Speaking to border guards at the site of one attack, the president urged them to do their jobs more intelligently. The president said those behind the violence would be found and that "I strongly believe that we will surely put everything in its place".

He also asked the public to help by being proactive about possible security threats. The following is an excerpt from the programme on the Uzbek president’s visit to Andijan Region, incorporating alerts released on 31 May; subheadings have been inserted editorially:

Uzbek President Islam Karimov visited Andijan Region on 31 May. The president met law-enforcement officers and heads of neighbourhoods during the visit. The following is a programme about the visit:

Protecting peace and tranquillity, fighting against various threats, ensuring people’s peace and security are strategic tasks that every independent country faces.

Uzbek  president visited Andijan Region. First, he visited the Qorasuv border and customs compound that links Qorasuv town in Andijan Region with Kyrgyzstan’s [southwestern] Dzhalal-Abad Region. Uzbek  president held a conversation with border guards and customs officers working at the compound.

Border protection

Islam Karimov said: “Ensuring order and discipline, abiding by laws and norms is one thing, but we must also think about why we need our intellect and brain. If we do not think about it more carefully, it will be difficult to control this problem, ensuring security on the border. We must get to the root of the problem”.

The president said that local people should buy goods they need in Uzbekistan instead of going to Kyrgyzstan.

Families that have relatives in Kyrgyzstan may want to visit them once every two or three months but others should be told: "This is the state border. It did not exist before. But now the times have changed, we have our own laws, they have their own. We are not stationed here to allow people to go hither and thither. We work for the state."

“Do we have so much funds as to keep you all - people with epaulettes - here and why do Uzbekistan, me and the government, need this? Your duty is to examine and study carefully, using appropriate equipment, transportation of various banned and unnecessary things. Servicemen devote themselves to military service and whom we call "people with epaulettes, in uniform" must not carry out their duties superficially. I think they must understand well the essence and meaning of their duties.”

“We have stationed you here to protect Uzbekistan from all kinds of trouble, to protect it from various unexpected incidents. Yesterday, on 26 May, one of our men, also a serviceman, a captain like you, died and left his five children orphaned. Seven people have been injured and are still in hospital. [On 26 May, the Prosecutor-General’s Office said that an armed attack was made on a police checkpoint in Khonobod town in Andijan Region] What conclusion should be made? Is your work linked with this incident or not? Our country will be peaceful, people will live in peace if your order, discipline and work is good,” Uzbek leader said.

People will live in peace and happiness if servicemen carry out their duties as expected, the president said.

One should not only excellently fulfil his duties, but also think: "To what else should I pay attention to carry out my duties, what kind of analysis should I be doing, why do I not think about these things?" He should think about preventing some incidents, issues that might be insignificant, but harm us. Perhaps, he should link his duties with this - and let me repeat - he should get to the bottom of things. People stationed at the border should protect their country not only using their body as a shield, but also by fulfilling their duties intelligently. What I mean by intelligently is to have a comprehensive understanding of their duties. One should ask oneself: "To what else should I pay attention? What is being overlooked?" and so forth.

“What is this that we cross the border every day? If it were peaceful there and if they respected us. The incidents which happened yesterday, on 26 May, were organized by people who had come from there. Who will think about this? There would be no need for the border, if there were a cloudless sky and peace there. But unfortunately, we have to protect ourselves. Yesterday’s event necessitates it. We should protect ourselves,” he said.

The president also familiarized himself with conditions created at the customs compound.

People behind Khonobod events

After that, Uzbek  president visited the newly-built Bobur park in the centre of Andijan town and also familiarized himself with the construction work being carried out around the park. Uzbek  president held a sincere conversation with heads of local neighbourhoods, elderly people.

Islam Karimov praised construction work being carried out at the park.

Islam Karimov: “The reason behind my visit today is to see for myself the place of the events which took place in Andijan on 25-26 May, to see where these events happened, why they happened, what caused them and what we missed. What did we miss that led to this incident? The most regrettable thing is that a police officer, a captain, a young man, who was a father of five children, died. It is a very regrettable incident, which was unexpected from every aspect. May his soul rest in peace in heaven. May God accept him. However, we are also responsible, I believe that I am also personally responsible for his sudden death. It is unacceptable, because these young people should live. Why are people born to this world? They are born to be happy. Allah told us this”.

Andijan is developing and people’s way of thinking is changing, the president said.

“Of course, there are many people, centres with bad intentions across the world who envy Uzbekistan its prosperity. That is why those who envy Andijan once wanted to seize Andijan, to use force here, to make it go in the direction they wanted, to implement here what they want, to establish their dominion here. We have blocked somebody’s way. Their hopes proved to be unfounded. Unfortunately, there are people who still remember the 2005 events [13 May disturbances] and who want to repeat them. Therefore, investigation, search and other measures have been started to find out the reason [behind the incidents of 25-26 May]. I have come here with the aim of pushing this work, stepping it up and certainly getting to the bottom of things.

“We have just visited Qorasuv. I strongly believe that we will surely put everything in its place. We will find the sponsors of those who were involved in this. They are such scoundrels that they will do nothing unless somebody from outside helps, assists or finances them. All of them are lying in wait. They become active if somebody gives or promises them something. That is why we should not only find them, but also find a way to prevent a repetition of even the shadow of these things, evil intentions or attempts, Uzbek leader sai.

Neighbourhoods’ role in ensuring security

But the most important issues is that [changes tack] today I gathered people and told them that, of course, our country’s leadership, officials, heads of agencies will do their work. But my biggest request and appeal, which I ponder a lot about, is that no one can manage to protect you unless people living here under your heads of neighbourhoods’ leadership, are proactive about protecting their own house, peace and tranquillity. Everything depends on neighbourhoods and again neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhoods should be proactive in protecting people.

We are strong enough to destroy them [people who threaten security in the country] completely. No one will enter the town and engage in shooting, no military force will enter here. Our work would be much easier if we received reports from neighbourhoods saying [for example]: "Troubled families live in these houses, unknown people appeared in these houses or people with bad intentions, whom we knew and who came back recently, appeared in these houses". That is why everything depends on you.

The president returned from Andijan to Tashkent on the same day.