KGZ/CA (even FSU) news
It is 'poslednii zvonok' (the last bell) in Kyrgyzstan today, meaning the end of the school year. Kyrgyz-Info has a report (in Russian).
Kyrgyz-Info also reports on continuing demonstrations in the Kazakh capital, Astana, with people protesting about a wide range of issues, including housing problems and non-payment of wages. This is despite the fact that participation in an unsanctioned meeting is a quick way to get fined... Kyrgyzstan's so-called Tulip Revolution is thought to be the inspiration, with demonstrations generally being small-scale (the largest one has involved around 50 people) but numerous; Kyrgyz-Info notes that 3 different demonstrations took place in Astana on May 10, and then there was a strike on May 11 by workers in Astana and Aktau protesting about not getting paid. Full story in Russian here.
George W. Bush has been making more promises on a global scale, promising freedom in the former Soviet Republics and the Middle East. While the official version from the US government sees this as supporting democracy, other sources, including Kyryz-Info, have interpreted it as a promise of new revolutions. So where does this leave Karimov in Uzbekistan and the loony Turkmenbashi in neighbouring Turkmenistan? Probably right where they are at the moment...
On the subject of America bashing, the Guardian reports on Amnesty International's conclusion that Guantanamo is "the gulag of our time". No doubt this is simply because a load of bleeding-heart hippy communists work at Amnesty, and they (for some odd reason) seem to believe that holding people without trial and torturing them is pretty reprehensible and, more to the point, is not going to protect America, or anywhere else, from terrorism. If you believe that it is OK to restrict, curtail or brazenly remove basic human rights and civil liberties in the name of freedom, safety and democracy, then you don't deserve any of them - and see how you like it...
Russia is apparently going to continue renting the Baikonur cosmodrome (lovely word) from the Kazakhs until 2050 reports RAI Novosti (full text here).
The Financial Times has a report claiming that the current unrest in Central Asia "could ignite another Balkans War" (full text subscribers only link, so text below):
When protests stirred in March against Askar Akayev, former president of Kyrgyzstan, they were not in the capital, Bishkek, but hundreds of miles away in the town of Osh. When unrest boiled over in Uzbekistan, it was in Andizhan, across the border from Osh.
Both towns are in the Fergana Valley, which stretches 200 miles across Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, an area known as the "valley of conflicts".
One of the oldest cultivated areas on earth, nestled between the Gissar Alay and Tian Shan mountains, Fergana straddled the Silk Road. It is home to cotton and silk production, vineyards, orchards and walnut forests. On its fringes are oil, gas and metals deposits.
With 10m inhabitants, most of them Uzbeks, it is central Asia's most densely populated region. But persistent water shortages and border disputes have long made Fergana a potential flashpoint.
Joseph Stalin drew the boundaries of the three Soviet republics that crossed the valley, in an attempt to divide and conquer. The Soviet dictator gave Uzbekistan the valley floor, Kyrgyzstan the high ground and control of the water, and Tajikistan control of access to the valley.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 turned administrative boundaries into contested borders. Moves to enforce controls disrupted trade, exacerbating an economic decline.
Poverty has drawn support for Islamist groups. In 1999 and 2000, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a group linked to al-Qaeda, launched two attacks against the government, both in the Fergana. The Islamic Liberation party, or Hizb ut-Tahrir, which wants an Islamic caliphate in central Asia, has also been active.
Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan's authoritarian president, says the spectre of Islamic fundamentalism validates his tough approach. Critics say he has exaggerated the threat to justify the suppression of any opposition during his 15-year rule.
Tolikan Ismailova, head of Citizens Against Corruption, a human rights group in Bishkek, says Mr Karimov's policies have created dissent that could spill over. "Karimov is a dictator who runs Uzbekistan like an open prison. His repressive regime . . . breeds dangerous fanaticism."
Felix Kulov, Kyrgyzstan's acting prime minister, supports Mr Karimov's view that Islamist groups organised the recent Uzbek uprisings. The collapse of communism has opened the way for extremism. Underground groups, says Mr Kulov, exploit popular discontent with the Uzbek government's failure to provide a decent standard of living.
Hizb ut-Tahrir's promise of an Islamic state without borders, offering equality for all, appeals to the poor and resonates with earlier socialist ideology. The Uzbek unrest is "very dangerous, not just for Uzbekistan, but for the whole central Asian region" says Mr Kulov.
His concern may be motivated partly by the fact that the Uzbek unrest threatens Kyrgyzstan with a refugee crisis. Kyrgyzstan has refused to give asylum to 530 refugees who fled Andizhan after the May 13 uprising and are living in a tent city just across the border. Ms Ismailova says more Uzbeks are escaping.
There are concerns that unrest could fuel drugs trafficking. A report by USAID says routes have developed through the Fergana.
Many people leave southern Kyrgyzstan in search of employment. Most left behind become involved in drug trafficking, says Gulgari Mamasalyeva, head of the Interbillin Centre for Support of Civil Society, a non-governmental organisation, in Osh.
