1.  How many demonstrators were killed by government forces in Uzbekistan on May 13?  Describe the events that led up to the shootings.  How does the official website of Uzbekistan's Embassy in the U.S. contradict the report of this article and other news reports? (For website, Click here.)

2.  Who is the President of Uzbekistan?  What legitimate problem does he face in Uzbekistan?  How has he used that problem to suppress all dissent within the country?  What might be an unintended consequence of his brutal oppression?

3.  List the countries that border Uzbekistan.  When did Uzbekistan gain its independence from Russia?  What is unusual about the airports in Uzbekistan?  What do you notice about telephone use in Uzbekistan?  Approximately what percent of the Uzbek population lives below the poverty line?  (What percent of the U.S. population lives below the poverty line?  Where did you find the answer?)

4.  What is the root of the Uzbek people's willingness to protest the government at the risk of imprisonment or death?  What actions in the government prevent this issue from being solved?  What problem does Uzbekistan face if they are successful in getting rid of President Karimov?  How could this problem be solved?

5.  Why hasn't the U.S. government been vocal in denouncing such blatant human rights abuses?  Is the U.S. government doing the right thing?  Explain your answer.