Abstract

In the wake of independence many political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) were established in Uzbekistan. These organisations can be categorized into three groups. Democratic national opposition parties like Birlik and Erk belong to the first group that came from Uzbek Popular Front. In the second group there are People’s Democratic Party as governmental party and regime friendly parties such as Homeland and Progress Party. In the third group of parties or organizations one can find independent environmental organisations, various NGO’s and cultural foundations that established by other ethnic groups in the Uzbek political landscape. These parties and organizations work on the ground of the Uzbek Constitutions that adopted in 1992. Despite of this constitutional guarantee democracy does not work efficient in Uzbekistan. Because Karimov can not tolerate even a not influential opposition.

During the period of the independence the democratic national opposition parties namely Birlik and Erk were suppressed extremly by the Uzbek authorities. Especially Birlik leader Abdürrahim Polatov and Erk leader Muhammad Salih were persecuted, who had to go via Turkey to Europe into exile. The residence of these Uzbek opposition leaders in Turkey led to the serious problems in the Turkish-Uzbek relations. Because Karimov regime were very anxious about the posibility of influencing of Uzbek students that continue their studies in Turkish universities by M. Salih and A. Polatov. The Turkish-Uzbek relations were very well in the Era of Turgut Özal, which worsened rapidly after his death in April 1993

After eliminating of democratic national opposition parties Karimov supported weak parties such as Homeland and Progress Party in order to show that there were a democratic regime in Uzbekistan, which can not challenge the regime indeed. As the presidential elections on 23 rd December 2007 showed the leaders of these regime friendly parties are far a way from challenging Karimov as a president. Only democratic national opposition parties like Birlik and Erk can contribute to establish democracy in Uzbekistan and to become Uzbekistan a powerful actor in its region and in the world.