Fear, Freedom and Human Security in Uzbekistan: A Critical Analysis

In the post cold war period we witnessed a transformation in the security studies. People of the world became more concerned with human security instead of State security. Uzbekistan a country located in Central Asia got her Independence from Soviet Union in the year 1991. An authoritarian government was operating in Uzbekistan under Islam Karimov from the very inception of the country. Absence of democracy, economic security, health security, food security and environmental security could not ensure the basic conditions necessary for safeguarding human security. Furthermore the ethnic tension in the Fergana Valley along with demand for autonomy in Karakalpakstan are endangering human security in Uzbekistan. Lack of human security is generating fear among the citizens of Uzbekistan. The Uzbeks want to achieve freedom from want and fear in order to safeguard their human security. This article tends to highlight the various issues of human insecurity Uzbekistan is facing as a country and the measures it needs to adopt to secure the conditions of human security.