Latest posts by Adil Nurmakov from September, 2011
Afghanistan: Donor dependence
Nick Fielding writes that the US and other donors have provided 90 per cent of Afghanistan's public expenditures in 2006-2010. With the 2014 target date for the withdrawal of US troops, the question is how the government in Kabul would fund its security forces, who use up the lion's share...
Uzbekistan: Activists detained for photographing child labor
Tomyris reports that two members of an unregistered Uzbekistan’s Human Rights Society were detained by the authorities for photographing schoolchildren picking cotton in the country's southern province.
Uzbekistan: Exiled opposition member murdered
Avicenna reports that one of the most active members of the Uzbek opposition in exile Fuad Rustamkhojaev was assasinated in Ivanovo, a Western Russian town where he lived for the last 6 years. The victim's colleagues are outraged by the brutality, blaming the political regime in Uzbekistan for the murder.
Turkmenistan: Spoken and unspoken lyrics of Turkmen literature
Tomyris reports on the fifth annual book fair hosted in Ashgabat this month, and notes that while literature in Turkmenistan is being celebrated, it continues to be suppressed and dominated by propaganda.
Uzbekistan: Violations of religious freedom
Mansurhon reviews the speech by Uzbekistan's expert and rights activist regarding violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in this country. The speech, delivered at the Annual OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meetng, warns that these violations represent a serious risk to Uzbekistan’s future.
Kyrgyzstan: Pushing for the state language in campaign
murzaki writes about the Kyrgyz language test, which is a part of the presidential candidates registration in Kyrgyzstan. Some observers believe this exam may be a tool of screening away unwanted politicians, but it probably also marks the start of politicization of the state language issue.
Afghanistan: Taliban propaganda on the internet
Nick Fielding writes about Taliban's presence on the internet with public relations accounts in popular social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube as well as videos disseminated through cellphones in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: Local police units failing
Nick Fielding reviews a new Human Rights Watch report on the creation of the Afghan Local Police last summer, noting that impunity-driven militias participated in murderous tribal vendettas, targeted killings, smuggling, extortion and rapes.
Kazakhstan: Forbes magazine franchise launched
Tomyris informs that Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s wealthiest country, welcomes the prominent business Forbes magazine to its list of available medias.
Kyrgyzstan: Intelligence cooperation with China
Marat Sartpaev ponders on the fact that top officers of the Kyrgyz special service paid a visit to China in an attempt to set up cooperation ties and, probably, bargain for the closer international partners’ attention.
Afghanistan: The country's relations with China
Nasim Fekratْ looks into the historic background and current state of Afghan-Chinese political, trade and economic relationships.
Tajikistan: The country in its 20
Christian Bleuer is analyzing the newest history of Tajikistan – both its internal politics and its geopolitical stand – as this country marks the 20th anniversary of its independence.
Uzbekistan: Journalists face dress-code restrictions
Tomyris reports that Uzbekistan, “a leader in the field of media censorship”, is imposing a new limitation to journalists. The female reporters seen on Uzbek state television will be seen only in a conservative manner – that means no skin exposure in inappropriate places.
Uzbekistan: Opposition in exile gets more active
Abulfazal says that the emerging oppositional movement of Uzbekistan citizens in exile has took its shape as the People’s Movement of Uzbekistan (PMU) with branches in Canada, Sweden and Norway.
Turkmenistan: Challenges for education
Annasoltan talks with a professional teacher in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, about education’s challenges in this country, from shifting generational and cultural values to corruption in the schools.
Kazakhstan: Bloggers Denounce Repeated Blockage of LiveJournal
On August 19, 2011, the largest Russophone blogging platform LiveJournal was blocked in Kazakhstan, less than a year after access to it was re-opened in fall of 2010. This intrusion of the state into virtual life, has stirred up the blogosphere.
