News Brief: ADRA Assists Uzbek Refugees in Kyrgyzstan

News Brief: ADRA Assists Uzbek Refugees in Kyrgyzstan

Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | ADRA/ANN Staff

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) became one of the first humanitarian agencies to provide emergency supplies to 530 Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan. They fled to Kyrgyzstan after violence broke out in the city of Andijan, Uzbekistan, on May

Injured Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan receive clothing, hygiene products, towels, blankets, medical supplies, books, toys, and other necessities from ADRA. [Photo: ADRA]
Injured Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan receive clothing, hygiene products, towels, blankets, medical supplies, books, toys, and other necessities from ADRA. [Photo: ADRA]

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) became one of the first humanitarian agencies to provide emergency supplies to 530 Uzbek refugees in Kyrgyzstan. They fled to Kyrgyzstan after violence broke out in the city of Andijan, Uzbekistan, on May 13. The number of deaths resulting from the violence is yet to be determined.

The refugees, who were suffering from bullet wounds, received clothing, hygiene products, towels, blankets, medical supplies, books, toys, and other necessities valued at more than US $20,000.

“This assistance was vital for suffering people looking for asylum in the Kyrgyz Republic, and we express our gratitude for the participation of the organizations that contributed to the project,” said Victor Zotov, director for ADRA Kyrgyzstan.

The organizations that contributed to the relief effort include: ADRA, AmeriCares, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Sabre Foundation, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Kyrgyz Republic, and deputies from the local parliament in the Southern region of Kyrgyzstan.