It has already been reported that at night of July 10th 2008 in a rocket-artillery warehouse of the military unit of the Ministry of Defence located in Kagan district of Bukhara region an ignition took place which has turned into fire and explosion of ammunition kept in the warehouse.

According to the results of our preliminary monitoring the area of the incident has been surrounded by forces of Bukhara regional Department of Internal Affairs and military servicemen of the Ministry of Defence. Civilian population living in 15-18 kilometers around the epicenter of the incident has been evacuated.

Military servicemen of the Ministry of Defence, employees of the regional departments of emergency situation and internal affairs are involved in neutralization of emergency. The governmental Commission made up from the heads of the Uzbek Government, National Security Service, Public Procurator’s Office, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Emergency Situation, Ministry of Internal Affairs and other tstate bodies was created. We do not know yet how effectively the above mentioned state bodies are coping with their task of neutralization of the emergency situation, taking necessary security measures and rendering assistance to the victims.

According to the preliminary data disseminated through official channels as a result of the explosion in Kagan district 3 persons died, and 21 persons were injured. We have no alternative information on this. But taking into account the scale of the rocket-artillery warehouse, we believe that the number of victims of the given tragedy could unfortunately far more exceed the number sounded in the official channels.

Members of the Rapid Response Group consisting of 8 human rights groups and an associated member NGO "Journalist", fully understanding its civic position and carrying out its civic duty in relation to the Motherland and compatriots, addresses all interested parties in these difficult days for people of Kagan and Bukhara:

As a part of the active civil society we, members of various human rights groups from all over Uzbekistan, would like to offer our help to our compatriots who have suffered from this tragedy. We offer our assistance in the capacity of different experts - physicians, lawyers, journalists, and engineers.

The RRG calls on the civil society to unite irrespective of the field of specialization in the name of consolidation of the society and make contribution to the liquidation of the consequences of the explosion in Kagan.

Today hundreds of people are evacuated from their houses and live in places not adequate for habitation – in the buildings of lyceums, public schools and mosques. Many of them have lost touch with their relatives and families. Non-governmental organizations through their network of volunteers could helping organizing 24 hours Information - coordination Center for collecting and disseminating information on whereabouts of the victims of the explosion and those people who has lost their family members or relatives.

The RRG also calls on its colleagues in other regions to respond to this statement and offer their assistance to the compatriots who have become victims in finding temporary shelters, food and medicine.
Authorities are doing their best to help the victims of the incident however today it is not enough. And now we the activists of the civil society should move from words to real action and demonstrate our participation in sufferings and tragedy of our compatriots.

July 11th 2008
Tashkent, Uzbekistan