Condoleeza Rice speaks in Ireland about Human Rights

international | anti-war / imperialism | other press Tuesday May 17, 2005 03:40 by Phuq Hedd

Guardian report on Uzbekistan

Condoleeza Rice (USA Secretary for State) spoke in Ireland (was it at Shannon?) about the alleged massacres being perpetrated by the US-backed regime in Uzbekistan. The USA has a large base in the country to facilitate its operations in Afghanistan and to operate as one of the bases used by the CIA in its "extraordinary renditions" program where people are flown to foreign countries so they can be tortured off US soil. The US State Department website admits that Uzbek security forces use torture and at the same time the USA has granted them approximately US$100 million in 2002 alone for "security". The White House has also released press statements insinuating that because the opposition is Islamic it must be terrorist.

Speaking in Ireland as she flew home from Iraq, Ms Rice said: "We have been encouraging the Karimov government to make reforms, to make the system more open, to make it possible for people to have a political life."