Human Rights Watch urges Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prioritize human rights in their new border deal, ensuring justice for victims of past conflicts and focusing on long-term human rights initiatives. The agreement, which has reopened the border after decades of dispute, must also guarantee essential services to local populations.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called upon Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to prioritize the human rights of local populations in their agreement to resolve the long-standing border conflict. The organization also demands that victims of the 2022 conflict, which resulted in numerous war crimes, receive justice. HRW emphasizes the necessity of addressing human rights violations, asserting that peace must be built on trust and respect among the communities impacted by the border crisis.
Both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have faced allegations of committing war crimes during the 2022 conflict, which led to the deaths of 37 civilians and displaced thousands over four days. The previous skirmishes in 2021 also resulted in civilian casualties. Both nations are signatories to Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits targeting civilians and indiscriminate assaults.
The border deal, signed on March 13, 2025, has since been ratified by the respective parliaments, effectively reopening the 1,000 km border and concluding decades of border disputes. Each nation is committed to resource sharing, demilitarization, and equitable territory exchanges. HRW insists that compliance with the agreement is crucial for ensuring local populations have access to essential services such as education, water, and housing.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has lauded this border agreement as a significant achievement, highlighting its importance in promoting stability between the two nations. The lack of officially demarcated borders post-Soviet independence has resulted in ongoing territorial disputes, particularly over agricultural resources in the Tajik and Kyrgyz regions, which escalated into violence in 2021.
In light of the recent border agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Human Rights Watch emphasizes the imperative of prioritizing human rights. The call for justice for war crimes committed during the 2022 conflict serves as a reminder that sustainable peace hinges on mutual trust and respect. As the two nations move forward, ensuring access to basic necessities and preventing future conflicts through adherence to international humanitarian laws will be vital.
Original Source: www.jurist.org
