Remembering Andijan 3 Years Later

The events that took place in Andijan three years ago today on May 13, 2005 remain a subject of controversy. On the one hand, eyewitness accounts tell a story of senseless and bloody slaughter of innocent people. On the other hand, some western academics have tried to justify the response of the Uzbek government and have endorsed the government’s alleged video evidence of the events’ links to Muslim extremism. Today, on the anniversary of the tragedy, however, I do not wish to re-hash these old arguments. Instead, I want to remember those who died that day, especially as the international community and the Uzbek government both try to forget the tragedy ever happened. Thus, if you have a moment today, remember the events of Andijan in May 2005 and those who were killed as a result of them – however one interprets it, it was one of the most unfortunate incidents of collateral damage in the Global War on Terror.