The photo is from the www.aigine.kg web-site

On May 14, 2013 in the Great Hall of the National Philharmonic named after T.Satylganov in Bishkek was held a presentation of the video version of “Manas” and “Semetey” for the general public. Program of the event consisted of the impressive performance of the epics’ storytellers – manaschy; performances by musicians with traditional instruments, and the presentation of the video version of “Manas” and “Semetey”. On the big screen was showed something like a slide-show with fragments from the video shoot.

The important reason of the event is not only the contribution to the cultural development of the Kyrgyz people, but also the cause that the trilogy “Manas. Semetey. Seytek” has been nominated for inclusion in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO on behalf of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The video version of two parts of the trilogy “Manas”, epics “Manas” and “Semetey” was prepared in 2012-2013 by the CRC “Aigine” and was sponsored by the Christensen Fund. It is a 51-hour live epic story by famous contemporary storytellers. 25 hours of “Manas” and 26 hours of “Semetey” is a real achievement of the Kyrgyz nation. In the future, as promised by the organizers, will be also created the video version of the third part of the trilogy that is called “Seytek.” As you know, the epic “Manas” consists of several hundred thousands lines of poetry and it excels all the famous epics in the world by size. This fact is one of its distinctive features.

Even a few weeks before this important date, Kyrgyz people congratulate veterans, wearing St. George ribbons, create action groups that collect funds to help the heroes of the war, which number is becoming less and less every year.

And on May, 9 the whole country celebrates the heroes of the Great Patriotic War on the Victory Square in Bishkek and other cities of Kyrgyzstan. I also visited the festival in order to congratulate the brave old men and sincerely thank them for the peaceful sky over our heads. Here is the photoreport from the Victory Square named after Dair Asanov in Bishkek, May 9, 2013.

The Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic. Photo was taken from the www.president.kg web-site

On May 5, 1993 at the XII session of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, the new Constitution was adopted. Since then, the Republic of Kyrgyzstan became known as the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Constitution of the Kyrgyz SSR, adopted in 1978, has lost its power. It is an important date for all the Kyrgyz people because the adoption of a new constitution meant one of the most important stages in the state history – the independence of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The most important key points in the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic of 1993 are the principles of independence, freedom of speech and power of the people. The Constitution has 9 chapters and 114 articles. Each of them carries unique and significant promise to the Kyrgyz nation.

The first page of the Constitution of KR. Photo was taken from www.twirpx.com web-site

The Constitution of 1993 was revised four times  in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2003 during the regimen of the first President Askar Akayev in favor of strengthening powers of the President. And on October 21, 2007, by the Decree of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, was held a referendum which adopted the new Constitution proposed by the President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. And it was signed on October 23, 2007.

Further in connection with the change of government in 2010 there was a referendum on a new Constitution in 2010. An important point in the new constitution can be considered the strengthening of  the role of parliament in the government. However, despite the numerous changes in the most important “document” of the country, the main laws and regulations of the Kyrgyz Republic have the common ground – the very first edition of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic dated May 5, 1993, which celebrates this year its 20th anniversary. And it is a really significant event for the whole nation.

The shot from the animation "Didn't let go"

Creative Group “705″ is a team that positions itself as the engines of anti-patriarchal art in Kyrgyzstan. On the last Saturday of each month, the guys arrange screenings of their works. Animators negotiate and agree on the one certain topic, on which they all will create animated films during the month before the showing.  In March guys talked about the International Women’s Day, and the whole series of animations by each author were on the topic of women, mothers, patriarchy in society and gender inequality.

 ”We’re trying to talk through cartoons, performances and posts about the power mechanisms of our patriarchal society,” – say the animators.

In April, the topic of the animations was labor migration. Participants of the Creative Group “705″ Marat Raimkulov, Nursultan and Natalia Ni are the authors of animated works for the April’s showing.

 ”I think that labor migration in Kyrgyzstan is a very topical issue, because according to the statistics, up to 20% of Kyrgyzstan’s population is working abroad. According to the news we hear about the difficulties encountered by our fellow citizens: difficulties with the place of residence, employment, etc. And after a long discussion with the group, the theme of the showing in April was picked a labor migration, “- says the coordinator of the April’s showing Nursultan.

