I can understand why the U.S. government has been hesitant to call shots on the events unfolding in Uzbekistan. Good information has been rare, and they are obviously waiting to see what political and strategic maneuvers to make. But come on, enough it enough. With every report indicating massive deaths in the hundreds, this is certainly a situation meriting unflinching pressure from powerful nations. It looks that Britain is on the case and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will be flying to Washington to meet with Secretary Rice and other U.S. officials in order to reach a plan of action.

Foreign Secretary Jack Straw flies out to Washington today for talks amid intense concern about the brutal suppression of anti-government protests in the central Asian republic of Uzbekistan.

Mr Straw is expected to raise the reported killings of hundreds of demonstrators by government troops when he meets senior administration figures during his stay, including secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.

At a news conference yesterday, Mr Straw said the reported actions of the Uzbek authorities ???????plainly cannot be justified??????? and demanded immediate access to Andijan ???????? town at the centre of the disturbances ???????? for the International Red Cross, foreign diplomats and journalists.

The initial reaction in the United States was more muted, with the administration urging both sides to avoid further clashes.

Dr Rice has now openly called for political reform, saying that the system in the former Soviet republic is ???????politically too closed???????.

On the direct front, Straw has called on Karimov to allow foreign journalists and diplomats into the country in order to survey the situation.

LONDON, May 16 (Xinhuanet) — Uzbekistan agreed on Monday to a visit to Andijan by ambassadors and journalists after British Ambassador in Tashkent David Moran met with Uzbek Foreign MinisterIlior Ganiev, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said.

“We remain very concerned indeed about the accounts which we have received of troops opening fire on civilians in Andijan in the east of Uzbekistan. This plainly cannot be justified.” Straw said.

“I understand that the Uzbek Foreign Minister said that he would indeed be prepared to organise a visit to Andijan tomorrow for Ambassadors and the modalities of that visit are currently being discussed in more detail, and if a visit can take place, at which EU Ambassadors and journalists are able to see for themselves the situation on the ground, that obviously would very greatly assist,” Straw added.

This is good news. I can’t imagine, even with the oversight of Karimov’s henchmen, that they’d be able to miss the utter devastation to the local communityies wrought by this passing and continuation of tragedies. This story on IWPR excerpts a letter purportedly written by one of the 23 men alleged to be an “Islamic extremist.” Take a read:

???????We could tolerate it no longer,??????? the letter says. ???????We are unjustly accused of membership of Akramia. We were tormented for almost a year, but they could not prove us guilty in court. Then they started persecuting our nearest and dearest.

???????If we don????????t demand our rights, no one else will protect them for us. The problems that affect you trouble us as well. If you have a government job, your salary is not enough to live on. If you earn a living by yourself, they start envying you and putting obstacles in your way. If you talk about your pain, no one will listen. If you demand your rights, they will criminalise you.???????

Then the letter makes a call to action, ???????Dear Andijanis! Let us defend our rights. Let the region????????s governor come, and representatives of the president too, and hear our pain. When we make demands, the authorities should hear us. If we stick together, they will not do anything bad to us.???????

They’re extremists alright. Demanding freedom must seem that way to a government that fears its own people.

Nathan has a great post up with his thoughts, while Dan Darling has an impossibly comprehensive backgrounder to Uzbekistan and the situation there. Also, read Nathan’s comments in that post. For my thoughts, click here.