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| Tashkent Calm After U.S. Launches Air Raids on Afghanistan |
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MON, OCT 08, 2001
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The situation in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent remains calm after the United States and Britain began to launch long-awaited air strikes on Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and the normal life of local residents seems unchanged.
Upon hearing the news on U.S.-British joint air raids, this correspondent rushed out from a hotel in the center of Tashkent, and saw a grand wedding party which started just two hours before the war began was still going on. People at the party seemed to know nothing about the war, raging about 1,000 kilometers far away.They looked joyful and excited, dancing and singing, cheering and blessing bride and groom.
In order not to disturb the happy banquet, this correspondent didn't tell them about the war or ask them to give their opinions on the event.
Renting a taxi in front of the hotel, this correspondent asked the driver how he thought about the airstrikes. He replied, "It's a bad thing to every body. How can I stop the war? Let it be. I just hope my life won't be worse."
"Now most people have not heard the news that the war has begun,but they will know very soon because radio and television are broadcasting the news of war. I've just known about the beginning of the war via radio in my car a few minutes ago," he continued.
There were few people on the streets. At the city administration building, several police men stopped nearly every car to check identification cards and other documents, apparently to tighten security following the start of U.S. air strikes on neighboring Afghanistan.
The situation around Russian and British embassies in the city remained calm and no special security measures were taken, where no people one or two guards were in sight. However, security measures around the U.S. embassy have been obviously strengthened,with many more guards walking around and not any vehicle or personallowed to stay in front of the embassy from a distance of 100 meters away.
At the Tashkent international airport, Crowds of people waitingfor arrival or departure flights. They said that after the air raids against Afghanistan began there had been no planes landing or taking off from there. No one explained to them what happened and why this happened. The security force to defend the airport has doubled for "normal and regular inspect," according to an officer on duty.
A man from the crowds near the airport hall told this corespondent that all flights have been canceled due to the war, but the officials won't tell the truth. "Everything will be clear tomorrow. You'll find I'm right. Believe it or not, " he said. ( By Yang Jingzhong)
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