On the Change.org website, a resident of Tashkent, Marina Avnapova, posted a petition on August 1 on the “Liquidation of Mahalla Committees in the Republic of Uzbekistan” addressed to President Mirziyoyev. The link to it became almost immediately inaccessible without the use of a VPN.
While the number of signatories reached 200, it was still possible to access the requested page. With an interval of several seconds, those who wished could put their signatures. It took the authorities less than one day to block access to the petition.
The author of the petition expressed her indignation at the extremely incompetent, if not openly corrupt actions of the officials of the mahalla committees in the distribution of humanitarian aid.
According to the ACCA expert, the author of the petition does not belong to the Internet opinion leaders, judging by her posts on the social network. “The officials are simply afraid of the people’s anger,” the expert noted. “Therefore, Facebook is being blocked, and even an artless appeal to the president has become a reason for an inadequate reaction.”
“For the sake of completeness, I would also vote for the liquidation of both chambers of the parliament and the government of the Republic of Uzbekistan as for completely discrediting government bodies, unable to provide citizens of the country with any constitutional right guaranteed to them,” one of the signed citizens wrote under the petition.
In recent days, even media resources loyal to the authorities of Uzbekistan have been posting publications about massive violations in assisting low-income citizens. The Prosecutor General’s Office reports on cases of corruption in the structures of the newly created Ministry of Mahalla and Family Affairs. At the same time, the number of COVID-19 cases is growing rapidly. If recently they mentioned about 2 thousand cases, then very soon there will be 25 thousand.
According to a study done by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR), conducted jointly with the World Bank and the Development Strategy Center, on the socio-economic impact of COVID-19, only nine percent of the population reported receiving of direct government assistance since the epidemic began. President Mirziyoyev reluctantly admitted the theft of “humanitarian aid” at the meeting, having concluded that “not in all cases the allocated social assistance reaches those in need in full.”
The aid distribution mechanism is something like this. The editorial office of ACCA received a letter from the Karakalpak activist with a picture of the official response of the Nukus khokimiyat to the request of a single mother, disabled person Indira Gayipberdiyeva. Since the beginning of quarantine in March, she asked the country’s parliament to assist her. The head of the city administration Parakhat Toreshev answered the woman as follows:
“In response to your appeal to the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Nukus khokimiyat reports the following. In April of this year, from the side of entrepreneurs, you were allocated 1 liter of oil, 600 grams of pasta, 1 kilogram of potatoes, 600 grams of flour, other entrepreneurs also provided other products, and the mahalla “Eli Abad” has been paying you 326,000 soums ($ 31) since March this year”. If you do not agree with this answer, then you can contact the higher authorities. ”
According to Indira, she got only flour, pasta, potatoes, and oil.
In July, the Special Republican Commission on the Fight against Coronavirus supported 120 thousand families in greatest need. The state allocated 20 billion soums ($ 20 million) for the distribution of food, medicines, and essential goods. From the set of 167 thousand soums to Indira, an employee of the mahalla brought a food ration for 87 thousand ($ 8). The mahalla did not saved from hunger; over these months helped only a meager pension and a one-time aid of $ 90 from a charitable foundation.
On the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday, the Uzbek authorities decided to distribute one-time cash assistance families in need. Indira, who is on the list of the needy, was told by the mahalla committee that she complains a lot and is not worthy of help. In the Ministry of Internal Affairs, her complaint was again forwarded to the mahalla, from where the call came. The official pointed out that she incorrectly provided personal data.
The given example is not the most tragic, but illustrates the mechanism of humanitarian aid distribution. Tens of thousands have received nothing at all and are deprived of the opportunity to achieve justice.
Change.org is currently the only platform where you can post a petition. The portal of collective electronic appeals “Mening Fikrim” (“My Opinion”) has been operating for two years. By this decision, the authorities imitated attention to the needs of the population. Today this possibility of the people’s expression of will is not available either. Another bureaucratic structure is being created under the President of Uzbekistan – the Public Chamber. It is designed to establish control and interaction between the state and society. Membership will be acquired by 50 people, 18 of them will be appointed by the head of state. Mening Fikrim is transferred to the Public Chamber.
Leave feedback about this