People of Nukus express their opinion about the recent riots

Armed soldiers standing at the intersections of the central streets of the capital of Karakalpakstan are helping to maintain the state of emergency. Strategic buildings are also guarded by security forces. Internet is still not working in the country.

“There is peace now, I am happy about that. It is good that there is peace and no war,” an elderly passenger we met in front of the Nukus central market said. 

Most of the residents we held the microphone for some reason did not want to answer the questions. There was a kind of disbelief in their eyes. In addition, the horror of the events that happened a few days ago naturally had a bad psychological effect on people.

The traders we interviewed in the market said that life has returned to normal and the number of customers has increased again.

In the afternoon, when the day cooled down, we went to the central square of Nukus. There are less people here too. Local residents say that most people rush home before 20:00. Because in order to get home before the curfew, which starts at 21:00, taxi drivers and market vendors are also forced to work earlier and finish their work.

“In my personal opinion, we could not change the articles of the Constitution on Karakalpakstan. The people will agree with that. The President came and said that these articles will not change.

If there is a command, we will fulfill it. We obey the conditions, we will do what our President says,” one of the passengers in the alley said.

“The nations living here have lived together for so long. I don’t know why such things happened. It hurt all of us.

The effect of the commandant’s office is felt only by not being able to walk at this time of night. Everything else is still in order. It is only possible that the inspection time at the block-posts will be prolonged and many people will get nervous due to the influence of heat,” Tursunboy Abdujabborov, the leader of the Karakalpak aksakals, said. 

*At the time of the survey, the curfew was from 21:00 at night to 07:00 in the morning. Recently, curfew hours were shortened from 23:00 to 05:00.