04:08 msk, 3 september 2010

Central Asia news: Кыргызстан

The glimmer of hope in bloody Kyrgyzstan

Analytics The glimmer of hope in bloody Kyrgyzstan

11.08.2010 10:02 msk

In the last months small Central Asian republic was attracting the world attention due to political turmoil and ethnic riots. The international media did not pay much attention to the conflict in Osh and Jalal-Abad that was considered as "centuries-old ethnic conflict" with unclear political motivation. Was it really ethnic and historical conflict though? German analysts are trying to find the answer to this and other questions.

Medecins Sans Frontieres reports continuous violence in south Kyrgyzstan

Ferghana Valley Medecins Sans Frontieres reports continuous violence in south Kyrgyzstan

29.07.2010 15:03 msk

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), an international humanitarian and medical aid organization, says that it observes violence in south Kyrgyzstan on daily basis. It produced a movie, dedicated to its work in Kyrgyzstan and disseminated message in English and French, reporting continuous violence and gap between Kyrgyz and Uzbek communities, fear and distrust that undermine normal life and that ethnic Uzbeks in Osh and Jalal-Abad oblasts, as well as one month ago, cannot access medical aid.

Who will succeed Akhmat Bakiev?

Analytics Who will succeed Akhmat Bakiev?

27.07.2010 09:44 msk

Akhmat Bakiev – the brother of overthrown president, the recently powerful governor and unofficial ruler in south is detained in Kyrgyzstan and already giving testimonies. Akhmat Bakiev is accused of incitement of ethnic hatred, establishment of armed groups and organization of mass riots, resulted in the death of hundreds of people. Sanobar Shermatova, the expert on Central Asia and RIA Novosti observers, presents her opinion on Akhmat Bakiev, what stands behind his arrest and what redistribution of criminal power is expected in south Kyrgyzstan.

Osh chronicles: The residents of the devastated Teshik-Tash residential area are still waiting for local authorities to pay attention to them

Ferghana Valley Osh chronicles: The residents of the devastated Teshik-Tash residential area are still waiting for local authorities to pay attention to them

22.07.2010 17:19 msk

Ferghana.Ru presents the serious of reports on contemporary life in the southern capital of Kyrgyzstan after the catastrophic violence of the second decade of June. Where do the residents of devastated houses live? What do they eat and what do they think about? What does the government do in their support? How the representatives of different ethnic groups, involved or not involved in the open conflict, treat each other? The first story is dedicated to the victims from Teshik-Tash Uzbek residential area.

Osh: Big tragedy of small street (photo)

Human Rights Osh: Big tragedy of small street (photo)

14.07.2010 01:16 msk

"When unknown armed people showed up there was one young disabled man who was trying to escape", says Gulchekhra. He could make it to her yard, being chased by 2-3 guys, holding guns. The woman could not see how they were burning the house. Together with sons and father she ran to the narrow corridor between the house and fences towards other fences. The disabled man followed them. "We do not even know his name and if he is Tajik or Turk – says Gulchekhra. – Perhaps, all Osh residents could recognize him because he was begging alms at the bazaar. He was killed in our yard, his spike is still there…"

Kyrgyzstan: The human rights advocates are in danger

Human Rights Kyrgyzstan: The human rights advocates are in danger

30.06.2010 17:04 msk

In the last few days the residents of Kyrgyz city of Osh have endured violence, caused not by criminals and pogrom-makers, but army and police. In their turn, the officials do their best to reduce the scale of the tragedy, hide facts of arsons and crimes. The human rights advocates, reporting their observations and directly communicating with the residents of southern Kyrgyzstan, are also in danger, says Tolekan Ismailova, the head of Citizens against Corruption center.

Parliamentary republic, non-parliamentary public

Analytics Parliamentary republic, non-parliamentary public

29.06.2010 12:59 msk

While the Kyrgyz elite were initiating the revolutions one after another the life for common people remained unchanged. The new fratricidal Kyrgyz-Uzbek nightmare, which was sparked again after 20-year break, marked new and strict axes system for many years both for the government and miserable people. Will new Constitution help overcome deepest antagonism between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks that was revived after the bloodshed? Are yesterday’s opposition leaders able to unite common hatred against Bakiev and lead the republic to new life without tyranny, Nazism and corruption on the background of total poverty and permanent street unrest?

Human Rights Kyrgyzstan: New Evidence Emerges on Brutality of Attacks

26.06.2010 11:02 msk

Newly uncovered evidence of vicious attacks during the massive violence in Kyrgyzstan on June 10 to 14, 2010, underscores the need for an international inquiry into the mayhem, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch said the international inquiry should supplement the Kyrgyz government’s investigation.