The shot from the animation "Cohabitation"

A total of six works were shown that day, and after each animation viewers along with the authors were discussing what they have seen. Labor migration – quite a common thing in today’s society, and mostly the citizens of rural areas are encountering it. The main reasons are the lack of resources to have an education and support the family. The difficulties that appear for migrants abroad became a daily norm because of terrible living conditions, hard work, often lack of language skills, moral and physical violence. And this is not even the whole list of problems which faced by the migrant worker.

Creative Group “705″ tried to show their vision of the phenomenon of labor migration by their best-known way – the animation. And they turned out very well. Here I post to you one of the animated films from the April’s showing made by the artist Marat Raimkulov and titled “Didn’t let go”.

“Our mission is to popularize the music of Central Asia, and to expand the horizons of talented musicians,” – said the director of the festival “Jazz_Bishkek_Spring” – 2013 Kanykei Mukhtarova – “Every year during the festival, we hold not only live performances of groups, but also educational workshops, where international jazz professionals share their experience with younger musicians.”

The traditional “Festival Debut”, which present new names among young jazz musicians of Kyrgyzstan, this year introduced the band called “Horner Brass Quintet” consisting of six members.

Live sound, beautiful melodies and unique taste of jazz music have left no spectator indifferent. At some moments I just forgot about everything, reveling in the sensual playing of the saxophone, piano and guitar. Everything was very bright, strong, and in high quality! Foreign musicians have received the support of the hall, playing on the new stage for an unknown audience, and the local jazz masters felt the support of the native audience.  Everyone gave all the best during the Festival.

“We come to Kyrgyzstan not the first time, an every time we are pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome of the Kyrgyz people,” – says the bass guitarist of the band “Avesto” from Tajikistan Jafar Khalilov , – “There are very appreciative audience that loves and understands jazz. We feel the energy of the audience and lay ourselves out to the fullest.”

Participants have showed all their skills, gathering the truly fans of jazz music in one place for three days. Hopefully, such cultural activities contribute not only to the promotion of the unique genre of music as jazz, but also to the development of friendship between countries and nations.

Editor’s note: What, if any, is the connection between the Boston bombings and Kyrgyzstan? NewEurasia’s Schwartz suspects not much. What will be more interesting, he says, is how online forums shall start thinking about the possible linkages.

During the dramatic events in Boston, I have sat on the sidelines somewhat bemused. I am still waiting for a clear picture to emerge. I am not a security expert, so I shall refrain from speculating on the nature of the attacks (which, I imagine from a terrorism perspective seem kind of, well, aimless and incompetent); rather, of more interest is the Eurasia connection.

Information is emerging about the lives of the two brothers who at the moment appear to be at the center of the story, Dzhokhar (Джохар) and Tamerlan Tsarnaev (Тамерлан Царнаев). Tamerlan is said to have died in a shootout with police on Thursday night, possibly being gunned down, possibly by a suicide bomb. Younger Dzhokhar, meanwhile, has been captured while hiding in a boat stored in a man’s backyard.

The brothers lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and are believed to have been in the US since about 2001; Dzhokhar even received US citizenship on the eleventh anniversary of the September 11th attacks. They appear to have had previously lived in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan, and Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia; in fact, Dzhokhar is said to have been born in Tokmok. I’ve passed through Tokmok, it’s an interesting place that deserves a visit. Locals have told me that it once housed an airforce training facility during the Soviet era (hence an enormous MiG monument sitting on the main entrance), and unconfirmed legend has it that a young Hosni Mubarak spent some time there prior to his rise in Egyptian politics.

That two Chechens would end up in Kyrgyzstan is not really a surprise, reports Refugees International and Registan.net’s Casey Michiel. Whether they received any ideological inspiration from Kyrgyzstan is, from the present view, likely to be very minimal.

For some of the various Kyrgyzstani radical groups, nationalist or religious, it is indeed the case that the United States is one head of a hydra hellbent on destroying Islam or the Kyrgyz nation. Moreover, certain Kyrgyz politicians (with help from Russian counterparts to the north) have tried to profit off of anti-American conspiracy fear-mongering in the past, particularly with respect to the brewing troubles between the United States and Iran and the former’s air transit center in the Kyrgyzstani capital. But altogether, this is at most to have formed only a background element to the Tsarnaev’s ideological picture.

