Postcard from Bishkek

Terry Nation died on March 9th, 1997,  at the age of 66.  He is probably best known for his creation of the Daleks, an extraterrestrial race of warlike mutants, (cyborgs), that appeared in the TV series Dr. Who when it first appeared in 1963 … but he was a much more versatile creative talent.

The Daleks were bent on universal conquest and domination, they were utterly without pity, compassion or remorse and were created by the evil genius Davros as ruthless fighting machines from the Kaleds, during the closing years of their long war with the Thals, another race that shared their home planet of Skaro.   They existed in personal “one man” “tanks” with an eye on a stick and armed with a kitchen sink “plunger” and a “ray gun” which they fired accompanied by cries of “exterminate … exterminate!”.

It is hard to imagine and to explain the lasting appeal of the Daleks.  Nothing like them had been seen before … the end of one episode had the Doctor and his companions remove a Dalek from his “tank” so that one person could sit in it … and accompany them in an escape … the episode closed with some wriggling flesh emerging from underneath a cloth of the cell floor.  It was enough to send shivers up and down the spine and children, (like me), scurrying behind the couch in hiding.

They had one drawback, however, and later we were to joke that it was easy to run away from a Dalek – just run up a flight of stairs … but later stories had them flying.

Nation actually began his career in comedy, (supposedly selling his first sketch to Spike Milligan, who bought it because, he said, Nation “looked hungry”), but an offer to write the opening futuristic story for a new children’s TV serial brought him fame … and riches … as his creation caught the imagination of young and old alike.  He later went on to contribute stories for other series but he also has to his credit two other ground breaking Science Fiction series : Blake’s Seven, (which followed the exploits of a group of renegades and convicted criminals as they battle against the evil Federation), and Survivors, (telling the story of a group of people who have survived a plague that kills nearly the entire human population of the planet).

The Daleks has been the nemesis of Doctor Who, arousing fear and trepidation with just a hint of their making an appearance, with their instantly recognizable silhouette and archetypal chant of “Exterminate, exterminate!”.  Here in Kyrgyzstan, the recurring nemesis is not a mutant alien race but a season of the year: Spring.

Temperatures start to rise as we emerge from the harsh realities of Winter – and not just in terms of climate; tempers start to fly as well.  The two revolutions which we have experienced both occurred in the Spring, (March, 2005 and April 2010), and this has almost become as institutionalized as the internet in that one news agency headlined its analysis of the current political situation as Spring.kg.

In previous weeks there has been much gossip and discussion about the possibility of yet more social unrest erupting this spring.   Behind this is the current international situation, the three way rivalry for influence between what we used to call the superpowers, China, Russia and the US – not forgetting the long list of supporting characters; the lack of a united political force in the country, the possibility of “external forces”, (for that read the current equivalent of the Daleks – the Bakievs in Minsk and London).

There seems to be some justification for the speculation that has gripped the press.  There have been, for example, a string of demonstrations in Osh, Djalal Abad, Karakol and even Naryn protesting about the situation surrounding the Kumtor Gold Mine and in support of the Ata Jurt deputies currently incarcerated; (and last week’s meetings by supporters of members of another party, (Ata Meken), accused of organizing the marauding that took place following the events of April).  Now, there is nothing wrong with protest meetings and demonstrations in themselves – they are part of the democratic process.  The problem seems to be when events move on to something more serious.

In Djalal Abad, for example, a group of protesters managed to storm the local administrative building and said they weren’t intending to vacate it until their demands were met.  As it happens, they did … just in time to take part in the celebrations commemorating the International Women’s Day holiday on Friday, but that was probably a coincidence.

It doesn’t help that we don’t really know what is going in in each of the different locations … at one point it was it was said that a small rally was being held in Osh, and at another we were told that there was no rally … it was a rehearsal for the celebrations for the next big holiday, Norus, later in the month.  Were there a handful of protesters, 300 or more than a thousand … it not clear.

Was it a “peaceful protest” – with a yurt erected in the central square for the benefit of the protesters, or was it a rowdy mob with people arriving on horseback in traditional djigit fashion.  (As one commentator put it … it can’t be a “peaceful protest” if people arrive on horseback.)

A djigit on horseback might be intimidating, but more worrying is the shooting of someone who is supposed to have had links with organized crime – as happened in Djalal Abad during the week.  Was it a one off shooting?, part of a gang war?, or a sign of something more sinister … as one twitter put it: “seems familiar”.

Then came news that grenades had been discovered in a newsroom as the result of an anonymous phone tip off, much to the surprise of everyone who worked on the paper.

Although one leading politician has called for the dissolution of the parliament, more politicians, (both in the government and the opposition), have come out saying that there is no need for a “coup” and the President has called for stricter sentences for anyone plotting such a course of action … but does such talk bring the issue out into the open and take the heat out of the situation … or merely add fuel to the fire?

Oh, and for the record: It’s not just central government that could be in trouble.  The Mayor of Bishkek is facing a vote of no-confidence.

This lack of clarity doesn’t help … nobody really knows what is going on.

