Migration a ‘Tragedy’ for Kyrgyzstan

About 2,000 young and well-educated professionals leave Kyrgyzstan every year. Begimai Sataeva on NewEurasia.net calls the outward migration of the bright and skilled young people a ‘real tragedy’ that affects Kyrgyzstan's economy and international competitiveness.

Regime Critic Goes Missing in Tajikistan

An outspoken regime critic and leader of a minority ethnic community has gone missing in Tajikistan. The country's internet users have largely missed his disappearance. The reactions from those who have paid attention to this case show that xenophobic attitudes run deep within Tajik society.

Exploring New Approaches For Poverty Reduction

The quest is on for solutions to poverty reduction with the approach of the 2015 deadline for the UN Millenium Development Goals (MDG). Many organizations are exploring new avenues for answers.

Tajikistan: Opposition Leader Kidnapped?

The Tajik government appears to be steamrolling all signs of political opposition ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

Attention! Baby on Board: An Interview With a Travelling Blogger Family

An interview with The Family Without Borders: Anna and Thomas Alboth, parents, travellers and bloggers, who've been around the Black Sea and around Central America with their two small daughters.

Cooking Kazakh Traditional Dish

‘Foreign Ideas’ as Extremism in Central Asia

[I]n former Soviet Central Asia there is little debate that the root problem [of extremist beliefs] is “foreign ideas,” defined so broadly as to become a target of opportunity for both every political purpose and every local policeman or official’s ambition. Any sign of dissent from state policies or ideology <...> can be enough to bring the wrath of the state, sometimes with great violence.

A Peek Into Uzbek Pop Music Scene

Uzbek Music Friday is a (rare) feature in which I post a pop music video from an artist in Uzbekistan. It could be catchy, annoying, funny, insightful, brilliant, awful, or anything in between. It’s what’s playing on the radio, what all the cool kids are listening to these days... [It] gives you a glimpse into how pop music is done on this side of the world.

Kazakhstan's ‘Moribund Opposition’

For anybody that has ever wondered whether Kazakhstan even has a political opposition, the answer is that it does, but not a very useful one.

Nowruz as Tajikistan's Official New Year?

If we want Nowruz to serve the goal of the [cultural] revival of our nation, the holiday should mark the official beginning of a new year in the country...

Happy Nowruz from Central Asia!

How do people in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan celebrate Nowruz today? NewEurasia.net bloggers have produced a video that gives you an idea.

Nowruz on Uzbekistan's Tower of Silence

About 20 countries and communities almost all over the world celebrate Nowruz today. Commonly known as the ‘Persian New Year,’ Nowruz has its origins in the ancient religion Zoroastrianism. Don Croner celebrates the holiday on the ruins of the so-called ‘Zoroastrian Tower of Silence’ in Uzbekistan. The blogger writes about...

Religious Hatred on Facebook in Tajikistan

The shattered system of primary and secondary education, corrupt and rotten system of higher education, the official clergy which has lost [people's] trust, the absence of state-controlled religious education, weak and will-less intellectuals, the presence of a large number of uncontrolled websites with extremist and jihadist content - these are the major reasons why an increasing number of young individuals in our country become extremists.

The State of Torture in the World in 2013

On January 23, 2013, an excerpt from the annual report of l'ACAT-France, A World of Torture 2013, makes a fresh assessment of the state of torture in the world [fr]: “A report called A World of Torture in 2013, assesses torture practices that continue to be alarming, from Pakistan to...

Celebrating Valentine's Day in Kyrgyzstan

Who cares if Valentine’s Day is a cheesy, commercialized Western export; sometimes it’s nice to have an excuse to be romantic.

Harlem Shake Rocks Central Asia

With this cultural virus we clearly see that if people want to have fun, nothing will stop them. Fighting with Western influence or restrictions on YouTube will not  help the authorities.

Turkmenistan: With Enemies Like These, Who Needs Friends?

People in Turkmenistan and Turkmen dissidents in exile are unhappy about the fact that criticisms of the country's political regime come from various 'foreign experts,' while Western policymakers and politicians inside the country remain mute.