An actually important question is whether any elements of the Chechen diaspora in Kyrgyzstan (or, for that matter, Kazakhstan, which has had more reason to worry about the Chechneya situation than its cousin to the south) might of comprised any kind of resource network for the brothers. From what I know about militant networks in Central Asia, that’s very doubtful; at most, maybe someone in Tokmok said, “Have you guys ever heard of a pressure cooker bomb? Check out this URL…”

What shall be more interesting to watch at this stage shall be all the (conspiracy?) theorizing that shall be going on in the Eurasian and American forums. The ingredients for a good speculative conversation are all there, beginning with their father.

That their father’s claim that his sons were visited by mysterious “secret services” a few years ago actually turns out to be true — the FBI stopped by the Tsarnaev household in 2011 at the behest of a heretofore undisclosed foreign government to check on possible extremist inclinations — is interesting; that he would attribute his sons’ role in the attacks to said “secret services”, however, comes as no surprise to those who know the former Soviet space and the way people in this region can think (e.g., here). That’s not to say that his sons absolutely weren’t pawns, since of course I can’t know that for certain. However, one must ask: which services, and for what gain?

The most likely claim is that this is a complicated American ploy to force Kyrgyzstan into keeping the air transit center in Bishkek, which is slated to be closed in 2014 — or vice versa, that the attack enables Kyrgyzstan to keep the center by blaming American pressure. The latter would be a way of keeping the rent receipts the city and national economies so desperately need, while maintaining an angry nationalist posture that is very appealing in certain sectors of Kyrgyzstani society: “We didnt want it here, but the Americans twisted our arms!”

The next likely proposition which I expect to come out will be that it’s a complicated Russian ploy to get the Americans to think a certain way about Chechneya, i.e., the Russian way. If that were true, it’s a bit late; the real war in Chechneya is basically over, and moderate, rational people in general need little convincing that, whatever the merits of the Chechen independence cause (I, for one, am sympathetic), the kind of ideology and strategy that leads to attacks like the Beslan school massacre are indefensible, morally and spiritually.

Anyway, that’s my two naxar. A fuller picture has to emerge, so let’s sit tight.

Deputy of  Kyrgyz Parliament Tursunbai Bakir Uulu publicly attribute to Internet users. He conducts dialogues with ordinary citizens. The deputy of Parliament uses such phrases as “homosexual” and “woman of easy virtue” and mentions Muslim name of god “Allah”.   In a phone conversation Tursunbai Bakir Uulu confirmed authorship of his internet account, in particular of this post: “Hey, homosexual, hear what the f*** you come into my personal life? I’m tired of repeating that I guy of traditional orientation. Come on, good-bye!”  and “Haha. Whose is the squeak out of the toilet? It squeaks of funny and naked young ladies who do not have national pride and honor of women.” He explained his internet activity in this way: “”We know that in Russia, killing many people from Central Asia and the Caucasus. Therefore, in order to deprive the Nazis makeup, I wrote a letter to Russian comedian Michael Galustian. He replied. But after more than 100 Nazis, sexual minorities have started to insult not only to me but also other people. I answered with dignity”. Leader of the “Ar-Namys” political fraction Felix Kulov, who is considered a man of discipline, said that the internet activity of officials in social networks, as individuals, their business. “The fact that some of the members playing in social networks, as an individual, and enter into the controversy, it’s a private matter. According to Bakir Uulu, he was attacked and answered them, “- said the People’s Deputy.

However another Kyrgyz Politicians demonstrate other content of their posts in social networks. Dastan Bekeshev, Deputy of Kyrgyz Parliament, posts information about Kyrgyz Parliament decisions and his own opinion. Among his post such information as: “The government has raised the excise tax on alcohol, increase will take effect from April 10”, he also gives the link of his official web site. Roza Otunbaeva, former President of Kyrgyz Republic, posts information about her activity. Large internet website of blogging gave her badge that confirms her authorship.

