VOA常速英语2007-Slain Uzbek Journalist Buried in Kyrgyzstan

By Peter Fedynsky
Moscow
25 October 2007

Alisher Saipov, a freelance journalist who provided in-depth reports for VOA's Uzbek Service, has been buried less than 24 hours after his murder Wednesday evening in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh. VOA Moscow Correspondent Peter Fedynsky has details and also a remembrance based on his meeting with Saipov just two months ago.

An unknown gunman hit Alisher Saipov with three bullets fired at close range outside his office in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh. The press secretary of the Osh District Police Department, Zamir Sydykov, told VOA that Saipov died on the spot, having been shot twice in the back of the head and once in the right thigh¹ at about six in the evening local time. Three bullet shells were found at the scene.

Alisher Saipov leaves a widow and a daughter less than three months old.

The governor of Osh Province, Zhantoro Satybaldiev, has taken personal charge of the investigation², and local journalists are demanding action.

Police spokesman Sydykov says about 15 journalists came to the National Security Service office after Saipov's funeral Thursday afternoon to ask authorities to solve the crime.

Sydykov notes that he knew the victim personally from his professional dealings with the press. He says Saipov was a very educated and modern colleague. He knew how to work with everyone. The police had no reservations about his work.

Sydykov says the investigation will include an inquiry³ into people who may have had such reservations.

Saipov was an ethnic⁴ Uzbek with Kyrgyz citizenship⁵ who was a well-known critic of Uzbekistan's authoritarian⁶ ruler, Islam Karimov.

The Associated Press quotes an exiled Uzbek opposition⁷ activist⁸ as saying Saipov was involved in organizing meetings in connection with Uzbekistan's presidential election in December. President Karimov has been in power for 18 years and shows no signs of stepping down.

In August, Saipov helped this reporter produce a television feature about Uzbekistan's strict border controls, which separate Uzbeks in that country from Uzbeks in Kyrgyzstan. In an interview he gave at the time, Saipov shared his perceptions of liberty both countries.

He said one can notice negative tendencies in Kyrgyzstan to limit freedom of speech, to violate human rights and to torture prisoners. Nonetheless, he said, Kyrgyzstan still has freedom of speech also democratic freedoms, which he said should be used to the fullest extent so that Kyrgyzstan does not become Uzbekistan.

Despite Uzbekistan's authoritarian rule, Saipov told VOA its leaders have been unable to cut off the cross-border flow of ideas.

"Freedom does not seem to recognize borders," he said. "Uzbek authorities try to control the border with the help of their Kyrgyz and Tajik colleagues. Nonetheless, ideas here spread."

 

Saipov was aware of the dangers he faced as a journalist who dared to question authoritarian rulers. Therefore, his death at the age of 26 is a testament⁹ to his courage and total commitment to liberty.

1 thigh   

n.大腿；股骨

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了，疼得很。
• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。

2 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

3 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

6 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

7 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

8 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

9 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。