Turkmen pipes
Peter posts on a proposed Trans-Caspian pipeline that would transport gas from Turkmenistan via Azerbaijan and the Caucasus to Western Europe.
Uzbek children
night_eulen posts some pictures from kids on the streets of Samarkand.
Monetary shower
Luke says that Mongolia is being given a lot of cash these days, the latest example being a $10 million soft loan courtesy of India.
Mongolia: Sources
Luke says that a recent lawsuit against a journalist exemplifies the difficulties of investigative journalism in Mongolia.
Minerals abound
Luke says that new mineral discoveries were made in Mongolia.
Children to power!
Mongolia’s children and ‘young generations’ get a say in parliament, reports Luke.
Event Summary: “Regional Cooperation and Integration in Central Asia”
A full day seminar entitled “Regional Cooperation and Integration in Central Asia: Challenges and Opportunities” was held at the Brookings Institution this past Monday, March 27. It was jointly organized by the UNDP and Brookings, and focused on regional trade opportunities. A transcript of the proceedings should be available on the Brookings website shortly.
The below is a summary of a discussion about political and institutional obstacles to regional integration held by an panel of prominent academics: Fred Starr, Kathleen Collins, Martha Brill Olcott, Eric McGlinchey, and Talaibek Koichumanov.
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Uzbekistan’s European Friend
Ben thinks that while analysing German-Uzbek relations, a more balanced approach is needed - as is some knowledge of German domestic politics.
Lavish celebration$?
Here’s an article about the obligation to set up lavish celebrations and the finacial burden that it poses for many.
In Tajikistan, birth, marriage and death are only part of a complex series of family and religious events that need to be marked - but celebrating them in the way that neighbours and relatives expect leads many families to ruin. Caught between tradition - not always of great antiquity - and economic hardship, poor families are finding themselves increasingly pressured to host events that are way beyond their means.
The IWPR article is about Tajikistan but the issue is certainly not limited to there. It also exists in other parts of Central Asia (see here, Russian here) and the Middle East [and now that we’re at it, getting in debt to satisfy superfluous needs (buying a car hi-fi and spoilers, a flatscreen TV, expensive clothes and nightclubs, … even if you can’t afford it) is becoming a growning problem in many European countries as well.]
“Our mullah came along that day and helped me and my neighbours to organise the funeral, for which we slaughtered our only cow. The mullah told me that I would have to hold a memorial wake like this every week. I was surprised, because in the past we held a wake after 40 days, and then once a year.�
That mullah is an imbecile. Nothing in Islam states such obligations, which seems acknowledged later in the article:
Islamic figures say the way Muslim rituals are observed in Tajikistan is a local distortion of true religious tenets. “The laws of Islam do not prescribe large outgoings. On the contrary, the Koran says that Allah does not expect a person to exceed his capabilities,� said Umarali Nazarov, rector at the Islamic University in the capital Dushanbe. “But people are scared of censure from relatives, neighbours and acquaintances, so they hold lavish celebrations.�
Some Islamic(-inspired) foundations like Jordan’s Al Afaf Charitable Society specifically campaign against the social obligation to set up lavish parties at every occasion.
Mongolia: Sumo or Loans?
Luke finds out that the Mongolian PM is not only visiting Japan to learn about Sumo, but also in order to bring back home with him a big loan.
