Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from February, 2011
Azerbaijan: From Carpets to Socks
Azerbaijani carpets were last year inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. They also often attract the attention of bloggers.
Russia-Kyrgyzstan: Mount Putin on the map
Windows to Russia reports that Kyrgyzstan on 17 February decided to name a mountain peak after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Caucasus: The Vagina Monologues
Georgia On My Mind provides its readers with a comprehensive review of The Vagina Monologues held earlier this week in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. Controversial as it was bound to be in a region more renowned for its patriarchal values, the event, which included performances from women from Armenia, Azerbaijan,...
Azerbaijan: The Sinner and The Saint
As irreverent as ever, Scary Azeri comments on Azerbaijan's entry into this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Contrasting the angelic look of the male singer with the seductive maturer attributes of the female, the blog sarcastically concludes that Eldar and Nigar might be absurd enough a duo to stand a good...
Azerbaijan: We are all Junkies…
Jabbar Savalan updates its readers on the case of a youth activist recently arrested in Azerbaijan. In its latest entry, the blog reports that the Dalga Youth Movement have issued a statement concerning the arrest [EN], while in another, it posts a photograph of a protest demonstration held in his...
China and Mongolia: Goliath and David?
At East Asia Forum, Justin Li discussed the Sinophobia in Mongolia caused by high dependence on China for trade and investment. In another article on the Forum, Julian Dierkes questioned Li's claims, and highlighted that significant shift in Mongolia's ‘third neighbour’ policy is possible. In a separate but related article...
Azerbaijan: Anti-corruption drive following Egypt and Tunisia
Fatalin's Blog comments on word that an anti-corruption drive in Azerbaijan has been initiated following popular revolts in Egypt and Tunisia. The blog cites some examples and hopes that the crackdown will last long after the time when the oil-rich country's regime believes it will be spared any similar protests.
Afghanistan: Taliban and al-Qaeda ‘distinct groups with different goals’
Nick Fielding reviews new book by the Centre on International Cooperation, which says that the Taliban and al-Qaeda remain distinct groups with different goals, ideologies and sources of recruits. The authors insist that understanding this is a key to success in Afghanistan.
Armenia: Facebook revolution?
Following successful protests in Tunisia and Egypt, aided in part by social media, The Armenian Observer reports that the extra-parliamentary opposition in Armenia hope to replicate attempts to overthrow the government with Facebook. However, the blog notes, with usage incredibly low, such hopes might be sorely misguided.
Kyrgyzstan: The ghost of state-level racketeering returns
Kamilla reports on a clash between the Kyrgyz authorities and Russian investors over the status of MegaCom, one of Kyrgyzstan’s leading mobile operators – while the government claims that the company’s stock has been nationalized, the Russians claim that their share (51%) is in the government’s hands for safekeeping.
Turkmenistan: Fake concert as a sign of longing for more freedom
A fake Hip Hop concert announcement on the Internet reveals something about the character of Turkmenistan’s young generation, and the complexity of hope, fantasy, and reality, reports neweurasia’s Annasoltan.
Tajikistan: Dead insurgent lives forever online
Nathan Hamm writes that one of the most notorious Tajik opposition commanders Ali Bedaki, who was reportedly killed in combat operations, as been noticed on a YouTube video that shows him being interrogated in the back of a vehicle. The Tajikistan government claims the video is a fake, but the...
Tajikistan: Opposition Member Severely Beaten
Christya Riedel reports that Hikmatullo Saifullozoda, a 60 year old editor of the opposition newspaper Najot and a prominent member of the Tajikistan opposition, was brutally beaten by unidentified perpetrators near his home in the capital city Dushanbe.
Azerbaijan: Support site for arrested youth activist
Following news of the arrest last week of a political youth activist in Azerbaijan, a blog, Freedom Jabbar Savalan!, has been set up in English, Azerbaijani and Russian.
Japan: The last Japanese man remaining in Kazakhstan
At Japan Subculture Research Center‘s blog, Richard Orange and Ikuru Kuwajima tell the story [en] of “one Japanese POW trapped in the Soviet Union after the end of the Second World War.”
Azerbaijan: Political activist reported arrested
SEMIÇKA – OLUBDUR, OLUR, OLACAQ… reports that Jabbar Savalan, an opposition youth activist, has been arrested in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait. The blog quotes associates of Savalan as alleging that charges of drug possession are ‘completely ridiculous.’
Afghanistan: Planning failure puts billions at risk
Nick Fielding reports that, according to an audit by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), $11.4 billion is at risk due to inadequate planning for the construction of nearly 900 Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF) facilities.
Uzbekistan: Contemplating life after Karimov
In the wake of Uzbek president visit to Brussels, the European Union seemed impotent in the face of one of the world’s most brutal dictatorships, because the EU isn’t engaging Uzbekistan’s other players, argues neweurasia’s Schwartz.
Kyrgyzstan: Threat of radical islamists
Rahat informs his readers that police is on a patrol in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan's capital city, after the shootings between police and armed terrorists, who were identified by the officials as radical Islamic militants.
Kazakhstan: Referendum Cancelled, Elections Announced
A group of citizens initiated a drive for signatures in support of a referendum to extend the incumbent president's authority until 2020 without elections, a move that was widely believed to be orchestrated from presidential administration. They collected more than 5 million signatures in less than three weeks during Christmas and New Years holidays
Georgia: Blogger action in support of evicted IDPs
Following the eviction of IDP families from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, bloggers in Tbilisi, Georgia, have joined ranks with protesters demanding an end to their often forcible relocation and demands for proper housing.
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