Analytics The ethnicisation of violence in Southern Kyrgyzstan

25.06.2010 11:04 msk

Media talk of ‘ethnic conflict’ in Kyrgyzstan is misleading, in that it takes ethnicity to be causal. This does not describe the complex, messy process – political, economic, social and structural – whereby this crisis has become ethnicised. What matters now is to understand why and how this has occurred with such destructive speed.

Fighting for ourselves, we are fighting against…? On the Role of Ethnicity in the Tragic Events in Southern Kyrgyzstan

Analytics Fighting for ourselves, we are fighting against…? On the Role of Ethnicity in the Tragic Events in Southern Kyrgyzstan

24.06.2010 09:48 msk

Today, many judgments, opinions, attempts at explanation, analyses of the situation and clarifications of the main active powers and the determining factors have arisen around the tragic events in Southern Kyrgyzstan. Many of these do not lack for objectivity and thoughtful method toward explaining the events. But they still have not met with any clear model that would explain the behavior of people, not only as a form of reaction to one or another external summons (the provocations of a third power, the asymmetry of the ethnic balance of in the political and economic spheres in recent years, and so forth), but in the form of motives that are meaningful to a concrete person.

Analytics Kyrghyz and Uzbeks in Osh: Just another local interethnic conflict?

20.06.2010 23:39 msk

Just a short time ago, Kyrgyzstan, otherwise known as the “Switzerland of Central Asia” or as an “island of democracy”, had an excellent reputation in the international community. Kyrgyzstan was even branded the best student of the class by donors. It had received more assistance than any other countries in the region to undertake political and economic reforms. Political change was largely co-piloted by international organisations, NGOs and aid agencies from powerful nations like the United States, which promoted a Wilson-style democratization and a free market economy. Taking into consideration this massive international support, how is it possible to understand the chaos currently affecting this young independent state?

The war with no winners: The most difficult is to forgive and live on

The war with no winners: The most difficult is to forgive and live on

18.06.2010 00:18 msk

Within one night I lost my south Kyrgyzstan, very hospitable, open and little sly, but at the same time hot and bright-colored home of pilaf and paprika that had barrenwort Kyrgyz with hundreds of colored beads, shy Uzbek girls that shamefacedly avoided eye contact with men, and greybearded aqsakals in kalpaks and skull caps, drinking tea in the shadow of willow; when each of them was speaking native language everyone perfectly understood each other. We lost the splendid oasis, where the strangers are ready to offer you a cup of tea and have conversation with very slight irony. We lost busy bazaars with spices and most delicious samsa in the world. The crowds of people killed the neighbors in each other that always generously shared hot griddle cakes with melting butter.

Interview Danish journalist Michael Andersen: I am ashamed that European media and politicians do not understand the tragedy in Kyrgyzstan

14.06.2010 16:55 msk

European media pay little attention to the tragedy in South Kyrgyzstan. They view it as an interethnic clash between nations which they know very little about. Current media interest is motivated by either national interests – European interests do not include small and poor Kyrgyzstan – or having by vivid pictures which are not widely available since Southern Kyrgyzstan cannot be easily reached by foreign correspondents. This means that in Western media, the pain and blood of Osh cannot compete with this week’s main story – the football World Cup. Danish journalist Michael Andersen informed Ferghana.Ru about the reaction of European media and politicians.

Ferghana Valley War in the South of Kyrgyzstan: Present for Bakiev or Osh, STOP!

13.06.2010 18:06 msk

Starting from evening of June 12th the Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan introduced the round the clock curfew in the cities of Osh and Uzgen, as well as in Karasuu and Aravan districts of Osh Oblast (Osh Region). According to the official regulation, no civilian is allowed to be outside of their dwellings without special papers, conditions, or permits. This extreme measure illustrates well the catastrophic situation shaping up in southern Kyrgyzstan. A situation that was impossible to imagine even 1 week ago: “Never get out of the house, otherwise you will be killed”.

Kyrgyz South and Uzbek issue

Analytics Kyrgyz South and Uzbek issue

09.06.2010 22:09 msk

The murder of mafia boss Aibek Mirsidikov in the night of June 7, 2010 became the episode of desperate struggle for power and property, taking place in the southern region of Kyrgyzstan. The experience of two previous revolutions says that the shift of political power in Kyrgyzstan inevitably leads to rebalance of power in criminal world, closely tied with politics and business. In May of 2010 the Uzbek factor was introduced in the political game in southern Kyrgyzstan – the situation became very serious. The struggle for power could bear destructive nature due to the inter-ethnic opposition. Sanobar Shermatova, the expert of RIA Novosti and Ferghana.Ru, says about criminal factor and the Uzbek issue in southern Kyrgyzstan.

