Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from December, 2011
Kyrgyzstan: Ravshan Jeenbekov and the Facebook Generation
Of all the divides in Kyrgyzstan’s fractious political society, one too often overlooked is the divide between generations. Unlike the famed North/South schism, which manifests itself in elections and street-protests, the generational split is subtle in its complexion; existing within political factions rather than between them, as members of a younger, tech-savvy elite...
Bethlehem: Armenian and Greek Clergy Clash at Christmas
Armenian and Greek priests have once again clashed, but this time at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, much to the astonishment and amusement of social media users worldwide.
Armenia: Fans of Facebook Cocktail Bar
Global Voices’ Caucasus Editor snaps a photo from mobile of a new cocktail bar in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. The bar is called ‘Fans of Facebook’ and there's of course a group page on the popular social networking site.
Armenia: Activists Demand Controversial Governor's Dismissal
Surik Khachatryan, the governor of Armenia's southern Syunik province, has been making headlines in the last month for all the wrong reasons. No stranger to controversy, activists are now demanding his dismissal.
Kazakhstan: Reactions to Strike Crackdown as Police Brutality Video Emerges
Clashes in the town of Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan, on December 16-17, 2011, when a labour strike suddenly broke out in violence, looting and arson leaving at least 14 dead and hundreds of civilians and policemen injured, have caused considerable debate online. Adil Nurmakov reports.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Garlic Wars
With tensions high between Armenia and Azerbaijan as a result of a still unresolved territorial dispute, the appearance of Azerbaijani garlic in Armenian supermarkets has made some local media hysterical.
Armenia: Policing Christmas
Unzipped comments on a new festive advert for the Armenian police. A recent Transparency International report on policing placed the force among some of the worst in the world, but the blog nonetheless welcomes the move and hopes that the image promoted will become reality.
Global Voices: Donate Today
2011 has been an extraordinary year for online content. Global Voices has been there as revolutions happened, dictatorships fell, and network effects rippled through the cities and neighborhoods of our contributors reporting from around the world.
Kazakhstan: Longtime Strike Bursts into Violence; State of Emergency Declared
As Kazakhstan was preparing for the pompous celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the country's independence, the seven month-long strike of employees sacked from the national oil company's subsidiary in West Kazakhstan was evolving into brutal clashes with police forces, apparently, with the help of unidentified provocateurs.
Armenia: The British Ambassador's Facebook Diplomacy
An interactive Question and Answer session on Facebook by the British Ambassador to Armenia highlighted both the potential for social media as a tool for engagement as well as some its deficiencies.
Kyrgyzstan: “There Will Be No Winter”
Governments fall, parliamentary speakers come and go, and as one season fades another always begins. That, at least, was what Kyrgyz Internet users thought prior to former presidential candidate Arstanbek Abdylayev’s startling announcement that “there will be no winter”.
Armenia: More Online Diplomacy
Following the recent Question & Answer session on Twitter with the UK's new Ambassador to Azerbaijan, his outgoing counterpart in neighboring Armenia, Charles Lonsdale, is due to answer questions on Facebook on Friday 16th December.
Uzbekistan: Playing Politics on Facebook
Facebook seems to have started playing an important role in Uzbek politics. However, so far it is more a tool for playing games with fake accounts, rather than an instrument of civil protests. Ekaterina reports.
Uzbekistan: President decides to cut his term
Mansurhon says that the Uzbek Parliament’s decision to pass a constitutional amendment reducing the length of presidential term from current seven to five years, sparked a lot of controversy in the country.
Uzbekistan: Prime-minister's page on Facebook is also fake
Tomyris writes about a fuss around Facebook account of the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan that gave rise to political speculations among the observers. The page has proved to be not authentic though.
Uzbekistan: Forged Facebook story about post-interrogation suicide
Sarah Kendzior reports about the story of Gulsumoy Abdujalilova, an invented person with fake Facebook profile, who allegedly committed suicide after being interrogated by the Uzbek police.
Afghanistan: Being Disable Is Not An Unability
yahweh writes how situation with the rights of women and disabled persons has developed in Afghanistan since 2001, when the Afghan government and its international allies pledged to advance gender issues following the military intervention to oust the Taliban.
Caucasus: Frozen Conflicts, Forgotten Lives?
Marginalized by society and deprived of a voice by the mainstream media, can new media offer an alternative to refugees and IDPs in the South Caucasus?
Video Highlights: Identity, Refugees, Conflict and Open Technology
A selection of Global Voices' recent and interesting stories including video from East Asia, Sub Saharan Africa, Central Asia - Caucasus and Latin America, selected by Juliana Rincón Parra.
Kyrgyzstan: President Inaugurated Amidst Ruling Coalition's Collapse
On December 1, 2011, in a ceremony replete with medieval references, Almasbek Atambayev was sworn in as Kyrgyzstan's fourth president, with cannons sounding a peaceful transition between two heads of state for the first time in over 20 years of independence.
Azerbaijan: Dos and Don'ts of local customs
Making Wool from Eggs, a Peace Corps Volunteer blog, puts together a list of random and funny local customs, noting which are approved or disapproved of in the provincial towns and villages of Azerbaijan.
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