Uzbekistan is a multinational state where are living peacefully representatives of more than 130 nationalities

Tue Mar 25 14:24:17 UTC 2008

Today Uzbekistan is a multinational state where are living peacefullyrepresentatives of more than 130 nationalities

2008-03-24 18:01:08 - For years of independence in Uzbekistan it waspossible to keep historical and cultural values and originaltraditions which carefully passed across the generations.«Themultinational nation of Uzbekistan in close combination with growth ofnational consciousness and spiritual revival of Uzbek people serves asa powerful impulse of society renovation, its democratization andcreates favorable conditions for integration of the country into theworld community», said President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov in hisbook «Uzbekistan on the threshold of the 21st century: threats ofsecurity, conditions and guarantees of progress» (1999, p.

R. UBAYDULLAEVA,Director of Ijtimoiy Fikr Centre for Studying Public Opinion,Academician of Science Academy of theRepublic of Uzbekistan, Senior lecturer of economy, Professor
The idea of tolerant development of society, interethnic andinterconfessional consent is the basis on which the philosophy ofuniversal development is built. Its role increases especially in the21st century - the century of globalization. In this connection it isnecessary to note that the idea of interethnic and interconfessionalconsent was always the core of development of human civilization, thebasis of spirituality and humanism. For years of independence inUzbekistan it was possible to keep historical and cultural values andoriginal traditions which carefully passed across the generations.
Today Uzbekistan is a multinational state where are living peacefullyrepresentatives of more than 130 nationalities. «The multinationalnation of Uzbekistan in close combination with growth of nationalconsciousness and spiritual revival of Uzbek people serves as apowerful impulse of society renovation, its democratization andcreates favorable conditions for integration of the country into theworld community», said President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov in hisbook «Uzbekistan on the threshold of the 21st century: threats ofsecurity, conditions and guarantees of progress» (1999, p. 69).
In conditions of independent development in Uzbekistan there are deepsocial changes which accelerate formation of new national-stateidentity in mentality of citizens of the country. Generated for ashort historical period of time the positive climate of political lifehas enabled development of the interethnic consent, consciousness ofpeople. Results of sociological interrogations conducted by IjtimoiyFikr, a nongovernmental center for studying public opinion, devoted toproblems of interethnic relations, phenomenon of nationalconsciousness, ethnic stereotypes evidently testify that.
Proceeding from the needs of theoretical and empirical study of theseproblems, and basing on the experience of ethno-sociologicalresearches Ijtimoiy Fikr carries out sociological studies. Their basicpurpose is to reveal the state of interethnic relations, theirdynamics for years of independence in Uzbekistan, conditions andfactors promoting strengthening of civil peace, consent, stability andmutual understanding in society. It is necessary to emphasize that inUzbekistan the consecutive state policy in the field of interethnicrelations promotes development of the process of nationalidentification and integration in a vein of consolidation of society,strengthening of civil consent.
A mass interrogation of the population of Uzbekistan «Uzbekistan isour common home» was conducted in 1999 in 5 regions, in 2001, 2003 and2006 - in all 14 regions of the country. The total number ofrespondents in 1999 made up 1,623, in 2001 - 1,973 people, in 2003-2,021 people, in 2006 - 1,800 people, i.e. overall 7,517 respondents.
Uzbekistan is a multinational state
The research showed that in new conditions of independent developmentof Uzbekistan there is an ethnic consolidation, new generality-Uzbekistanis is formed. The data received during research allow toascertain high level of civil and interethnic consent in society.Comparison of results of research of 2006 with those of the previousinterrogations (1999, 2001, 2003) revealed steady positive tendencydescribing a condition of interethnic relations in thecountry.Absolute majority (95.3%) of respondents appraise positivelythe state of interethnic relations. In particular, 26.3% ofrespondents appraise them as «very good», and 53.8% - as «good».
Asked key question of the questionnaire: «Do you agree that the mostvaluable achievement of the independent Uzbekistan is peace andstability of interethnic and civil consent in our common home?», theoverwhelming majority of interrogated people (93%) answeredpositively. Respondents of all regions, nationalities and age groupsshare this position.Asked «What is Uzbekistan for you?» more than half of interrogated(55.1%) answered «my favourite homeland». 35% of respondents believethat Uzbekistan is «the country where he was born and has grown».33.3% of respondents regard it as the homeland of their ancestors. Forapproximately 15.4% of respondents Uzbekistan is «favourite home».Uzbekistan is «the country of residing» for 11.8% of respondents.The overwhelming majority of respondents (86.9%) mark that inUzbekistan constitutional rights and freedom of citizens are observedirrespective of national and religious belonging. Thus, more than half(51.3%) assert that they are ob!
 served completely, 35.6% think thatthese rights are observed sufficiently. Everyone the tenth (10.9%)believe that rights and freedoms are observed insufficiently. Only 2%of interrogated people expressed negative position, noting that «theyare not observed».The estimation by respondents of concepts «nationality» and«citizenship» showed that majority of respondents are inspired withthe feeling of citizenship.