The biggest threat, however, is of the violence in Uzbekistan escalating, paving the way for religious extremists to take over, as the Taliban did in Afghanistan. "If the Fergana Valley explodes in violence it will be a huge problem, not just for the region but for the international community," says Ms Ismailova.
"The advent of a Taliban-style regime in Uzbekistan would be terrifying for the entire Fergana region. It would be like a second Balkans war, but worse."
While undoubtedly there are extremist elements in Central Asia (and everywhere else), people seem to be missing the main point: the fundamentalists have a lot of appeal for people who are are living in poverty, have very few and limited prospects and the governments of the countries have proven themselves incapable and/unwilling to do anything serious to solve these problems. Therefore, I would argue, if there is further unrest (which is most probable) it will be because people are fed up of their political elites not only not working 'for the people' but actively ripping them off and treating them as a worthless inconvenience. Dress this up into ethnic or religious clothing and call it a new Taliban or Balkans, but it only obscures the fact that until socio-economic conditions improve there is unlikely to be prospects for long-term stability in the region. Treating the underlying cause, rather than simply alleviating the symptoms, is something the international community isn't so good at... See the region in its own right and on its and its peoples' terms, not merely from the point of view of how it might affect the West/developed world and its security.
At the same time, the political elites are well aware of the international communities concerns and agendas, playing it very adroitly a lot of the time - as Kyrgyzstan's latest plea for assistance in combating extremism shows.
On the international stage things continue as usual, with Uzbekistan's President, Islam Karimov, visiting China and signing a USD 600 million oil deal with the People's Republic. It's all about the money... (FT report here).
Kazinform reports that Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko is to visit Kazakhstan on May 30 - 31. Novelly enough one of the main topics will be energy cooperation... (full text here).
Speaking of Ukraine, it too seems to have fallen off the Western media radar (with the exception of Eurovision coverage) recently, as was pointed out to me today. And all is not peaceful there, with a goodly dose of political problems doing the rounds: Yushchenko has admitted making some unwise appointments (Canadian Press report here), Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko is still on international wanted lists for allegedly bribing Russian officials (though she has diplomatic immunity officially), and there appears to be a political rift developing in the government, with the aforementioned Yushchenko and Timoshenko having a frank exchange of opinions, reports RIA Novosti, and everyone else (Western investors included) waiting for things to calm down. And then there's the oil crisis, but Ukrainian officials have now apologised for blaming Russian companies for it...
Kyrgyz-Info also reports on continuing demonstrations in the Kazakh capital, Astana, with people protesting about a wide range of issues, including housing problems and non-payment of wages. This is despite the fact that participation in an unsanctioned meeting is a quick way to get fined... Kyrgyzstan's so-called Tulip Revolution is thought to be the inspiration, with demonstrations generally being small-scale (the largest one has involved around 50 people) but numerous; Kyrgyz-Info notes that 3 different demonstrations took place in Astana on May 10, and then there was a strike on May 11 by workers in Astana and Aktau protesting about not getting paid. Full story in Russian here.
George W. Bush has been making more promises on a global scale, promising freedom in the former Soviet Republics and the Middle East. While the official version from the US government sees this as supporting democracy, other sources, including Kyryz-Info, have interpreted it as a promise of new revolutions. So where does this leave Karimov in Uzbekistan and the loony Turkmenbashi in neighbouring Turkmenistan? Probably right where they are at the moment...
On the subject of America bashing, the Guardian reports on Amnesty International's conclusion that Guantanamo is "the gulag of our time". No doubt this is simply because a load of bleeding-heart hippy communists work at Amnesty, and they (for some odd reason) seem to believe that holding people without trial and torturing them is pretty reprehensible and, more to the point, is not going to protect America, or anywhere else, from terrorism. If you believe that it is OK to restrict, curtail or brazenly remove basic human rights and civil liberties in the name of freedom, safety and democracy, then you don't deserve any of them - and see how you like it...
Russia is apparently going to continue renting the Baikonur cosmodrome (lovely word) from the Kazakhs until 2050 reports RAI Novosti (full text here).
The Financial Times has a report claiming that the current unrest in Central Asia "could ignite another Balkans War" (full text subscribers only link, so text below):
Central Asian turmoil could ignite 'another Balkans war'
By Isabel Gorst and Neil Buckley
Published: May 25 2005 19:34 Last updated: May 25 2005 19:34
When protests stirred in March against Askar Akayev, former president of Kyrgyzstan, they were not in the capital, Bishkek, but hundreds of miles away in the town of Osh. When unrest boiled over in Uzbekistan, it was in Andizhan, across the border from Osh.
Both towns are in the Fergana Valley, which stretches 200 miles across Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, an area known as the "valley of conflicts".
One of the oldest cultivated areas on earth, nestled between the Gissar Alay and Tian Shan mountains, Fergana straddled the Silk Road. It is home to cotton and silk production, vineyards, orchards and walnut forests. On its fringes are oil, gas and metals deposits.
