Comments on: A sense of Deja vu

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:56:05 +0000

Nice to be in touch, even in these troubled times. The news does not sound very hopeful, and it sounds as though the trouble is far from over yet, thanks to the greed of politicians.

Hope and pray that there will not be more bloodshed…

By: Guest

Guest — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:52:56 +0000

Many thanks for the postcard. Interesting and informative as ever. Main thing you and your staff are okay.
Very odd for me watching all this from here, a very placid – some would say a suspiciously or eerily placid – place… The deaths of course very sad, but at the same time… one has to respect the opposition demonstrators, their bravery and commitment, very moving… Also impressive is how filthily badly the US comes out of this… and excellent news that the US Congress are going to take a closer look at how the US government bunged money the Bakievs’ way. Another striking thing is how the news media tend to see all the events in terms of the US military base rather than in terms of the people of Kyrgyzstan. One joke I came across on the net: ‘Desperate Kyrgyz oppositionists demand one thing and one thing alone: more consonants.’

By: Guest

Guest — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:51:07 +0000

Thank you so much for your ‘postcard’, and thank you for thinking of sending it to me. It is very good to have a first hand detailed and intelligent account of what happened and is happening.

I am amazed by your detailed report of events, and even more amazed that you got it off within days of it all happening. It is terrible that so many got killed … I do hope the present government won’t make the same mistakes yet again…. But politicians are not the best of men, anywhere.

I am curious to know which is the exhibition in France which you decided not to come for. Because we are in Paris at present and it would be interesting to know.

By: Guest

Guest — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:50:06 +0000

Thanks, greetings from Sofia…

By: Guest

Guest — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:49:17 +0000

thank you very much for this – very illuminating!

I have actually just finished a new edition (3rd) of Silk Roads and it
goes to press next week but fortunately I have been able to include an
update – although how things will pan out, as you say, is not clear.

I hope tourist numbers aren’t hit too badly but I’m afraid it will be
bad news short-term at least. It seems whenever a new one of my books
is coming out something goes wrong but that’s the nature of the beast
I’m afraid.

Good luck for the rest of 2010

cheers

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:38:59 +0000

God bless Kyrgyzstan and you. Looking forward for news.

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:38:31 +0000

First of all, we would like to thank you for sending us your
postcard from Bishkek. It was very important for all of us to get
news from our friends and to know that everybody is still safe. We
all hope the situation will soon improve. On the other hand, we feel
very disappointed that you’ll not be able to come to France this
month, but, of course, we cannot but approve of your reasons. We
only hope that this is just a postponement and that another occasion
will soon arise that’ll allow us to greet you in Paris.
Thanks again and all the very best to you,

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:38:08 +0000

Many thanks for providing this account, which I find both fascinating and alarming. I’m glad to know that you and your staff are unharmed, and hope that things will indeed settle down soon.

As you point out, protests are commonplace elsewhere and rarely amount to more than shouted slogans. I notice that a lot of Canadians complain quite bitterly on newspaper discussion boards and make casual comments along the lines of “this country is becoming like North Korea”, without seeming to have much appreciation of how stable and tolerant Canada really is (nor how difficult their lives would be if they behaved the same way in some of these other countries).

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:37:44 +0000

For over five years we lived in Bishkek and were also present for the first Revolution in 2005. We still have many friends there and have been watching the news. We wanted to thank you. It was very kind of you to include us in your mailing since we are very interested in how things will turn out there. It is our prayer that things will calm down and in the end, life will be better for people in Kyrgyzstan.

We send you our best wishes.

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:36:55 +0000

Thank you so very much for your update about the situation in Kyrgyzstan. It is much appreciated! My fervent hopes for peace and a humane transition from conflict go out to you and everyone in Kyrgyzstan.