Asked «What is more important for you -your nationality or yourcitizenship?», almost half of interrogated (48.1%) answered «equallyimportant both of them». In interrogation of 1999 there were 36.9%such adherents. Nationality was the second - 27.1%. For 21%interrogated citizenship is important.The attitude to knowledge ofstate language is extremely important for language policy of thegovernment. The results of citizens' opinion study allow not onlyfinding out degree and need in mastering of state language, but alsoopportunities, conditions for its study. Results of the carried outanalysis of the attitude to state language showed that for shortperiod of time the level of its knowledge has considerably increased.
Interrogation showed that the problem of lack of knowledge of theUzbek language gradually disappears. Overwhelming majority ofinterrogated to some extent know the Uzbek language, while the numberof those not knowing state language has gradually reduced. The levelof knowledge of the Uzbek language representatives of not nativenationalities has considerably increased. 87.6% of Koreans, 74.4% ofSlavs to some extent know state language.The analysis of the receiveddata allows to assume that Turkic ethnos showed high level ofknowledge of the Uzbek language. At the same time, it is necessary tonote significant growth of this parameter in comparison with theprevious investigation phase of the representatives of Eurasian ethnicgroups. In aggregate all three positive answers are received highenough parameters of state language knowledge by the representativesof title nation.
The research clearly shows that the sharpness of the problem of statelanguage knowledge is gradually disappearing. Another importantcircumstance is connected with special role of language in asocio-political life of the country. Language as special sign systemcarries out double function: on the one hand, as means ofcommunicative behaviour, promotes achievement of coordination inbehaviour of people, on the other hand - as the embodiment ofcultural-historical experience bears valuable loading - is a uniqueproperty of people of the country. And, at last, state language is asocial-psychological factor which promotes spiritual andsocio-political unification of people. As for the desire to studystate language by the respondents who noted that did not know it,results look as follows. More than half would like to learn it (53%),15% of respondents already learn it. Among those who would like tostudy the Uzbek language: 52.5% of Russians and 80% of othernationalities.
As a whole, the data of research show high level of citizenship ofUzbekistanis, irrespective of national belonging. Thus, majority ofrepresentatives of Slavic nationalities are satisfied and feel pride,feeling themselves citizens of Uzbekistan. The population understandsthe complexity of transitional period, features and tasks of nationalrevival and construction of new independent state.The research ascertains increase of patriotic sentiments in thecountry, expressing in strengthening of feeling of the homeland,fatherland, native home. The number of those who considers Uzbekistanonly the country of residing decreases respectively.
Current state of interethnic relations in Uzbekistan
Socio-political stability in multiethnic states is caused by the stateof interethnic relations. Thus, the great value has how the statenational policy is based on the scientifically-grounded approaches tothe solution of problems in this sphere, objectively reflects the realprocesses occurring in this area of public life, as well as preciselyrepresents prospects of development of interethnic relations. In theRepublic of Uzbekistan, where more than 20% of the population isrepresentatives of not title nation, stability in interethnicrelations has determining value in maintenance of public security. Inconditions of growth of national and especially religiousconsciousness the factor of interethnic relations can bear seriousdispute potential.The results received in this research; and theircomparison with the results of previous interrogations allow to definesufficiently the state of interethnic relations in the Uzbek society,reveal some features of interethnic dialogue and coexist!
 ence, as wellas intraethnic relations.
Researches showed that the overwhelming majority (95.3%) of thepopulation of Uzbekistan positively estimates the state of interethnicrelations in the country. Only 1.3% of interrogated people considerthe state of interethnic relations as «bad».The received data show proceeding decrease in uneasiness of thepopulation concerning religious extremism. There are bases for theoptimistic forecast in this occasion that is consequence ofrealization of the purposeful and objectively verified state policy inthe given sphere. 86.1% of respondents in the ethno-social plan feelthemselves quite comfortably. At the same time, there is a smallamount of interrogated (4%) who openly speak about difficulties andinconveniences in sphere of interethnic relations.The research has revealed substantial growth of the factor of positiveestimation of the state of interethnic relations in Uzbekistan foryears of independence. Asked «How, in your opinion, did interethnicrelations change in Uzbekistan f!
 or years of independence?», majority(73.5%) of respondents said that an interethnic consent has increasedfor this time. These data show the tendency of decrease in intensityin interethnic relations, but the problem of education of culture ofinterethnic dialogue still remains an actual task for the Uzbeksociety.
