/Kazakhstan/Uzbek/Ethnocide

Country: Kazakhstan

Group: Uzbek

Date Finalized: 4/27/2020

Team: Gabriel Cardenas (lead), Thomas Chia, Ray Gerardo Regorgo

Uzbeks comprise 2.5 percent of the total population, and are mostly concentrated in the south of the country. Many arrived in Kazakhstan region during the 13^th century when the Mongols held control of the area. Today, Uzbek schools are taught in Uzbek, but due to the Kazakh dominated society, the Uzbek are forced to learn Kazakh to be employed. In 2005, legislation was introduced that restricted religious activities, in order to reduce extremism (Minority Rights, n.d.).  This is because some Uzbek groups are labeled extremist groups and the legislation resulted in the limiting of Uzbeks religious and overall freedoms. The lack of higher education taught in Uzbek, the labeling of terrorist and the corresponding limiting of religious freedoms by the Kazakhstan government provides a clear example of ethnocide against the Uzbek of Kazakhstan (Minority Rights, n.d.).

Sources

1. Minority Rights (n.d.). Uzbeks. Retrieved from https://minorityrights.org/minorities/uzbeks/