Postcard from Bishkek

I am a great believer in what is called “lifelong education”. As a teacher, back in Britain, there were always lots of opportunities to avail ourselves in order to – from single one-off lectures to extended courses leading to further qualifications.

One of the most interesting courses I ever took was called Looking at Paintings. It was provided by the Open University, but it was a Self Study course … without any assessment or examination. The university simply sold you a pack which included a book, videos and other materials … in particular a study guide.

It was during this that I first came across the story of Graham Sutherland’s portrait of Winston Churchill – the politician who emerged out of the political wilderness to become the country’s greatest wartime leader … and was later to win a poll as the Greatest Britain of all time. It was commissioned by Parliament as a birthday present for the wartime Prime Minister to commemorate his 80th birthday, on 30th November , 1954.

Sutherland  was the probably the leading artist of the day … but the painting turned out to be extremely controversial.  During one of the sittings, Churchill is supposed to have asked the artist what sort of picture he intended to produce … was it to be one, like Cromwell’s, showing “warts and all”.  Maybe he had an inkling of what was to about to happen.

Several of the sketches and studies  survive of different the great man in different poses, and it is clear that he had no idea of how he was to represented … until, that is, just 10 days before the official ceremony when Clementine, his wife, paid a visit to the studio and took a photograph.  When Churchill saw the picture, he took a very Victorian attitude … he was not amused.

He was adamant that the ceremony should go ahead – albeit without the painting … but the great statesman had to give way on that point.

Afterwards, it was taken back to the Churchill home, Chartwell where, rather than being put on display, it was hidden away … a least for a while. Even though it was only “on loan” and was meant to be handed back to be hung in the Houses of Parliament, Clementine apparently took a knife to it, doused it with petrol and set it alight.

Whilst it may not exactly have been a flattering portrait – it’s an interesting portrait which captured some of the “bulldog” spirit for which he was so famous and raises the question as to what Sutherland got right … “warts and all”.

If we look at this week’s news from Kyrgyzstan … “warts and all” … then what sort of picture emerges?

The week began with a disturbing report about reports of torture and extortion by members of the police force – and the apparent inability or unwillingness of the authorities to address the issue. The Office the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights decided to address it, however, citing what they saw as irregularities of the treatment of suspects in the recent case of the theft of over four million dollars at Osh airport.

I wonder if the news that came at the end of the week, (that the average salary for a policeman is just four thousand som a month – that’s less than a hundred dollars … just over sixty euro or fifty pounds sterling), might go some way towards explaining this particular “wart”.

Also, at the end of the week, there was yet another lengthy report examining another case, this one dating back a decade or so, which made unpleasant reading.

 

Knowing his penchant for Whiskey, I am not sure what Sir Winston might have made of this particular measure: but the GAI, the much maligned traffic police, have taken delivery of some 60 state of the art breathalyzers from Turkey … the instructions are currently in the process of being translated from Turkish into Russian, (interestingly, the report said nothing about being translated into Kyrgyz). Let’s hope that the GAI learn these instruction better than they apparently have learned the “rules of the road”. It emerged this week that 35% of the officers in in Bishkek didn’t know them when they were tested earlier this year.

 

The supporters of Kelibekov, (the former speaker of the parliament who was arrested on corruption charges), have blocked the Osh-Irkeshtam road … causing a huge tailback of several hundred vehicles. In the end they lifted their blockade of the road but demanded that the mode of arrest, (detention on remand) be changed, or else, it was reported, they would “launch a war”, occupy strategic centers with three million people and stage another “coup”. I am not sure where the three people would come from – the population of Kyrgyzstan is just over five million … so, perhaps that was another example of wishful thinking.  Anyway … it got three of them an official warning from the security services …

Keldibekov’s lawyer has been bust preparing questions for the President, (Both Atambaev – the current holder of that office and Otunbaeva, the former President), the current speaker and the Finance Minister about the case and its handling … also pointing out that many of the important decisions which form the base of the claims took place when others held the all important posts.

At first there had been speculation that one of the reasons behind the arrest might have been because of his opposition to the proposed sale of KyrgyzGas to the Russian Gazprom giant. Well, the parliament voted to approve the sale on the bill’s first reading … somewhat impressively by 65 to 15.

In another court case, Janybek Bakiev, the brother of former President Kurmanbek Bakiev, effectively received a life sentence in absentia. He had been charged with the theft of 22 million som from a branch of the National Bank, the illegal creation of armed groups, organization of mass disorders and arbitrary usurpation of authority. Having been found guilty on these charges, the 18 years the court handed down, when added to the sentence in a previous case means an effective life sentence … if he is ever caught to serve it.

 

The Government has been busy preparing draft set of agreements on the Kumtor project … but they admit that they don’t know if the Canadians will agree to sign them.

In another case, the Canadian Stans Energy Corp and Kutessay Mining LLC, is to go to arbitration. They have filed papers in the Chamber of Commerce in Moscow, seeking almost 120 million dollars in compensation … and the selection of a panel of arbiters is underway.

After last week’s news that a Guatemalan citizen was arrested for fraud, this week saw the arrest of an American on suspicion of fraud. I was particularly intrigued by the description given in the news reports – age 62, (just a little older than me), first arrived in the country in 1996, (just after me), and has not left the country since 2003, (the last time I left was in 2005). Apparently he offered to help Kyrgyz citizens emigrate to the States and find employment there and, according to reports, taking money from them before “disappearing”. It is said that he also ran a private English school here in Bishkek, collecting fees before, once again, disappearing.

Oddly enough, it seems that it’s not just the Kyrgyz that have become victims of of crime. On Monday, the Chinese Embassy issued a warning to Chinese citizens that Chinese Traders are being “targeted” in a crime spree in the republic. It seems that there has been a spate of allegedly robberies recently, some turning violent.

