yeah, IIRC he renamed bread after his mother.

Lets just marvel at the sheer madness of a mind that even considers renaming bread.


That's not mad. That's sheer awesomeness! 100% win!

Bread needed a new name, and I'm only sore that I didn't think of it first. Really, he's a genius, ahead of his time...

Yes, I'm aware of the ethnic diversity in Kazakhstan. I was just assuming that Borat was supposed to be an ethic Kazakh.

Nope, Borat is intentionally not made to actually resemble anybody from Kazakhstan. Ethic Kazakhs look like central/north asian folk.

Part of the humor of Borat is in pointing out the utter ignorance of America in knowing what people around the world are like. Quite a few people who went to see that movie thought it was an actual documentary, which is either really funny or really depressing. And I live in probably one of the most "enlightened" and "liberal" areas of the country.

With regards to Muslims, unfortunately, oppressing Muslims is becoming kind of a hobby for all kinds of nations. At this rate, I expect it's probably the one thing the US has in common with many foreign states.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/13/EDGSJMADUG1.DTL&hw=&sn=008&sc=680

With regards to Muslims, unfortunately, oppressing Muslims is becoming kind of a hobby for all kinds of nations. At this rate, I expect it's probably the one thing the US has in common with many foreign states.

Unfortunately, there are two major courses in internal affairs being offered to governments, and they have to take one. The choices are:

"How to Oppress Muslims 101"

and

"How to Oppress Everyone But Muslims 101"

Sadly, there is yet to be a third course offering, such as "Fuck It, Let's Just Get Hammered and Let the People Do Whatever the Fuck They Want 101"

Unfortunately, there are two major courses in internal affairs being offered to governments, and they have to take one. The choices are:

"How to Oppress Muslims 101"

and

"How to Oppress Everyone But Muslims 101"

Sadly, there is yet to be a third course offering, such as "Fuck It, Let's Just Get Hammered and Let the People Do Whatever the Fuck They Want 101"

Unfortunately, for some countries pursuing option 3 might lead back to option 1 or 2. Another fine Catch 22 we've gotten ourselves into.

That's not mad. That's sheer awesomeness! 100% win!

Bread needed a new name, and I'm only sore that I didn't think of it first. Really, he's a genius, ahead of his time...

It's neither. It's sick.

Now everybody is eating his mother! :eek:

It's neither. It's sick.

Now everybody is eating his mother! :eek:

And they'd better enjoy it, too.

Nope, Borat is intentionally not made to actually resemble anybody from Kazakhstan. Ethic Kazakhs look like central/north asian folk.

I know what ethnic Kazakhs look like. You misunderstood. Or I wasn't clear enough:


Part of the humor of Borat is in pointing out the utter ignorance of America in knowing what people around the world are like.

That was my point. I wasn't saying that it was Cohen who had made a mistake.


It's neither. It's sick.

Now everybody is eating his mother! :eek:

Transsubstanciation? :D

I wasn't saying that it was Cohen who had made a mistake.

Haha. Some mistake that would be, 'oh drat, I forgot to valmorphicize myself before filming that scene!'

I guess he is pretty much stuck with what he's got when it comes to playing characters of other ethnicities.

I know what ethnic Kazakhs look like. You misunderstood. Or I wasn't clear enough:



That was my point. I wasn't saying that it was Cohen who had made a mistake.



No no, I wasn't trying to say that you were. Sorry if it came off like I was censuring you, I was just reflecting on my fellow Americans' reactions to the film.

No no, I wasn't trying to say that you were. Sorry if it came off like I was censuring you, I was just reflecting on my fellow Americans' reactions to the film.

OK. Sorry about that; crossed wires.

Yeah, IIRC he renamed bread after his mother.

Lets just marvel at the sheer madness of a mind that even considers renaming bread.

And Ariddia, even though the Kazakhs are traditional a Mongoloid people (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/06/Kazakhs.jpg), due to immigration during the Soviet era it would not be too unlikely for a Kazakhstani to be similar in appearance to our friend Borat Sagdiyev.

