To Whom It May Concern,
Clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan at their disputed border killed more than twenty, wounded dozens and led to a mass evacuation. Both landlocked countries are blaming each other for the initiation of the clash that happened at a time when their leaders are attending the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Uzbekistan. Clashes that started on the border earlier this week have grown into large-scale fighting along the whole length of the border. Both parties used heavy weaponry. According to available sources, Tajik forces entered a Kyrgyz village and shelled the airport of Batken town and adjacent areas and Kyrgyz forces shelled an outpost and seven villages of Tajikistan.
Of course, the Kyrgyz and Tajik frontier communities frequently clash against each other. According to available sources, there have been more than 150 clashes in the past twelve years. The main problem is the dispute between the countries on half of their 970-kilometer border that is not demarcated properly. Though the border between the two countries is more than 970 kilometers long, only 504 kilometers have been demarcated. Border disputes, which started in the USSR era but intensified after the dissolution of the USSR, involve land and water disputes. Many farms and plots of land on the borderlands of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have become contentious areas among the bordering people of the countries. The water problem is in the main watershed area with Ak-Suu/Isfara River and Tortkul Reservoir.
The violence occurred because of the dispute over water rights and the installation of surveillance cameras by Tajikistan at the water-intake station of a reservoir in the last year between the two militaries killed more than 50 Tajik and Kyrgyz citizens and raised fears of a wider conflict. No doubt, border clashes between the countries deescalate quickly. But there are some other problems including nationalist posturing and economic deprivation. But things may be different at this time because of several factors including domestic pressures upon both leaders regarding the economic recovery. It is desired that efforts are taken to end the conflict and mitigate disputes between the countries.
In the meantime, the presidents of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Sadyr Zhaparov and Emomali Rakhmon, met at the SCO Summit, discussed the border situation and agreed to pull back troops and stop the fighting. But border disputes need to be effectively resolved by the countries. Notably, progress on delimitation in recent years has been unfriendly. Moreover, reaching an effective cease-fire deal and maintaining it by the parties, along with addressing other problems related to increased border conflicts, may help to end border clashes.
Amir M Sayem
Founder and Chief Editor
Dhaka Opinion Magazine
