· March, 2011

Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from March, 2011

Georgia: Men in Black

  27 March 2011

Scary Azeri comments on photographs taken by Global Voices’ Caucasus editor at last week's Novruz celebrations held by the local ethnic Azeri community in Marneuli, Georgia. The blog is particularly alarmed by the large number of men dressed in black, a common style in the three South Caucasus countries, at...

Armenia: Opposition rivalry

  23 March 2011

With the opposition in Armenia divided between parties in parliament and those outside, Unzipped comments on the rivalry between two specific political forces in the country and the populist rhetoric used to attack and discredit each other following popular uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia as well as prior to the...

Uzbekistan: Authorities intensify control over mobile operators

  22 March 2011

Abdulfazal informs his readers that Uzbekistan – in clear response to events in the Middle East and Northern Africa – is seizing control over cellular companies in the country. Mobile operators were instructed to report on any suspicious actions by their customers, including any kind of massive SMS distributions.

Turkmenistan: Crackdown on youth

  22 March 2011

As revolutionary tremors continue to be felt throughout the Middle East, Turkmenistan is rolling out its usual assortment of repressive tactics, but with new robustness and an extra anti-youth edge, reports neweurasia’s Annasoltan.

Kyrgyzstan: Political Games and Investment Climate

  22 March 2011

Murzaki provides a detailed coverage of the controversy around one of the largest cellular operators in Kyrgyzstan, which had undergone nationalization last year. However, nationalization without led to the situation when all interested parties are trying to get a piece of the pie, he says.

Armenia: Opposition rallies again

  19 March 2011

Ianyan presents its readers with a curated comments on last week's protest demonstration held by the extra-parliamentary opposition in Yerevan, Armenia. Unzipped also comments on the rally attended by 12-15,000 people. Meanwhile, however, The Armenian Observer is more skeptical with regards to opposition claims to have ‘liberated’ the city's central...

Afghanistan: Stinging critique of development aid

  14 March 2011

Nick Fielding reviews a former World Bank and French development agency director's stinging critique of international donors’ mistakes in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2010, emphasizing the lack of a coherent strategy and clear goals.

Azerbaijan: Great People's Day a pointless adventure?

  14 March 2011

In a critical post Analoqu olmayan bloq :) [AZ] comments on the 11 March pro-democracy protests staged by youth in Baku, capital of of Azerbaijan. The blog says that the event failed to achieve its goals and might actually have pushed the government to tighten its grip even more. It concludes that...

Azerbaijan: More Protests, More Arrests…

  12 March 2011

Following yesterday's protest by youth activists in Azerbaijan, opposition supporters today staged their own. Also inspired by pro-democracy protests in Egypt and Tunisia, the demonstration might not have been as large as those, but it was certainly intense.

Azerbaijan: Youth Protest in Baku

  11 March 2011

Inspired by pro-democracy protests in Egypt and Tunisia, youth activists in Azerbaijan took to the streets in actions encouraged and coordinated by social media in what was their largest action staged in two years.

Azerbaijan: Online activism under fire

  10 March 2011

Writing on East of Center, Transition Online editor in chief Jeremy Druker comments on official attempts to discredit Azerbaijani youth activists using social media to prepare for pro-democracy protests on 11-12 March.

Mexico and Afghanistan Border Conflicts Juxtaposed

  9 March 2011

Netizens are responding to several reports that juxtapose the violence in the Mexico/US border with the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and its border with Pakistan. Though uncoordinated and apparently disparate, the reports have served to crystalize problematic aspects of American policy.

Azerbaijan: Another youth activist identified by social media?

  7 March 2011

A new blog, whatwaswritten, says that another youth activist has been reportedly visited by police after trying to publicize pro-democracy protests planned for 11 March in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. The blog notes that police deny the claims although Tangled Web says that the alleged visit occured on the same...

About our Central Asia & Caucasus coverage

Nurbek Bekmurzaev
Nurbek Bekmurzaev is the Central Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.

Arzu Geybullayeva
Arzu Geybullayeva is the South Caucasus editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.