Well, that put's an interesting spin on the old adage:



"It's the greatest thing since sliced Mom!"

"It's the greatest thing since sliced Mom!"

:eek:

It wouldn't be the first time. The majority of the world's supply of remaining hydrocarbons are in that region there, the Eurasian Bulkans.
www.peakoil.net

That's who I meant. And if he's the world's most insane leader...wow, he actually passed Kim Jong Il. That's a feat. Not a feat to be particularly proud of, but a feat nonetheless.

Kim is hardly insane.

Extremely motivated by completely unrestrained self-interest, but not insane.

Ah Uzbhekistan... they is pain in my assholes...

Ah Uzbhekistan... they is pain in my assholes...
and their women have tiny titties..:)

It wouldn't be the first time. The majority of the world's supply of remaining hydrocarbons are in that region there, the Eurasian Bulkans.
www.peakoil.net

What does that have to do with anything?

It wouldn't be the first time. The majority of the world's supply of remaining hydrocarbons are in that region there, the Eurasian Bulkans.
www.peakoil.net

Your overall premise is correct. The area is important because of it's oil, but the biggest pool of remaining oil is still in the Middle East in the Persian Gulf region. Also, hydrocarbons are an encompassing word that referes to all hydrocarbon energy sources including coal, the majrity of which is in North America.

It should be noted that Uzbek-American relations have deteriorated significantly in recent times. Had things remained peachy, the U.S. would still be turning a blind eye. In the U.S. government's eyes, repression is fine and dandy, as long as it's being committed by a pro-Western tyrant. If the tyrant's loyalties shift, or even show signs of shifting, from their pro-Western stance, then right away the U.S. joins the forefront of nations decrying "human rights abuses." I can guarantee that if Castro and Iran were in the Western camp, you would hear nothing from the U.S. government about "human rights" in those countries.

I forgot: The U.S. does sometimes criticize pro-Western dictators, but only when their strategic usefulness diminishes. Note, for example, U.S.-Zairian relations post-1990. Prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the revolutions sweeping across Eastern Europe, not a peep about human rights abuses in Mobutu's Zaire was made by the U.S. government, aside from a few congressmen who would occasionally raise an eyebrow and question our support of the Kinshasa government.

"We supported you for years, but now you've been moving towards Russia and China, so we'll notice the repression we conveniently ignored."

"We supported you for years, but now you've been moving towards Russia and China, so we'll notice the repression we conveniently ignored."

Exactly.

"Hey, we just noticed you've got some valuable resources we can use. We'll invade you, depose you, and tell the world we were liberating the oppressed people from a brutal, evil dictator."

The US Department of State has added Uzbekistan to its list of "Countries of Particular Concern for Severe Violations of Religious Freedom", because Uzbekistan is committing violent religious discrimination against Muslims.
Rightly so. Indeed, last year the Uzbek military killed 500 people just for protesting.

"Hey, we just noticed you've got some valuable resources we can use. We'll invade you, depose you, and tell the world we were liberating the oppressed people from a brutal, evil dictator."
You know, Gauthier, it is quite possible to criticise human rights abuses without moving onto the suggestion that the violator's country should be invaded.

As Borat would say

"..those assholes in Uzbekistan!"

*sings*
Kazakhstan number one! Exporter of potassium.
All other Asia, pottasium is inferior

Unfortunately, for some countries pursuing option 3 might lead back to option 1 or 2. Another fine Catch 22 we've gotten ourselves into.

Good band, bad situation.

This is odd. I thought Uzbekistan was mostly Muslim. Maybe Im wrong. Any way the US may publicly speak out, but privately they can care less. The US funds Uzbekistan a lot because they are an ally in the "war on terror". So basically the US continues to fund Muslim oppression. What the hell, they're just Muslims right?:rolleyes:

Kim is hardly insane.

Extremely motivated by completely unrestrained self-interest, but not insane.

And completely willing to piss off the only country that gives a shit for it. And completely willing to take back an apology that was really necessary. And completely lucky Bush wanted Iraq, not North Korea.

I wonder if he has the North Koreans believing that two and two make five yet.