Among millions Kyrgyz Internet accounts can be found fake provocative accounts, which spreads false information. Aselya Abykeeva, Social Media Marketing specialist of large mobile operator says that Internet space is very important and necessary area that cannot be ignored. If a politician is important audience, you will certainly need to open accounts. All politicians want to be closer to the people, to get closer to Internet users should naturally be on the Internet. This is a very large audience and ignore it does not make sense. Kyrgyz politicians open accounts, but often do not do it skillfully – open only during the PR campaign and would merely add to friends, hoping that this is their audience.  However everyone decides for himself what to write in your own Internet page. But either way it can be very hit the reputation. If a public person does not want to get this result, we expressed obscene language is not necessary. Even if the information can be removed it is easy to make a screenshot and put it on Talks

Denis Berdakov, Managing Partner of SMM-agency “Digital Empire” adds: “People can trust Facebook and Twitter informational accounts, if you know exactly who you are reading. Dastan Bekeshev, Nurbek Toktakunov are bright examples who often throws off a lot of interesting information in Twitter, some of which could be the basis of official investigations in the various ministries on issues of corruption, abuse of power. But if you do not confident about authorship of information, you should accept it critically.”

There is new phenomena defined as BOT – English word from the robot- a program that automatically perform actions on the computer instead of people. “Bots benefit many people who, depending on the purpose. Well, for example, may be beneficial to increase the amount of an opinion when a certain group of Internet users support a particular point of view. Benefit for the same online campaigns when several users are beginning to rock the same theme from a different “sauce” and on various Internet sites. Thus, the common (untapped) internet user is under impression that most people think so. And he could not help beginning to support this point of view, there is the herd instinct is triggered (crowd psychology). Or, on the contrary to refute this or that point of view, and for that many accounts are fake, so you can cheat a little man in the street paid enthusiastic comments and redress the imbalance. Bots are often used in black PR”

According to Ella Taranova, Deputy Head of the editorial board of the CIS and Baltic States Departments of regional infrastructure projects and RIA News, level of confidence in traditional media in society, and especially in the former Soviet Union, for the time fell to a minimum. The worldwide trend is unambiguous – Journalism and Communication go to the Internet. And here face new demands information consumer, the first of which – superluminal speed. “Classical Journalism is dying, and will die forever. Future is for convergent journalism. In the same Russia now Internet users – almost half of the population, Kyrgyzstan is not exception”

Editor’s note: This story was written by Aigerim Mamyrova

Although there was signed a memorandum of agreement between the company «Askin & Co GmbH and the Eye Microsurgery Hospital of Almazbek Ismankulov, but the cooperation has been existing for 15 years .

On 15th March on the Kyrgyz-Austrian business forum during the official visit of the President of Austria Heinz Fischer in Kyrgyzstan signed a memorandum on cooperation in air navigation, pharmaceuticals and education.

Alibek Ismankulov the Financial Director of the Eye Microsurgery Hospital explained why this memorandum was signed: “Our co-operation is not only to purchases of equipments, because you can buy and own without partners. The essence of this memorandum is to enhance scientific cooperation. Today, medicine is a complex intellectual sphere of contemporary society. Medical devices have become very high-tech, so for their effective use requires mutual scientific integration of producers and users of such equipment.”

In the signed memorandum all of the requirements of Eye Microsurgery not only have taken into account, but on the contrary the text was written by them. The government acted as kind of moral guarantor of interest in their already long-standing cooperation with the Austrians as it was said by Alibek Ismankulov.

Eye Microsurgery Hospital of Almazbek Ismankulov has been working with the company «Askin & Co GmbH» since 1995. Through this collaboration, the first medical laser came in 1995 which was the first not only in Kyrgyzstan but also in Central Asia. As Alibek Ismankulov described it was the British laser of company «Keeler». Since then they have repeatedly brought to Kyrgyzstan the most advanced medical equipment from all over the world with the help of financial, technical and logistical support of the company «Askin & Co GmbH». It says that Almazbek Ismankulov’s Eye Microsurgery hospital already have had good collaborative relationships with Austrian company which is engaged in supply of medical products and pharmaceuticals.

And also the meaning of this document which was signed by the presidents of the two countries provides a rationale for the government’s position and it has more political subtext. “It indicates a framework agreement. And we will work together so far: while it will bring economic and political benefits to both parties” claimed Financial Director of the Hospital.

Forcible circumcision of children:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySrXfArrFzQ

The orphane shows cigarette burns on his back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpCMa3XKXxc