To give another example of confusion arising out of confused reporting, last year the parliament accepted an amendment to the tax code designed to “simplify” the process of collecting money for the budget and trying to create a smoother flow of cash into the state’s coffers.  Profit Tax, (Corporation Tax), is currently set at 10% – of profit … that is … after expenses.  To help the administration of the tax, and ensure a continuous flow of funds into the public purse, companies have to make regular prepayments each month, which will be adjusted later on, when the final figures are eventually known.

In the past, these prepayments were calculated on the basis of the amount of tax paid in the previous year.  Now, companies are expected to pay 1% of the total turnover each month; that is 10% of 10%, and assumes that a company’s profit is 10% of it’s turnover.  However,  that’s not necessarily the case.  Even if the company operates a markup of 10% on the cost price, not all of that additional 10% is profit … there will be expenses to be met – and let’s not forget other taxes such as VAT which push the final price to the consumer even higher.  Most companies don’t achieve a 10% profit margin – especially in the face of cut-throat, price sensitive, competition.

The new arrangements have aroused considerable opposition amongst the business community … which is understandable … but, as it happens, I think that business is right … the new system looks simple – but is flawed and causes practical problems.  The interesting thing, however, is the way it has been reported in the press where the new arrangements have been confused it with VAT, and opposition to the new arrangements, (including that voiced by a former Minister of Finance), has been portrayed variously as calls for the new system to be abolished, for the system of prepayments to be abolished and even for the tax to be abolished.

Confused? … I am not surprised.  Everyone here is confused – so confused, in fact, that it almost looks as if it has been deliberately induced.

But, enough of tax and confusion … for now … back to the news

 

The story of the Kumtor gold mine continues to rumble on … and, to be honest, shows every sign of doing so for many months to come.  In theory, the deadline for resolving the situation doesn’t expire until the middle of May.   In what seemed like a complaint, but was probably no more than a simple observation of fact, government ministers pointed out that the company has yet to respond to the Parliament’s resolution calling for a resolution to the dispute – or renouncing the existing agreement.  Almost immediately, however, came an announcement from the Canadians that they didn’t want to renegotiate the deal – which they considered had been reached in an open and transparent fashion … signed, discussed in parliament, approved and ratified and was therefore part of Kyrgyz legislation.  Of course, legislation is always open to amendment.

As an aside, if last week there was a call from some of the residents near the Jeroy mine for work to get under way as quickly as possible, this week we saw yet another call for the whole project to be shelved for the time being.

One of the inspirations for opponents of the mining industry seems to come, a little surprisingly, from Australia where recent legislation imposed new tax burdens on mining companies.  Many countries, (not just Australia and Kyrgyzstan), which are the source of raw materials (minerals) are introducing tougher tax regimes and other requirements and developments here are being quoted as examples of this global trend which is being called “resource nationalism”.   Whilst such an approach has some advantages – there are also risks and dangers associated with it.

One important mineral resource, of course, is water … and that’s been in the news again this week.   Yet more voices have been added to the discussion, saying that we we will possibly, (probably?), face a water shortage in three or four years time.  This will be important not only for agriculture and hydroelectric generation but for all forms of industry and domestic users … but much more poignant were the comments reinforcing the view that water could cause conflict in the international arena in the future – and there were some very thought provoking articles about the shape of future international relations, especially after the withdrawal from Afghanistan takes effect.

 

If conflict arises, then it would help to be sure that you could rely on your armed forces.  There was news that, if the British and the Americans are likely to leave equipment to Uzbekistan, the Russians are going to be doing the same for us here in Kyrgyzstan.  There was talk, for example, of new helicopters being delivered over the next few years.  (Once, in the days of the Soviet Union, there were hundreds of helicopters based her as part of the training school, but apparently, these days there are very few still in service.)

One of the odd news items was the fact that a soldier had been found serving in the army who wasn’t a Kyrgyz citizen … apparently he was from Uzbekistan and some reports suggested that he was a stateless person.  I still can’t understand how he got into the army – if he was a conscript, (and most of them are), then how did he get his call up papers?, or did he volunteer?  Not many people volunteer as conditions are supposed to be pretty dire … a lot of people try to opt for “alternative service”, (basically pay a fee to avoid conscription).

It’s not like France, there’s no Foreign Legion.  Even when it comes to Kyrgyz citizens there are very few representatives of the ethnic minorities serving in the forces.  Statistics released this week, for exampled, revealed that only 5% of the law enforcement officers come from the ethnic minorities and 9% of civil servants.

Another surprising news story with a military twist was the revelation that there seems to be a glut of bacon and other luxury foodstuffs in Bishkek – although I haven’t seen any evidence of this.  Although the Kyrgyz are nominally Muslims, and don’t eat pork – or bacon – it is possible to find some in shops and markets that cater for other nationalities … but a glut of bacon still manages to raise a few eyebrows – especially when it is apparently in packs marked “Not for resale” … especially when the American base has apparently noted a significant loss of stock in recent months.   You don’t need to be a Sherlock Holmes or have the intellect of a Dr. Who to draw the obvious conclusions of what’s been going on.