Other news

News briefs

Media headlines

Eurasianet Uzbekistan Celebrates Independence Day, 02.09.2010

RFE/RL Kyrgyz, Uzbek Talks On Release Of Kyrgyz Officers Unsuccessful , 02.09.2010

Forum 18 TAJIKISTAN: "Your children will become extremists and terrorists", 02.09.2010

OpEdNews Talibanization: The Whole Problem Is the Gawadar Port and Trade Route, 02.09.2010

RFE/RL Kyrgyz-Uzbek Talks Held On Release Of Kyrgyz Border Guards, 01.09.2010

Long war Journal Senior Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan commander targeted in northern Afghanistan, 30.08.2010

AP Silk's dark side: Uzbek kids made to grow cocoons, 28.08.2010

Guardian Kyrgyzstan: The void in Asia's heart, 27.08.2010

OpenDemocracy Beware of meddling in Kyrgyzstan!, 27.08.2010

New York Times Legacy of Torture, 27.08.2010

Eurasianet Tashkent Promoting Inter-Ethnic Unity, But Strengthening Security Forces Just in Case, 27.08.2010

AP German prosecutors charge suspected Islamic terrorist after extradition from Pakistan, 26.08.2010

Express Tribune India-Afghanistan talks wind up, 26.08.2010

RFE/RL Taliban Kill Nine Police In Afghan North, 26.08.2010

Reuters Karzai aide in corruption probe linked to CIA, 26.08.2010

Canadian Press UN agency makes unusual Pakistan aid appeal, while Washington pushes for transparency, 26.08.2010

Foreign Policy How to leave Afghanistan without losing, 25.08.2010

Washington Post 25 Islamic militants escape from Tajik prison, 23.08.2010

Euronews Osh protesters defy Kyrgyzstan government, 20.08.2010

Reuters Kremlin-led security bloc to hear Kyrgyz appeal, 19.08.2010

Forum 18 UZBEKISTAN: "The Court decided so", 19.08.2010

VOA Intimidation of Uzbek Minority Continues in Kyrgyzstan, 17.08.2010

RFE/RL Kyrgyz Officials Seek Release Of People Detained In Uzbekistan , 17.08.2010

Telegraph Osh mayor pushes ahead with plan to rehouse Uzbeks, 16.08.2010

Global Voices Kyrgyzstan: Nationalist agenda raises amidst new rallies , 16.08.2010

Eurasianet Mixed Marriages in Kyrgyzstan Strained by Ethnic Violence, 16.08.2010

Platts Afghanistan finds new oil field, holds 1.8 bil barrels: ministry, 15.08.2010

AFP Uzbek group attacks Afghan police, three dead, 15.08.2010

Long War Journal ISAF continues to ID 'foreign fighters' in Afghanistan, 15.08.2010

Eurasianet Uzbekistan Weekly Roundup, 15.08.2010

HRW Uzbekistan: Activist Hit With New Sentence, 14.08.2010

AFP South Kyrgyzstan forces may have used torture: UN rights, 20.07.2010

Eurasianet Reconstruction Plan To "Ethnically Cleanse" Osh, Uzbeks Fear, 20.07.2010

RFE/RL Kabul Wants To Change The Way Foreign Aid Is Spent , 20.07.2010

Ex Ponto Als Oezbeekse mahalla's in rook opgaan, 17.07.2010

Euronews Roza Otumbayeva: “We have the nation waiting to reconstruct itself”, 17.07.2010

CNN Thousands remain displaced after Kyrgyz violence, 16.07.2010

Eurasianet Tashkent’s Response to Kyrgyz Crisis Boosts Karimov’s Image, 16.07.2010

Asia Times Russia has reasons to stay its hand, 15.07.2010

New York Times In Southern Kyrgyzstan, Uzbeks Become Targets of Police Abuse, 15.07.2010

VOA A Relative Calm In Kyrgyzstan, 13.07.2010

Guardian Beware dictators bearing gifts, Naomi, 05.07.2010

RFE/RL Getting To The Roots Of Resentment In Kyrgyzstan, 05.07.2010

New York Times Uzbeks Accused of Inciting Violence in Kyrgyzstan, 02.07.2010

AP Kyrgyz humanitarian crisis enters new phase, 01.07.2010

Eurasianet The Pentagon Spreading Wealth in Central Asia, 30.06.2010

Moscow Times An Imitation Empire, 30.06.2010

ВВС Gen David Petraeus faces confirmation to lead Afgan war, 29.06.2010

Eurasianet Documents Highlight Problems with Uzbek Corridor of Afghan Supply Route, 29.06.2010

New York Times Kyrgyz Voting Appears Calm, 28.06.2010