by Zamir Chargynov

Introduction: Central Asia has witnessed two extremely important events in 2005, namely ‘Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan’ and ‘Andijan Upheaval in Uzbekistan’, the consequences of which decisively strengthened the Sino-Russian vector in foreign policies of Central Asian Republics.i On 4th of December 2005 there took place a 3rd major event, the Presidential Elections in Kazakhstan, which will end the year with many implications for the interests of the players of the Great Game over this strategic and oil-rich region of Inner Asia.

However, it has a particular significance for China, since the ‘peaceful re-election of Nazarbaev to the Kazakh Presidency’ consolidates the gains obtained so far as a result of two previous events and ensure the continuation of safe and uninterrupted energy supply as well as the stability in the neighbourhood of China’s restive Xinjiang for the forseeable future.

Moreover, taken together with this years’ enlargement and consolidation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the comfortable re-establishment of Nazarbaev into power marks the final development of a year favouring China’s interests in Central Asia.

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Freedom House just released their Freedom in the World 2006 report, along with an article summarizing and evaluating the results for the entire world. While the picture is optimistic for the world as a whole, NewEurasia’s countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) fared rather poorly.

In Uzbekistan, state violence against demonstrators, the repression of civil society, and an overall decline in human rights conditions during the past year was sufficiently pronounced to warrant a decline in the country’s Freedom in the World score to the lowest possible rating. Only eight countries worldwide earned a similar status as the worst of the worst, and two, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, are in Central Asia.

Depressingly, a fourth of the world’s most repressed countries (or the world’s worst “hell holes,� in one editorial from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal) are located in Central Asia, joining Cuba, North Korea, Libya, Syria, Sudan, and Burma.

Among the countries covered by NewEurasia, there are no countries considered to be free, 42% considered partly free (Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan), and 58% not free. Of those not free, two are among the eight most repressed countries in the world, meaning that about 42% of the total population of Central Asia and the Caucuses live under the harshest, most oppressive, and least free regimes in the world.

For comparison, in the world as a whole, 46% of all countries are deemed free, 30% partly free, and 24% not free. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 23% are free, 48% partly free, and 29% not free. In the Middle East and North Africa, 6% are considered free, 33% partly free, and 61% not free.

The picture is not completely dark, however. Kyrgyzstan showed improvement both in political rights, and civil liberties, pushing it into the “partly free� category. Georgia strengthened its scorecard in regard to civil liberties, and remains a head and shoulders above the rest of the region in overall score. The next best scores are Kyrgyzstan and Armenia, both of whom received a ranking of 5 in political rights, and 4 in civil liberties (with 1 being the best, and 7 the worst). Georgia was rated 3 in both criteria.

Perhaps Kazakhstan’s economic success and Tajikistan’s plan for development will bring improvements in the coming years.

Nick posts on a controversy surrounding an interview with an IMU member, as well as an impending court battle in Germany with a perpetrator of Andijon.

Currently in Turkemenistan: a film festival, a food shortage, political maneuvering, a mysterious cotton-related illness, and an order for expedient lingual proficiency, report Rico and Peter.

Baktygul reports on the state of Islam in Kazakhstan, as well as the rest of Central Asia.

James updates on Tajikistan’s economic growth, and budding new alliances.

Onnik writes about human trafficking from Armenia.

Peter has two fascinating posts about the healt of Saparmurat Turkmenbashi. German doctors are trying to make sure he’ll become a 100 years old. Post 1 | Post 2

Claire has a massive roundup of news from Kyrgyzstan.

Ali has thoughts on Nick’s post and asks where one can find reliable information on Central Asia’s history.