Photo by Ferghana.ru.

Two years ago today, Alisher Saipov, a young independent journalist and adventurous editor, was killed in his hometown of Osh as he was walking down a street with an acquaintance. It was ordinary autumn night and Alisher was heading home from his office.

His former colleagues at the Ferghana.ru information agency, which was his main place of work, still feel  an emptiness and pain impossible to describe.  In today’s memorial at the Ferghana.ru site his good friend and editor-in-chief Daniil Kislov says,

Alisher was that unbending soldier of not just the abstract ‘freedom of speech’, but of practical journalism that asks direct (and most of the times unpleasant) questions…

Alisher was not indifferent. Unlike many of us, he wasn’t just mad with what happened around him, but he would grab his camera and notebook and go shed light on the issues many prominent journalists wouldn’t dare to.’

I’m not going to repeat over and over again that President Bakiev has failed to keep his promise to personally monitor the investigation into Alisher’s assassination.  The simple reality is that Bakiev and Minister of the Interior Moldomusa Kangantiev didn’t really put any effort into the case.  Yes, they found a killer and he is about to be sentenced, but I wonder if he is the real killer or whether Kyrgyz officials  are just trying close the file and not to irritate powerful neighbors anymore?

Although I did not know him, like his friends who knew him for many years, I, too, feel lost and don’t know what to say.  He was their colleague and my brother-in-arms.  We cannot sleep with confidence that justice has been or ever will be served.

The only thing I and many people who believe in justice can say is that his brief life of only 26 years has been and will remain a bright example and inspiration for many and many generations of journalists, not only in Central Asia, but in the whole world. HUDO RAHMAT ETSIN!

Editor’s note: The neweurasia community expresses its collective condolences to Alisher Saipov’s family, friends, and all those who loved him.  We would like to take this moment to highlight the existence of the Alisher Saipov Annual Award and the memorial desk in Washington D.C., dedicated to all those who died for their ideas. Finally, more pictures of Alisher Saipov can be found here.

Translation of Akmal’s post (RUS)

Today, one of Kyrgyzstan’s wealthiest men, the prominent government official Daniyar Usenov, was appointed the republic’s Prime Minister. President Kurmanbek Bakiev has already signed the appropriate orders. Daniyar Toktogulovich was among a list of possible candidates. Possible, but, to be honest, undesirable. At least, this is what the overwhelming majority of Kyrgyzstan’s internet users think.

Immediately after it became known that Daniyar Usenov assumed Igor Chudinov’s former post, members of the Diesel internet forum began actively discussing the country’s new second-in-command. There were many comments, most of them negative. The new appointment was not a popular one.

Here are some sample responses:

Alx.: He reminds me of that character from [comedy film] The 12 Chairs played by Savelii Kramarov. Anything he tries his hand at, he fails.

Havez: Whoever said earlier that he has a “season pass” for the job is right. It’s sad that we’re in for yet another scam of the century. I just wonder what it will be.

XWalker: It seems like developed capitalism is a ways away… Onward to the past!

Queer: Now they’re definitely going to litter Friendship Park with cottages. Not only that, they’re probably going to start building apartment buildings in the middle of Dzerzhinka.

So far, Diesel is one of the few places where the new appointment is being discussed. Most bloggers have kept silent. Perhaps, they’re still digesting all the information that has come out in the past two days, of which there has been plenty.

Morrire, the prominent Kyrgyz blogger on LiveJournal is one of the few who have commented on Usenov’s appointment as PM. She writes laconically, but succinctly:

I’m nauseous, simply nauseous.

Why such strong antipathy towards Daniyar Usenov? There are many answers. For example, today one of my blogger friends joked that “we’ll probably start playing the lottery again soon,” referring to the unpopular lotteries Usenov organized during his reign as mayor of Bishkek. Nariman Tiuleev, who took the mayor seat after Usenov, accomplished more in one year than the latter did in two.

