Tajikistan
Translation of TajikVoice’s post (RUS)
In light of recent revolutionary events in Arab countries, social networks have acquired an absolutely unique status, suddenly being thrust into the center of public attention. In response to the unrest, vigilant law enforcement agencies in Tajikistan have been keeping a close eye on the country’s politically active citizens.
The main tendency over the last two months among Tajik Facebook and other social network users has been their extreme politicization. Practically any link, news item or commentary turns into a discussion of the Tajik government. Read the full story »
Photograph by Flickr user Cindy47452 (CC-usage).
Editor’s note: neweurasia’s Schwartz summarizes our network’s coverage of the reactions from the governments of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the ongoing upheavals in the Middle East. What he concludes is that their leaders are actively, if quietly, scanning the horizon for signs of trouble that, sooner or later, is bound to come. “It seems [they] are very effectively tightening their grasps – and that’s the problem,” he writes. This is a slightly different version of his original editorial for neweurasia’s partner site, Transitions Online.
Three blind mice. Three blind mice.
See how they run. See how they run.
They all ran after the farmer’s wife,
Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,
Did you ever see such a sight in your life,
As three blind mice?– Old English nursery rhyme
As political upheaval continues to rumble across the Middle East, North Africa, and even into the Caucasus, the governments of Central Asia are taking active, if subtle, steps to extinguish the fire of revolt before it can be lit. The problem is they may actually be giving it fuel.
Moscow-based RosBusinessConsalting Daily online edition reports on Uzbekistan being the first post-Soviet country to react on events in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Uzbek governement makes sure to seize full control over cellular companies in the country. Companies were instructed to report on any suspicious actions by their customers. From now on they must report on any kind of massive distributions of text messages through their cellular lines.
Moreover, cellular operators must shut the phone lines down at any time upon the request of the Uzbek Agency for Communications and Information.
Recent people’s revolts in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya were labelled Twitter- and Facebook-revolutions since main calls to revolt were sent out via social networks, RBC notes. Read the full story »
Translation of TajikVoice’s post (RUS)
In late February, the Tajik President’s son Rustam Emomali was appointed to a newly created government post within the Customs Agency to tackle contraband and customs violations. The public found out about this fact in early March. The appointment caused widespread debate on the Internet and in Tajik media. The people were clearly against the decision. Not only was the son of the president appointed to a kind post that takes years of service to earn, he was also instantly promoted to the rank of major. Read the full story »
Photograp by Flickr user Joe Gratz (CC-usage).
Editor’s note: In an unexpected move, Tajikistan’s Supreme Court has commuted the sentences of 29 convicts originally sentenced on terrorism charges — and the decision, one of only two of its kind in the last five years, is very fishy, reports neweurasia’s Alpharabius. “But whatever the intention, the decision reeks of hypocrisy,” he writes.
In a surprising and unexpected move, the Supreme Court of Tajikistan last week released three convicts who were sentenced to up to 30 years of prison due to terrorism charges. The court also significantly relieved punishment of 26 others convicted in collaboration with terrorist groups, illegal possession of weapon, anti-government activities and other charges. They were part of 46 citizens arrested in connection to Tavildara 2009 bloody events and convicted by the same court last June.
The Supreme Court says that, although 29 of the convicts asked for the retrial of the verdicts, all 46 cases were revised. The Court generally confirmed its previous verdicts, but reduced the punishment. For example, Fathullo Khairiddinov, a former aide of Mullah Abdullah, the so-called “Tajik Osama bin Laden” who is believed by many to be still at large, was released and his sentence converted into a probation. Abdusamad Ziyoev, 53, brother of former opposition commander and one -ime emergency situations minister, Mirzo Ziyoev (a.k.a. Mirzo Jaga), and his uncle, Muhsiddin Muhiddinov, 66, were also released after serving about a year of the up to 30 years of prison term.
It was strange to me as well many others that the Supreme Court has released those who itself called “dangerous international Islamic terrorists” connected to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. The photo of the convicted men had once been displayed on national TV channels almost every evening to convince the viewers that the originally harsh Supreme Court verdicts were fair punishment for the deeds done by these “bad guys”.
A photograph from South Korea of a poster depicting the ongoing Arab revolutions. Should that be Rahmon's image instead of Qadafi's?
Editor’s note: There are Egyptian-sounding rumblings in Tajikistan, enough to make the government openly mull constitutional reform — well, sort of. neweurasia’s Alpharabius reports on the plethora of new laws curtailing Islamic religious practice and the slew of house demolitions that all seem to point toward a government that’s simultaneously nervous and ambitious, and the odd constitutional carrot the authorities are dangling in front of their people’s mouths.
“Do you want Tajikistan became a second Egypt?” That was a question/cry heard at the protest of a group of women in front of the Presidential palace in Dushanbe on Monday, 21 February, 2011. They gathered here to protest against demolition of their homes in the city’s suburb. There were about 30, mostly old women and the palace put more than 200 fully equipped anti-riot police against them. A colonel asked the protesters to go home. The answer was desperate:
“To which home we should go? You destroyed our homes built by our hands and sweat. Months after months our husbands and sons had been working hard in Russia to earn money and to build houses, but you destroyed them in minutes. We can go nowhere.”
Indeed, a source in the local government told me that about 60 houses were demolished on 18 February. He says these houses were built illegally. However, the women in front of the presidential palace were waving papers and say the sections of the land were given to them legally.
Translation of mursya’s post (RUS)
On 11 February, Kazakhstan Today news agency reported: “Deputies from the lower chamber of parliament want to take control of the Internet, citing fears over the manipulation of social consciousness.”
Majilis deputy Bakhyt Syzdykova believes the Ministry of Information needs to urgently form an expert committee, composed of officials, NGO representatives, public figures and individuals who are respected in the country.
“According to some members of the Majilis, this time the threat comes from so-called social networks. Deputies have asked the appropriate authorities to pay special attention to popular websites,” KTK television channel reports.
“Yet without organised change from above, there is a growing risk of chaotic change from below.”
International Crisis Group published a special report on Central Asia on February 4th. The grim title speaks for itself: “Central Asia: Decay and Decline”.
It is one of the few reports, which you read with great interest and upon finishing it think: “I don’t need a 42 page report to know this!”. And that’s one of the critical indicators of a good work for me personally. Indeed, the report is very comprehensive and gives very straight to the point evaluation of current situation in four sectors of all of Central Asian countries: education, healthcare, transportation and energy. Read the full story »
CENTRAL EURASIA LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (CELA) SUMMER WORKSHOP, ISTANBUL, 13-22 JULY 2011
CELA was launched in 2002 as a major initiative to bring together the region’s most dynamic mid-career leaders in the fields of government, business, civil society and media; to offer them the best leadership education available; and to create a regional cooperation network organization second to none in this part of the world. Now in its tenth year, CELA has grown into the region’s premier network organization linking some 300 next-generation leaders and change agents across nine countries. Read the full story »
Translation of Askhat’s post (KAZ, RUS)
There is a particular kind of young person who, when visiting another country, immediately goes to the local nightclub. Perhaps, this is more common among those who come from big cities. This, at least, was my experience when I visited Dushanbe, for I had no choice but to go clubbing with the rest of my friends. Then again, it’s always like this. It’s difficult to persuade people to go to a museum, though it is still interesting to observe them from afar at discotheques. Read the full story »
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