Post Conflict Development Countries |
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Kyrgyzstan |
Kyrgyzstan gained independence after the collapse of USSR in 1991. In 1999, the
Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) sponsored attacks and kidnappings of Islamic
radicals in Kyrgyzstan. This has led to an increase of its defense spending and
Russian military assistance. Kyrgyz officials claim that the IMU's primary aim is
to expand lucrative drug trafficking throughout the region, which is a transit route
for drugs heading from Afghanistan to Europe. IMU has suffered significant setbacks
after US-led coalition deployment in Kyrgyzstan to fight terrorists in Afghanistan
in 2001.
While Kyrgyzstan does possess oil and gas resources, it depends on imports. About
50% of the entire population lives below the poverty line. Repressive government
policies on Muslims are believed to inspire growing sympathy for insurgencies. Due
to poverty, prostitution and the trafficking of girls are as common as heroin addiction
and HIV infection.
In 2003, Kyrgyzstan allowed Russia to station its forces on the Kyrgyz territory
to fight terrorism.
The government declared recently that the US-led coalition can remain in Kyrgyzstan
as long as there are still security problems in Afghanistan, and as long as the
US agrees to pay 100 times more than it has been asked to previously. |
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