Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from October, 2011
Kyrgyzstan: There Is No Silence Day in Internet
Yesterday, October 29, was the so-called “Silence Day” in Kyrgyzstan, the last day before the presidential elections. At this day any political agitation is prohibited in the traditional media. But the law has no hold on Internet. The main representative of the Russian newspaper “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” Igor Shestakov said [ru]:...
Global Voices Russian Partners With Neweurasia.net
We are pleased to announce partnership of Global Voices in Russian with Neweurasia.net, one of the most prominent citizen media platforms in Central Asia and about Central Asia, which has a large Russian and English speaking audience.
Tajikistan: Face-saving sentence for the journalists
Journalists Muhammad Yusuf Ismailov and Urunboy Usmonov have been found guilty, but with very commuted sentences following the international pressure on the Tajik authorities, neweurasia’s Alpharabius reports.
Kyrgyzstan: Sec Council bid unsuccessful, but might spell future luck
Marat Sartpaev provides an analysis of the Kyrgyzstan's bid for a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, outlining the possible reasoning behind the failure and future prospects of the Kyrgyz diplomacy.
Uzbekistan: Making some cash on pilgrims
Abulfazal writes that Uzbek black currency market has raised the USD per Uzbek soum exchange rate while Uzbek pilgrims are planning their trips to Saudi Arabia.
Uzbekistan: The Unicorn Principle and Regional Strategy
Joshua Foust analyzes the ongoing discussions on whether the U.S.’s decision to re-engage with the Karimov regime in Uzbekistan represents a least-bad option for the region.
Azerbaijan: Diplomatic triumph or trap?
South Caucasus Diary comments on Azerbaijan becoming a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. The political blogger notes that voting was not as straightforward as it could have been, perhaps because of the country's human rights record, and says that a diplomatic triumph might yet turn into a trap.
Armenia: Earthquake in Turkey felt in Yerevan
On Sunday, the earthquake that struck Van, a city in South Eastern Turkey, was felt in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, and other parts of the small South Caucasus country. Onnik Krikorian reports.
Armenia: Pizza Paradox
Cilicia.com recounts a recent experience of dining out at a Pizza restaurant in Central Yerevan. Sitting on the roof terrace of Diamond Pizza the group of ethnic Armenians from the Diaspora were told they could not eat pizza because if they did so “that’s all people would order.”
Azerbaijan: Twitter Diplomacy
The British Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, has announced that newly arrived Ambassador Peter Bateman will take questions via Twitter on Thursday 27th October.
Armenia: An Azerbaijani car in Yerevan
Fresh from his recent journey through Turkey, Areg Harutyunyan posts a photograph of a Mercedes with an Azerbaijani number plate driving on the roads of Yerevan, the Armenian capital, on his Google+ page. Although likely a foreign resident of the oil-rich country, the photo has initiated an interesting discussion as...
Armenia: Newfound Support for Domestic Violence Victims
Domestic violence has long been a taboo subject in Armenian circles. But when 20-year-old mother Zaruhi Petrosyan was brutally beaten to death by her husband and mother-in-law last October, the case mobilized individuals and organizations in confronting this issue which affects over a quarter of women in Armenia.
Armenia: Extreme Metal in the Caucasus
Shreddernet examines the Extreme Metal scene in Armenia and asks whether its dark melodies and themes have a place in the Caucasus. For a small number of the region's inhabitants the blog says the answer appears to be yes, and the post includes an interview with Daeron, a local metal...
North Koreans in Mongolia Working Under Miserable Conditions
North Korean Economy Watch blog posted about North Koreans working under miserable conditions in Mongolia. Hundred of North Koreans were placed across Mongolia to help the country to meet its financial targets.
Azerbaijan: Twitter Action for Jabbar Savalan
Following a Twitter campaign by Amnesty International calling for the release of imprisoned journalist Eynulla Fatullayev, the international human rights watchdog has launched another in support of a young Facebook activist in Azerbaijan who was jailed in May. The earlier action was followed by Fatullayev's release just days later and...
Armenia: More military deaths
Unzipped comments on the latest deaths in the Armenian military and says that it is an indication of endemic problems of violence and bullying in the ranks. The blog also criticizes the official response that highlighting such problems lowers morale and is the work of ‘foreign sponsored NGOs.’
Azerbaijan: Culinary blogging
Scary Azeri posts an interview with fellow Azerbaijani blogger Feride Sadikhova Buyuran best known for her blog on national cuisine, AZ Cookbook.
Afghanistan: Theater for Social Change
Kayhan Irani, an award-winning writer and “artivist” from New York, blogs about her experiences in Kabul, Afghanistan training theater groups in the theory and practice of theater for social change.
Azerbaijan: More Voices
Aaron in Azerbaijan introduces his readers to other bloggers writing from the former Soviet republic, including one half of his two fellow PCVs who went viral with their Caspian Dreaming music video and a young female blogger already making a name for herself with personal observations of life in her...
Azerbaijan: Beautiful, Sophisticated, Democratic, and Tolerant… Just Scary Azeri
Scary Azeri explains that she named her blog as such simply because it rhymed. However, she comments sarcastically, perhaps she would have less detractors if she had named it “A beautiful, sophisticated, not at all corrupt but very democratic, accepting and tolerant Azeri.”
Azerbaijan: Land of extreme politeness
Having read about the culture of politeness in Iran, Aaron in Azerbaijan says he has a deeper insight into the culture in Azerbaijan, a country where traditions and hospitality permeate every sphere of life, although not necessarily always genuinely.
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