The territories of the former Soviet Union have experienced several
inter-ethnic conflicts, particularly in Sumgait, Fergana, Noviy Uzgen
(Kazakhstan), and Tuva. The bloody war in Nagorno-Karabakh is
still going on. Here, I shall focus on the Osh conflict in the summer
of 1990, which involved the large Kyrgyz and Uzbek ethnic groups
of Central Asia. This conflict shares several common features with
conflicts elsewhere, but differs also. Furthermore, as elsewhere, in this
‘‘Turkic self-genocide’’ the ethno-territorial interests of the people
were aroused. This tragedy was prompted by the difficult socioeconomic
conditions and under-utilized labour resources in the
region. The conflict is also connected with the struggle for access to
power. A certain part of the population was seeking power and
‘‘greater liberty.’’