 

Another “wart” is the growing incidence of rape cases in the country, (by a little under 8.9%), bucking the general trend which saw a fall in the overall crime rate – by nearly 4% compared to last year.

Then there was the news that so far this year 67 children have drowned in the country … in lakes, rivers, ponds, irrigation channels, reservoirs, wells, in a swimming pool and even in a bathroom.

There was more mixed news this week with the announcement that the Government expects a decline in GDP this year … from USD1379 to USD1225 … with unemployment increasing slightly … but things looks more promising for 2014 and onwards, not only recovering lost ground but surging ahead – let’s hope that’s not just a case of wishful thinking.

The loan from the Chinese for the construction of an alternative North South Road has been approved … but the feasability study for the proposed China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway have been sent back for reworking …

 

Although the Manas Transit Base is scheduled to close down halfway through next year, with the Americans apparently already taking steps to wind things down and transfer activities to other bases, for example in Romania, and the airport is undergoing work to turn it into a civilian airhub, there has been some speculation that the Americans are not actually planning to walk away from Central Asia – and Kyrgyzstan in particular. The Russians have pointed out that they are building a massive embassy and suggested that they transferring many of the personnel from the Transit Base to the embassy. To add interest, it’s been linked with the activities of the NSA and intelligence gathering … especially as the parliament has been discussing a draft law in the import, export and use of specialist technical means for collecting secret information.

In the meantime, the Russians have taken the unusual step of denying that they are planning to deploy strategic bombers at their base in Kant. Apparently, two planes were sent to fly over the base as part of the activities to commemorate the tenth anniversary of it opening.

 

The ombudsman described the draft Law on Foreign Agents an attack on NGO’s and civil society and a step back towards an “authoritarian rule” in a speech on Monday, pointing out that it would have a negative impact on the work of non-commercial organizations and urging parliamentarians to refrain from supporting it. The President has also said he’s opposed to the measure … and now it seems that might well struggle if it comes to a vote in the parliament. But the biggest smile of the week came when one commentator pointed out that if the litmus test for defining a “foreign agent” was that they received funding from abroad, then “by the same token, the Kyrgyz Republic must be also considered a foreign agent, as the government is the biggest recipient of foreign aid.”

Finally, one piece of good news … Kyrgyzstan has acceded to the 1979 Convention of the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals … otherwise known as the Bonn Convention … and it will come into force in a months time, on January 1st. I am not sure, however, what effect it might have on, for example, the population of Marco Polo Sheep in the country. Apparently, since 2012, some 102 of these endangered animals have been killed by hunters ,,, bringing into the budget something like twenty five and a half milli0n som – that’s just over half a million dollars.

 

As usual, this is just a smattering of the items from the week’s news … some good, some – well, not so good …there’s not enough time or space to consider

• the Uzbek proposals for water conservation;
• the question of the future of Kyrgyzstan’s glaciers – it’s been projected that they will shrink by something like 35% in the next 20 years – and the new proposed draft law “On Glaciers” … yes, we are going to have a law on glaciers!;
• the losses of gas and electricity from the national networks; the plans to introduce new “smart meters” for electricity subscribers to monitor and control consumption;
• the 663 rallies held in the country so far this year (that’s about 2 a day);
• the proposal to amend the law to allow foreigners to buy and own land in certain circumstances;
• the new security measures introduced in maternity hospitals;
• the startling news of two citizens “with mental disabilities” being “sold” to a “begging ring” in Moscow;
• the rise and spread of the “sex industry” in Bishkek – estimated to be worth up to ten million dollars;
• the Chief of Police who shot his wife … and then himself;
• the progress of discussions about Kyrgyzstan’s entry to the Customs Union – and the arrangements being undertaken in preparation of any compensation claims the WTO member countries may have;
• the proposals to that new shopping centers can only be built if they are fully equipped with parking spaces … something of particular interest to me because of the traffic chaos outside our office as a result of the new Bishkek Park complex;
• a decline in the rate of infectious and parasitic diseases;
• the assertion that there is not a mass return of migrants working in Russia and Kazakhstan;
• plans for the development of organic farming;
• the almost 3000 Kyrgyz citizens currently serving sentences in Russian and Kazakhstan;
• the fact that Bishkek’s trolleybuses might be “grounded” because of unpaid electricity bills;
• sporting successes by Kyrgyz citizens in cycling, Tennis, and combat sports – which, although maybe not outstanding are creditable;

… and so on … and so on.

All in all, this may not present an altogether  flattering picture, but, like Sutherland’s portrait, it does capture some of the characteristic elements of life here in Kyrgyzstan …

 

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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:

• Going South – Osh oblast - On the anniversary of the founding of the Osh oblast … what is there to see and do in the region? – 24/11/13
• Konstantin Scriabin - One of the pioneers of Kyrgyzstan’s Science – 25/11/13
• Voron - The Ravens of Bishkek –  26/11/13
• Unnatural Links - I’ve been accused of poting unnatural links (whatever they are) … I plead “Not guilty!”  - 27/11/13
• Frederick Engels - He never made it to Kyrgyzstan but he has still had an influence on the history of the country – 28/11/13
• Andreeva Noch – Andrew’s Night - On the eve of St. Andrew’s Day … what can Scotland learn from Kyrgyzstan as it prepares for the referendum on Independence – 29/11/13

It is possible to follow me on Facebook, (where we also have specific pages for Celestial Mountains, the Silk Road Lodge, The Celestial Mountains Guesthouse in Naryn  and also links.kg, Kyrgyz Diary and Kyrgyzstan Visitki … and not forgetting ianbek), and also on twitter, (@Bishkekpostcard and @celestialMTC ).

 

Tags: In_the_News, Life_in_Kyrgyzstan, Weekly_Postcards