Comparative analysis shows that for the period after the firstinvestigation phase in preferences of Uzbekistanis there were somechanges. Thus, if the religious extremism as the reason of interethnicdisagreements was the first in a ranged line of Central Asian ethnos,then in this research this place was occupied by the variant «costs ineducation» (46.7%). This reason is the basis absolutely in all ethnicgroups. But it is necessary to note that the sharpness of this problemis gradually decreasing as well. So, 51.8% of respondents in 1999stated it.It is possible to assume that as a result of specialattention of the state to the problem of religious extremism, thelevel of uneasiness of the population falls regarding this threat. Atthe same time, the closeness of ethno-social and religious feelingsand interests, as well as in many respects the inseparability ofethnicand religious values makes the religious factor, in particular, itsuse by political-extremist forces, as one of t!
 he basic components Ofpotential of interethnic conflicts (in case of their occurrence).
There are grounds to assume: firstly, «religious extremism» in publicopinion mostly is associated with «Islamic extremism»; secondly,radicalisation of Islam most of all has negative influence onintramuslim relations; thirdly, this factor in certain conditions cancause occurrence of disagreements between title ethnos of CentralAsia, i.e. in this region radicalisation of Islam will interfere withregional integration. However, virtually all representatives ofvarious ethnic groups, which took part in the interrogation, consider«costs in education» as the main reason of interethnic frictions. Itgives the basis to conclude that strengthening and more actively usingthe mechanisms of social, cultural-moral education, especially growinggeneration, it is possible to resist even to forces of religiousextremism which, by the way, also use the system of Islamic socialsupport.
Stable socio-political situation is the basis of interethnic tolerance
The socio-political situation in the country is determined, first ofall, by peace, stability, interethnic and civil consent. The stabilityоf public opinion concerning safe state of socio- political situationand importance of peace-making activity of the President of thecountry allows to consider that in social moods and publicconsciousness there is rooting of value of peace, civil andinterethnic consent.Thus, asked «What do you like most of all in Uzbekistan as a citizenof the country?» the overwhelming majority of respondents (92.6%)|said «socio-political stability, peace, civil consent in society».Interrogation evidently reflects the post-February socio-politicalsituation in the country. Every third (35.5%) respondent believes thatafter February events of 1999 in Uzbekistan there is strengthening ofsocio-political stability, peace, interethnic and civil consent insociety, 23.4% of respondents note that people feel easy andconfidently. At the same time, a fourth of int!
 errogated (25.4%) statedthat in society there is anxiety connected with internationalterrorism and 9.6% - anxiety connected with the activity of religiousextremists. The interrogated Uzbeks and representatives of otherCentral Asian nationalities consider that religious extremism is themost dangerous phenomenon menacing lo stability in Uzbekistan. Theshare of respondents respectively was as follows: Uzbek - 73.1%,Kazakh - 56.7%, Tajik - 74.4%, Kyrgyz -66.1%, Karakalpak - 63.3%.
Uzbekistanis understand the importance of strengthening of peace,stability, e interethnic and civil consent for arrangement of ourcommon home (72.6%). The second necessary factor for achievement ofthis purpose is, in opinion of respondents «improvement of quality oflife» (58.2%). On the third place is put «curb of internationalterrorism» (45.9%). The study of migratory mood of the populationallowed to draw a conclusion that the majority of respondents (95%) donot wish lo leave Uzbekistan, and 10% of interrogated people arerather categorical, considering that they would not leave in nocircumstances. The research revealed that in spite of the fact thatthe majority of the interrogated representatives of variousnationalities do not want to go to other states, neverthelessmigratory mood are inherent in respondents of Slavic and some othernationalities.
The research results showed that conditions for free and an all-arounddevelopment of all peoples are created in the sphere of interethnicrelations in Uzbekistan. The available in Uzbekistan experience ofscientific-theoretical, ethno-sociological and practical researchesallows to ascertain deepening of processes of consolidation of theUzbek society and achievement of qualitatively new level ofintegration shown, in particular, in formation of complete publicconsciousness, general civil mentality. As the process ofglobalization does not bypass any of vital spheres of the personincluding spiritual, the motto «From strong state to strong civilsociety» assumes naturally the integration of the representatives ofall nations into the process of formation of civil society inUzbekistan.
The study revealed that the socio-political situation in the countryis quite safe. There is strengthening of peace and stability. Themajority of respondents appraise highly the policy of the Presidentand the government in formation of bases of peace and stability, whichis the evidence of approval by the population of the national policypursued in the country.
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