You are not Forgotten.
Berlin, Brussels (12/5 – 40)
In the vast mountain lands of Central Asia, a small ethnic group located at the crossroads of Afghanistan, China, and Russia is struggling for its very survival in the face of a national program that, some experts argued, is tantamount to ethnic cleansing. The Pamiris of Tajikistan were granted autonomy by the USSR and reside in Gorno-Badakhshan region known as the GBAO. For years, the Pamiris’ ancient traditions, peaceful religious faith, and highly educated populace, accused by Tajikistan President Imomali Rahmon of being “inbred” and run by “criminals”, have faced a state campaign that replaces the Pamiri society with ethnic Tajiks. This re-engineering of the GBAO climaxed in May and June 2022, when security forces stormed up the Pamiri Highway that leads to China and killed, wounded, arrested, and tortured hundreds of Pamiris who had been protesting the government’s abuse of human rights in GBAO. Nekkadam Muborakshoev was one of the victims.
Nekkadam Muborakshoev was a geologist by training and had returned from Russia four months earlier to build a house in the village of Rushan. He was a father of three.
Akbarsho Muborakshoev, Nekkadam’s brother, said that he went to the bank in the district center of Vamar on the morning of May 18 to withdraw money which was sent by his daughter from Russia. He was later killed by the regime and they brought his body back to his family. He was badly burnt and his body was scorched and unrecognizable. Akbarsho said that the soldiers treated his brother like an animal. He believed that his brother was a peaceful civilian and did not even carry a pocketknife.
Nekkadam died at the age of 58. He was building a house next to his brother’s house in the village. His three children were living in Russia and they had sent money to him to build the house. After his death, the house was left empty.