If someone at the American Base is “working a fast one”, then it seems they are not the only ones.  The accusations that a “British” company has been selling “poor quality drugs” to Kyrgyzstan.  Apparently someone at the Ministry of Health bought what they thought were generic drugs that were considerably cheaper than they ones they were using for the treatment of dialysis patients… but soon the patients were complaining of unpleasant side effects.  Although the company selling the medicine was based in the UK, it seems that the parent company is from Belarus and the drugs themselves come from Egypt … and, according to press reports, the regulators in both Britain and Kyrgyzstan are apparently unable to intervene despite protests because of technical loopholes.  Meanwhile, the patients are still receiving these “poor quality drugs” and, presumably, suffering the same unpleasant side effects.

Britain has also come in for some implied criticism from one of the more well known political activists. According to his tweets, the British government now know more about him that the Kyrgyz government – so comprehensive is the Visa application form … which took him more than four hours to complete.

If he’s facing difficulties, at least he won’t run foul of a newly proposed measure which will prevent female Kyrgyz citizens under 23 years of age from traveling abroad without their parents consent.  The idea is to prevent young women from being exploited and some of the scenes of abuse that we have seen emanating from Russia – although, personally, I am not sure how the proposed law would do that and I think it could run into constitutional as it discriminates against a section of the population on grounds of sex and age.

There is some good news for young people, (apparently some 31% of the population), as it was reported that youth unemployment has been cut in half last year … if we can rely on the official statistics.  That was just one of the interesting (and somewhat surprising) statistics reported during the week.  Others included:

• Kyrgyzstan was ranked in 38th place, (out of 151), in an index of the world’s happiest countries, not only outperforming its neighbours but also countries like Britain, (in 41st place – which achieved the best placing of any EU or G8 countries), France (50th), the US (105th) and Russia (122nd).  Top of the index came Costa Rica, Vietnam and Colombia.  It seems to me that some research needs to be done about this research.
• In a recent poll, 64% of the people questioned are “confident in tomorrow” – i.e. optimistic about future prospects.  This counter intuitive result was heightened with the news that just over half thought the economic development of the country was low and the political situation unstable.     Slightly more understandable was the comment that younger people tend to be more optimistic than their elders.
• Apparently, just less than 11% of the country’s population for whom Kyrgyz is not their native language can actually speak it … most of them speak Russian instead … and I have to admit that I am one of them.   Incidentally, the same survey reported that only just over 1% of the population are fluent in English.
• The “mother tongue” question was highlighted in another story which reported that the numbers of schools that teach in Uzbek has fallen from by a third in the last 10 years – from 141 in 2002 to just 91 in 2012.
• In the first two months of 2013, there were 21 emergency situations – avalanches, floods, incidents of rabies and anthrax and an industrial accident, (a fire) – if that sounds bad, its actually slightly better than last year when there 30 such incidents, and nobody died in them, (last year 6 people died)
• There are over 2800 religious organizations in the country, but only 2300 are officially registered.  The surprising thing in the report was that whereas the Orthodox community has some 49 organizations, that’s only just over 13% of the “Christian” organizations.  Apparently, the Baptists have same number and the Pentacoslists have more, (with 54).  Not far behind were the “Charismatics”, (43) and Jehovah’s Witnesses, (41).
• The roads in Kyrgyzstan have been judged as among the 10 worst in the world  according to the Global Competitiveness Report from the World Economic Forum.  Although we are a long way behind countries like France, the UAE and Singapore, who topped the list, our roads are still rated better than those in Romania, which came bottom, the Ukraine and Russia.    Maybe this is one of the factors considered by President Atambaev in his call for a new road to link the Northern and Southern parts of the country.

 

Finally, let me alert you to an interesting photo site on the internet: foto.kg which claims to be an archive of the History of Kyrgyzstan in photographs and the History of Photography in Kyrgyzstan.  The photos are fascinating and they are accompanied by a description, (in Russian – but Google Translate can probably help if that is a problem.)

 

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For the record: The email account I was using to send out the weekly postcard seems to have been hacked … so I have deleted it and created an alternative : .

 

Postcard from Bishkek: the weekly postcard that I send out as an email also gets posted on the website ianbek.kg each week – and there are other postcards which don’t get sent out.  This week, for example, there has been the following postcards:

•  Boat trips on Lake Issyk Kul - A popular attraction – 03/03/13
• Mini Sagas - A different literary style, but it’s not always easy to be concise – 04/03/13
• Coronet Peak - One of the peaks in the Kyrgyz Range to the South of Bishkek – 05/03/13
• Tien Shan Brown Bear - One of the residents of the mountains of Kyrgyzstan – 06/03/13
• The Naryn River - Kyrgyzstan’s longest river, the source of the Syr Darya – 07/03/13
• Men altymysh zhashtamyn - to mark a personal jubilee – my 60th birthday – I take a look at age in Kyrgyz traditional culture – 08/03/13

It is possible to follow me on Facebook, (where I have specific pages for Celestial Mountains and ianbek … and also links.kg and Kyrgyz Diary), and on twitter, (@Bishkekpostcard and @celestialMTC ).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Expat, Life_in_Kyrgyzstan, Weekly_Postcards