This is odd. I thought Uzbekistan was mostly Muslim. Maybe Im wrong. Any way the US may publicly speak out, but privately they can care less. The US funds Uzbekistan a lot because they are an ally in the "war on terror". So basically the US continues to fund Muslim oppression. What the hell, they're just Muslims right?:rolleyes:

Yeah it is....
Uzbekistan is predominantly Uzbek in ethnic composition. According to the CIA World Factbook[28], Uzbeks comprise 80% of the total population. Other ethnic groups include Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakhs 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%, and Tatar 1.5%. However, some sources put the percentage of Tajik population of Uzbekistan at approximately 42% (11-14 million people) [29]. The nation is 88% muslim. (mostly Sunni, with a 5% Shi'a minority) and 9% Eastern Orthodox. Uzbek is the only official state language. However, Russian is the de facto language for interethnic communication, including much day-to-day technical, scientific, governmental and business use. According to Ethnologue, 49% of the population of Uzbekistan can speak Russian.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Uzbekistan

Yet it still seems that muslims are facing persecution and discrimination. the government persecuted muslims when they were a soviet republic, dispite the heavy muslim majority, they're probably continuing the tradition.

Hopefully the government will become more democratic and muslims will be elected, but I doubt Karimov will let go of power anytime soon.

There's a lot of Russians from Uzbekistan in my area...

This is odd. I thought Uzbekistan was mostly Muslim. Maybe Im wrong. Any way the US may publicly speak out, but privately they can care less. The US funds Uzbekistan a lot because they are an ally in the "war on terror". So basically the US continues to fund Muslim oppression. What the hell, they're just Muslims right?:rolleyes:

The relationship has soured a lot, especially since we lost our Air Force base there.

And Karimov conveniently plays the Islamic extremist card to paint all his opponents with the same brush, just as apartheid South Africa chose to label all its opponents (regardless of ideology) as "communists."

There's a lot of Russians from Uzbekistan in my area...

"Muslim" and "russian" are not mutually exclusive.

As Borat would say

"..those assholes in Uzbekistan!"

Quotes Borat: "Fuck you motherfuckers!!"

Quotes Borat: "Fuck you motherfuckers!!"

lol

You're thinking of Niyazov, President of Turkmenistan. Quite possibly the world's most insane leader.

The various countries of Central Asia are quite different, y'know, once you start reading a bit about them. (It still amuses me that people believe Borat looks anything like a Kazakh...)
I think that is the point. He is trying to highlight the ignorance of Americans (and the british, prior to the movie). Some people just can't smell a Jew when they are talking to one :p

I think that is the point. He is trying to highlight the ignorance of Americans (and the british, prior to the movie). Some people just can't smell a Jew when they are talking to one :p

Nope, but where Cohen is concerned, I can smell an ass along way off.


That didn't quite come out right, did it?

Nope, but where Cohen is concerned, I can smell an ass along way off.


That didn't quite come out right, did it?Not quite, but I understand. As such, allow us to share this platter of e-tacos and gloat at our ability to comprehend our own insane rambling.
*Grabs taco*
*Munch*
*Munch*
*Munch*

Of course, this is from the same country that has a nut job "president for life" trying to turn the country into a ski resort or something...or maybe that's Turkmenistan...I don't know; I can't keep the Stans straight unless they do something noteworthy, like blow up the Twin Towers or send us a funny-looking mustachioed weirdo to make movies. Not that those two actions are related in any way except being newsworthy.

Even though "Borat" is a british comedian, posing as a Kazak journalist. (Sasha Cohen) Wikipedia can come in handy, use it next time. ;)

Even though "Borat" is a british comedian, posing as a Kazak journalist. (Sasha Cohen) Wikipedia can come in handy, use it next time. ;)

Ali G, anyone?

The relationship has soured a lot, especially since we lost our Air Force base there.

And Karimov conveniently plays the Islamic extremist card to paint all his opponents with the same brush, just as apartheid South Africa chose to label all its opponents (regardless of ideology) as "communists."

when did the US lose its AF base?