Also posted on Global Voices

Today can truly be a turning point in the development of Kyrgyzstan - a kind of “24th March” in evolution of governmental insitutions of the country. Today, President Bakiev announced new reforms in public administration system, reforms that will transform all state institutions of the country without exception. The reforms are extensive. Even the president himself stated that “Kyrgyzstan has not yet seen such a massive reduction of the number of officials (40%!).” New reforms should definitely change the course of development of the country, but only time will show for better or for worse. Read the full story »

After 21 days of gas blackout, Uzbekistan finally agreed to resume gas supplies to Southern Kyrgyzstan. Many believe that it is a result of talks of Salamat Aitikeev, director of KyrgyzGas, with his Uzbek colleagues. Mr Aitikeev left for Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, on Wednesday morning. It is remarkable that he could make an agreement with Uzbekistan so fast comparing to previous years, when negotiations lasted at least several days.

Press-service of KyrgyzGas informed today that the agreement on resuming gas supplies was achieved on new conditions, fulfillment of which will obviously be very difficult for Kyrgyzstan. New conditions say [ru] that from October 15, 2009, three times a month Kyrgyzstan must pay prepayment for upcoming 10 days, which is approximately 4 million USD during the winter time. Can KyrgyzGas meet new requirements of Uzbekistan? Well, time is the best answer for it. Read the full story »

The part 1 of the post you can read here

Now I will tell you about the characteristic traits of Dutch people. I was observing my friends and acquaintances, and at the end of my stay in the Netherlands I noticed the below given traits in them. These traits at some point reflect our characteristic traits also. In a long run I was observing them through our cultural glasses. I hope these observations of mine will be interesting and useful for you in your lives.

The Dutch people are very direct- they say what they think about you without any hesitation, and do not care what you might feel about it. I.e. they are not like us who care 1st of all about the person’s comfort, then care about other things. Such a quality is considered as a one of the best qualities in their society, especially if you work as a manager, this quality is considered as number one requirement. Read the full story »

Hello dear friends, I want to share with you my impressions about the Netherlands. I went there in 16th of September and came back in 5th of October. I and other 9 country mates of mine were lucky for not paying all expenses. We went there through exchange program between Kyrgyz and Dutch organizations. The main purpose of this exchange program is to develop both countries in all possible ways and in all spheres. Evidently organizations of both countries work in different spheres of Kyrgyzstan and the Netherlands. Read the full story »

After hours long debates, the Kyrgyz parliament today repealed the law on Construction and Service of Kambarata Hydropower plants (65 votes). The law was adopted on 19 July, 2009, and was heavily lobbied by the majority pro-president party “Ak Jol”. However, today, “Ak Jol” party lobbied the repeal of the law due to the “difficulties in financing the project Kambarata 2.”

Under the conditions of the law on Construction and Service of Kambarata Hydropower plants, the Kyrgyz government owned 100% share of the company OAO (open joint-stock company) “Kambarata Hydropower plant 2″, which, according to many speakers, made impossible to attract investment to the project. Moreover, finances from the Development Fund of Kyrgyzstan could not be directed to construction of hydropower plants, as according to the law Kambarata 2 cannot be put in pledge.

Other two parties of Parliament - Social Democrats and Communists - were against repealing the law. Communist explained their decision saying that such serious decisions must be made after careful learning of the issue. Social Democrats, the only opposition party represented in the Parliament, were categorically against repealing the law. Roza Otunbaeva, ex-foreign minister, member of Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, stated that pro-president party Ak Jol failed in dealing with energy issues, as it is repealing its own law that was lobbied throughout the country for about a year. Read the full story »

Photo: internet cafe in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The board on the front walls of the internet cafe depicts famous fox of Firefox internet browser biting the icon of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Is such poster legal?

The university offers language courses. A friend of mine, who is currently enrolled in them and lives nearby, invited me to go to Nashville on Friday with some students from her class. It’s not far, and it’s the state capital, so why not? Here’s how it turned out. The trip was somewhat chaotic. There was much we didn’t see, but it was fun and interesting nonetheless.

Read the full story »

Luli, Gypsies, Roma. They go by different names. Remember when I wrote that I got back from a part of town where I was trekking knee-deep in mud? I was meeting Luli.

Wikipedia says that Luli are one of the eastern branches of Roma who inhabit parts of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. We can leave it at that.

Only the devil knows why there are so many rumors about Luli among the Kyrgyz in Osh. Sad, but true: the Kyrgyz avoid, and even fear, Luli. I was told, in complete seriousness, that Luli don’t have graveyards, so they bury their dead at a secret place near a river head. Their main business is, allegedly, drugs. I was warned that once you enter their part of town, you may never come out.

Read the full story »