Draft:The social-political processes in Karakalpakstan in 1989-1993

Karakalpakstan

The article analyzes the socio-political conditions of Karakalpakstan. The conditions of life of the late 80-ies of XX century in Karakalpakstan are adduced. We study the adoption of the State Language Law. The history of the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the Republic of Karakalpakstan is considered. Adoption of state symbols of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

Gaining the national independence has become a favourable basis for wide and free development of the republic. At present the newest researches of the domestic historians allow us to deepen this project in chronological aspect. One should realize: to avoid serious contradictions in history of Karakalpakstan it is necessary to investigate its major problems with the account of the above-mentioned factor. The main priority in solution of all cardinal issues should be a reference to all-Turkic history.

A group of historian-researchers have initiated a study of the Modern History of the Republic of Karakalpakstan [1, p. 456]. In the given article we would like to lighten the social-political processes of Karakalpakstan in 1989-1993 having based on the newest sources. Having started his activity as the Uzbek leader, on 26 July 1989 I. A. Karimov visited first the Muynak region of Karakalpakstan to study in details the current situation and the people’s thoughts; to find out urgent vital problems of the primary meaning, which must not be delayed. The national leader pointed out that «the Karakalpak people had shown their generosity, patience and trust for the person who became the new leader of the country. We can say without exaggeration that the mentioned-above circumstance has determined our mutual trust and respect and made us closer. Refreshing in memory my personal impressions of that unforgettable period and the days we went through, I think, I have a right to say today again that I am the son of not only the Uzbek but the Karakalpak people, as well» [2, p. 134].

Discussion on the issue of official languages symbolized rising social-political and civic activity of the people of Karakalpakstan. On 1 December 1989 the Karakalpak language received a status of the official language.

On 1 December 1990 there was held a meeting in Nukus of the active Soviet members of a Party

organization and the intelligentsia of the republic with the participation of President of the Republic of

Uzbekistan I. A. Karimov on the issue of the state sovereignty. President supported the idea of the

state sovereignty of Karakalpakstan on the new legal basis. At the same time the national leader

pointed out that proclamation of the Republic of Karakalpakstan as a sovereign, politically and

economically independent state must promote to the further development of the social and economic

welfare of the whole multi-ethnic population inhabiting it. Taking into consideration historic circumstances, tight economic and cultural relations as well as traditional ties of friendship and

brotherhood of the people, Karakalpakstan must remain the part of Uzbekistan [3].

President paid special attention to a necessity of keeping territorial integrity of Karakalpakstan,

providing independence in implementation of the legislative, executive and judicial power, with the

exception of those powers which are given willingly to Uzbekistan for solution of economic, social

and cultural problems.

The date of the 4th session of the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan of the 12th convocation

which was aimed to observe a project of the Declaration was adjourned from 6 December, 1990 till

14 December, 1990 [4]. Two variants of the project of the Declaration had been prepared. These

variants were published in the republican mass media.

On 14 December 1990 the fourth session of the twelfth convocation of the Supreme Council of

the Karakalpak Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (the former name of the given republic at

that period: T.A.) started its work. The work of the session was started and run by chairperson of

the Supreme Council of the Karakalpak ASSR T. A. Yeshimbetova. 130 deputies took part in this

session. The work of the session required from the deputies a big patience, restraint, tolerance and

civic position. The deputies of the Supreme Council start to discuss the project of the Declaration

on the state sovereignty and with this purpose they appoint an editorial commission in order to

work up and edit the given project and calculating commission.

The deputies observed the variants of the projects of the Declaration on the state sovereignty

paragraph by paragraph and offered to submit it to voting by show of hands. There was

organized an editorial commission which consisted of 17 persons under the supervision of the

vice-chairman of the Jokargi Kenes of Karakalpakstan Yu. A. Jurbin. He informed the deputies

with the changes brought into the Declaration and suggested to vote «for variant A». The

deputies voted unanimously «for», no one voted «against» nor abstained from voting. The

chairperson of the Supreme Council of Karakalpakstan T.A. selected variant «A» as the basic

one and submitted it to voting paragraph by paragraph by show of hands. The deputies accepted

the given Declaration on the state sovereignty of Karakalpakstan and voted «for». No one voted

«against» nor abstained from voting.

Thus, the Declaration on the state sovereignty of the Soviet Republic of Karakalpakstan was

adopted on 14 December, 1990 on the fourth session of the twelfth convocation.

On 9 January 1992 on the seventh session of the Supreme Council of the Soviet Republic of

Karakalpakstan there was confirmed an official name of the republic: «Qaraqalpaqstan Respublikası

- the Republic of Karakalpakstan» [5, p. 16]. As we know, renaming of «the Soviet Republic of

Karakalpakstan» was made on 26 June 1991 on the sixth session of the Supreme Council.

Instead of 9 constant commissions there were formed 7 committees of the Supreme Council.

The eighth session of the Supreme Council of RK (12 April, 1992) adopted the Law «On

Introduction of Position of A. Khakim (mayor) in the Regions and Cities of the Republic of

Karakalpakstan».

We need to point out that the law «The Bases of the National Independence of the Republic of

Uzbekistan» was appreciated in Karakalpakstan for its adoption is the will of not only the Uzbek

people but all citizens of the republic including the people of Karakalpakstan [6].

Very important legislative principles were brought into the Constitution of the Republic of

Uzbekistan after 8 December 1992 (pp. 70—75) what is the display of respect for the rights of the

Karakalpak people for self-determination and independent development, and recognition of their

place in formation of their national statehood [7, p. 102].

We ought to admit that after adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan a

serious attention was paid to working out the new Constitution of the Republic of Karakalpakstan

issuing from the current social-political and economic situation in Karakalpakstan as well as the

basic principles of the Constitution of Uzbekistan referring to their mutual relations [8, p. 56].

The project of the Constitution of the Republic of Karakalpakstan was published on 6 March

1993 in the republican newspapers «Erkin Qaraqalpaqstan» and «Vesti Karakalpakstana» in the

Karakalpak and Russian languages.

Thus, on 9 April 1993 on the twelfth session of the Supreme Council of the republic of the XII

convocation there was adopted after heated discussions and debates the new Constitution of the

Republic of Karakalpakstan aiming to build a democratic legal state in Karakalpakstan. The new

Constitution of the republic consists of the preamble, 25 chapters and 116 articles.

The national flag of Karakalpakstan was confirmed on 14 December 1992, the law on the

national symbol was adopted on 9 April 1993.

Another important event was adoption on 24 December 1993 of the National Anthem of the

Republic of Karakalpakstan [9, p. 125-129], the words of which were written by Hero of

Uzbekistan, the people’s poet of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan Ibragim Yusupov and the music –

by the composer Najimatdin Mukhameddinov [10, p. 56].

Thus, the sovereignty of the Republic of Karakalpakstan in the structure of the Republic of

Uzbekistan is based upon historic centuries-old neighbourly relations, economic, social, cultural

ties, development prospects, opportunities of creation of wider bases and guarantees for protection

of the rights and freedom of citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan