Human Rights Watch has urged Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to emphasize human rights in their border deal, securing justice for war crime victims and promoting respect for fundamental rights among local populations. The deal aims to resolve long-standing disputes while fostering cooperation over shared resources, supported by international recognition of its significance.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called upon Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prioritize the human rights of local populations in their recent border agreement. The organization emphasizes the importance of justice for war crime victims stemming from the 2022 conflict, urging both states to facilitate investigations into alleged violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. Furthermore, HRW advocates for initiatives aimed at promoting respect for human rights, including addressing and reducing hate speech in the region.
Hugh Williamson, the Europe and Central Asia director at HRW, remarked that “long-lasting peace will require rebuilding trust based on respect for human rights between border communities and reckoning with the injustices committed during past conflicts.” Both nations face serious allegations of war crimes from the 2022 skirmish, which resulted in the deaths of at least 37 civilians, along with massive displacement during four days of violence. Previous clashes in 2021 also led to civilian casualties, underscoring a pattern of conflict in the region.
The recent border deal, signed on March 13, 2025, has been ratified by both parties and aims to resolve the long-standing dispute by officially reopening the 1,000 km-long border. Key components of this agreement include sharing mutual resources such as water, demilitarization of the area, and the equitable exchange of territory. HRW has urged compliance with the agreement to ensure access to education, water, and housing for local populations in the affected areas.
In support of this agreement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has lauded it as a “historic achievement.” The border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has remained ambiguous since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, marked by sporadic clashes over important agricultural resources, particularly in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region. The situation escalated notably in 2021 when significant violence occurred.
In summary, Human Rights Watch insists that Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan must prioritize human rights in their recent border agreement, focusing on justice for war crime victims and the promotion of local human rights initiatives. The agreement, while a step towards resolving the ongoing conflict, must be respected in order to provide local populations with essential resources and ensure peace in the border regions. The international community has recognized this agreement as a potential turning point in fostering stability between the two nations.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
