Stories about Central Asia & Caucasus from August, 2009
Georgia, Russia: Cyber Attacks on Blogger ‘Cyxymu’
In 2008, the Russo-Georgian war coincided with the Beijing Olympics, diverting some of the public attention from the peaceful sporting event. This week, cyber attacks on LJ, Twitter and Facebook, targeting Tbilisi-based blogger cyxymu, have added an extra dimension to the coverage of the war's first anniversary.
Georgia: Blogger reportedly targetted by Facebook, Twitter attack
CNET's blog carries a podcast report on the denial of service attacks on Facebook and Twitter which apparently targeted Georgian blogger Cyxymu as the first anniversary of the Russia-Georgia war approached.
Afghanistan: A report someone didn't want you to read
Nick Fielding opines that the Britain's Parliamentary report on Afghanistan is strongly critical of the present government's policy towards Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Tajikistan: Language is the key to national self-determination
Botur Kosimi comments on a recent bill in the Tajikistan parliament that concerns the status and role of the Tajik language in the nation.
Kazakhstan: Aktau Trip Travelogue
KZBlog presents a travelogue post (with pictures) about his trip to Aktau, a port and resort town on the Caspian Sea, west of Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan: Protests Against New Russian Base
Nathan Hamm notes that Uzbekistan is stepping up its criticism of Russia’s plan to open a second military base in Kyrgyzstan – near Uzbekistan’s border – by alleging that the new base would destabilize the region and provoke extremists.
Uzbekistan: Tashkent’s head Imam stabbed outside his home
Noah Tucker reports that Imam of Tashkent was stabbed outside his home on 31 July and remains hospitalized in serious condition. This is the second attack on a Uzbekistan's religious figure in the last 30 days.
Russia, Georgia: “A Year After”
Scraps of Moscow re-posts and links to a few items on last year's Russian-Georgian war that appeared elsewhere.
Kazakhstan: Economics and blogs
Megakhuimyak talks about the models of social behavior of the Kazakhstani citizens… [ru]: People of the Third World countries specifically like to spend their money to show off, especially, when wedding parties are concerned. A couple has just married, but tens of thousands of dollars are already spent. Then they...
CEE, Central Asia: Post-Communist Leaders
A Fistful of Euros writes about “the first generation of post-Communist leaders”: “Well, here’s a question: almost 20 years later, how many of them are still running things? Not so many.”
IndieGoGo: fundraising for independent film-makers
IndieGoGo is a fundraising and promotion platform for independent movie makers where they can network, showcase their work and raise funds for their projects.
Russia: Stalin's Grandson vs. Novaya Gazeta
Eternal Remont comments on the lawsuit filed by Stalin's grandson against a Russian newspaper: “By the same legal resoning, someone could sue the Holocaust Museum for besmirching Hitler’s good name. But the Kremlin is despratly trying to rehabilitate Stalin's image these days.”
Caucasus: An interview with Bart Woord
International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) Secretary General Bart Woord took time out to speak to Global Voices Online about the role new media can play in the region and the case of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, two video bloggers recently detained in Baku on what many consider to be politically motivated charges.
Kyrgyzstan: Presidential Elections Are Over
Tolkun Umaraliev says the opposition candidates claim the election in Kyrgyzstan to be illegal. There is a confusion among media, both local and foreign, that candidates Nazaraliev and Atambaev have withdrawn their candidacies. However, both Nazaraliev and Atambaev have several times stated that according to the law on elections, they...
Afghanistan: Government shuts down anti-Karzai websites
Nick Fielding says that the Afghan interior ministry has blocked at least five internet sites, four of which feature the name of President Hamid Karzai and one named after the current interior minister.
Kyrgyzstan: Bakiev’s Success and Disappointment of Observers
Elena reports in detail on the outcomes of the presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan.
Kyrgyzstan: No more free music
Arawanski reports that the biggest torrent tracking website of free downloads in Kyrgyzstan has been sued by recording and producing companies for breach of copyright.
Mongolia: Ulaanbaatar’s Children’s Park is vanishing
Axel is alarmed by the fact that the Children’s Park in Mongolian capital city Ulaanbaatar has been closed for a major land redevelopment.
Afghanistan: Taliban and the Election
Joshua Foust reports that the Taliban has vowed to disrupt the Afghan election next month, for the first time showing genuine concern by the election.
Afghanistan: Blogging in the Afghan provinces
Nasim Fekrat tells about his continuing efforts to holg trainings for young Afghans on online journalism and blogging.
Armenia: HIV-AIDS education and awareness
Unzipped: Gay Armenia commends the general manager of a local mobile telephone operator for his philanthropic work in Armenia. The blog says that despite the sometimes shady business environment in the country, Ralph Yirikian impresses many people and not least with his latest initiative to raise awareness of HIV-AIDS.
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