GENEVA, Switzerland, May 5 (UPI) -- The Kyrgyz government is called on to conduct further investigations into the ethnic violence that followed last year's coup, a U.N. human rights official said.
A report by the Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission said in addition to the 470 people killed in violence pitting the Kyrgyz community against ethnic Uzbeks, roughly 1,900 others were injured and more than 400,000 were displaced.
Most of the victims were Uzbeks and the report highlighted an "unknown number" of women who were the victims of sexual violence.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay called on Bishkek to carry out further investigations into the ethnic conflict.
"This report should give considerable impetus to Kyrgyzstan's efforts to combat impunity and address issues of accountability after the inter-ethnic strife in the southern part of the country last summer," she said in a statement.
Kyrgyz inquiry blamed Uzbek leaders and supporters of deposed President Kurmanbek Bakiyev for the conflict. Kyrgyz President Roza Otunbayeva was feted in a White House ceremony in March and Pillay commended the leader for initiating the KIC inquiry.
"This is the first time that an international commission of inquiry has been established in a Central Asian state," Pillay added. "And I understand it was given unimpeded access to carry out its work properly."