With 10m inhabitants, most of them Uzbeks, it is central Asia's most densely populated region. But persistent water shortages and border disputes have long made Fergana a potential flashpoint.
Joseph Stalin drew the boundaries of the three Soviet republics that crossed the valley, in an attempt to divide and conquer. The Soviet dictator gave Uzbekistan the valley floor, Kyrgyzstan the high ground and control of the water, and Tajikistan control of access to the valley.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 turned administrative boundaries into contested borders. Moves to enforce controls disrupted trade, exacerbating an economic decline.
Poverty has drawn support for Islamist groups. In 1999 and 2000, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a group linked to al-Qaeda, launched two attacks against the government, both in the Fergana. The Islamic Liberation party, or Hizb ut-Tahrir, which wants an Islamic caliphate in central Asia, has also been active.
Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan's authoritarian president, says the spectre of Islamic fundamentalism validates his tough approach. Critics say he has exaggerated the threat to justify the suppression of any opposition during his 15-year rule.
Tolikan Ismailova, head of Citizens Against Corruption, a human rights group in Bishkek, says Mr Karimov's policies have created dissent that could spill over. "Karimov is a dictator who runs Uzbekistan like an open prison. His repressive regime . . . breeds dangerous fanaticism."
Felix Kulov, Kyrgyzstan's acting prime minister, supports Mr Karimov's view that Islamist groups organised the recent Uzbek uprisings. The collapse of communism has opened the way for extremism. Underground groups, says Mr Kulov, exploit popular discontent with the Uzbek government's failure to provide a decent standard of living.
Hizb ut-Tahrir's promise of an Islamic state without borders, offering equality for all, appeals to the poor and resonates with earlier socialist ideology. The Uzbek unrest is "very dangerous, not just for Uzbekistan, but for the whole central Asian region" says Mr Kulov.
His concern may be motivated partly by the fact that the Uzbek unrest threatens Kyrgyzstan with a refugee crisis. Kyrgyzstan has refused to give asylum to 530 refugees who fled Andizhan after the May 13 uprising and are living in a tent city just across the border. Ms Ismailova says more Uzbeks are escaping.
There are concerns that unrest could fuel drugs trafficking. A report by USAID says routes have developed through the Fergana.
Many people leave southern Kyrgyzstan in search of employment. Most left behind become involved in drug trafficking, says Gulgari Mamasalyeva, head of the Interbillin Centre for Support of Civil Society, a non-governmental organisation, in Osh.
The biggest threat, however, is of the violence in Uzbekistan escalating, paving the way for religious extremists to take over, as the Taliban did in Afghanistan. "If the Fergana Valley explodes in violence it will be a huge problem, not just for the region but for the international community," says Ms Ismailova.
"The advent of a Taliban-style regime in Uzbekistan would be terrifying for the entire Fergana region. It would be like a second Balkans war, but worse."
While undoubtedly there are extremist elements in Central Asia (and everywhere else), people seem to be missing the main point: the fundamentalists have a lot of appeal for people who are are living in poverty, have very few and limited prospects and the governments of the countries have proven themselves incapable and/unwilling to do anything serious to solve these problems. Therefore, I would argue, if there is further unrest (which is most probable) it will be because people are fed up of their political elites not only not working 'for the people' but actively ripping them off and treating them as a worthless inconvenience. Dress this up into ethnic or religious clothing and call it a new Taliban or Balkans, but it only obscures the fact that until socio-economic conditions improve there is unlikely to be prospects for long-term stability in the region. Treating the underlying cause, rather than simply alleviating the symptoms, is something the international community isn't so good at... See the region in its own right and on its and its peoples' terms, not merely from the point of view of how it might affect the West/developed world and its security.
At the same time, the political elites are well aware of the international communities concerns and agendas, playing it very adroitly a lot of the time - as Kyrgyzstan's latest plea for assistance in combating extremism shows.
On the international stage things continue as usual, with Uzbekistan's President, Islam Karimov, visiting China and signing a USD 600 million oil deal with the People's Republic. It's all about the money... (FT report here).
Kazinform reports that Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko is to visit Kazakhstan on May 30 - 31. Novelly enough one of the main topics will be energy cooperation... (full text here).
Speaking of Ukraine, it too seems to have fallen off the Western media radar (with the exception of Eurovision coverage) recently, as was pointed out to me today. And all is not peaceful there, with a goodly dose of political problems doing the rounds: Yushchenko has admitted making some unwise appointments (Canadian Press report here), Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko is still on international wanted lists for allegedly bribing Russian officials (though she has diplomatic immunity officially), and there appears to be a political rift developing in the government, with the aforementioned Yushchenko and Timoshenko having a frank exchange of opinions, reports RIA Novosti, and everyone else (Western investors included) waiting for things to calm down. And then there's the oil crisis, but Ukrainian officials have now apologised for blaming Russian companies for it...
posted by CXW @ 10:00 am
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