Postcard from Bishkek

Triskaidekaphobia – what mouthful … !

If you split it into its component parts then its meaning becomes immediately apparent: tri, kai, deka and phobia. tri = three, kai=and, deka = ten and phobia = fear of … it’s the name of the fear of the number 13.  For some reason, (apparently tied in with the history of the Knights Templar – but some people say it’s to do with the number of people at the Last Supper – Jesus and his twelve disciples), people consider 13 to be an unlucky number … hence something to be feared.

Maybe it’s because I used to teach Maths, (and, for that matter Religion), the superstition doesn’t mean anything to me.  I often joke that we should not be afraid of numbers – just the way that people use them.

Take the number 13 for example … for a large number of people the enactment of the thirteenth amendment to the American Constitution was, literally, liberating (… although, I dare say that there were many in the Confederacy who considered it not only unlucky but a betrayal of all that they had fought for).  This was the measure which ended slavery … and which President Lincoln signed on 1st February, 1865.

The struggle for the thirteenth amendment was the subject of the Oscar winning biopic Lincoln … and I was particularly surprised when Maxim told me that he thought it deserved the award … I was surprised for two reasons: I didn’t know that he had seen the film (but apparently he had seen it in the cinema) and that he had really enjoyed it … he is more into blockbusters and action movies so I didn’t think that it was his “cup of tea” – as it lacked lots of blood and gore, (if that’s not a tautology).

I know that there are lots of comments about the level of historical accuracy in the film, (… my favourite point of all the ones that were discussed was whether Lincoln had, as tradition has it, a deep and resounding voice, or whether it was high pitched and whinney), however, I don’t think we should learn our our history from films.  They may be useful in that they can help us visualize things better, and give us pointers about things which may need follow up, or may challenge our preconceptions (like Lincoln’s voice), but they often tell us more about the world in which they were made than the world they depict.

I suppose the same is true about these postcards … they say as much about me and the points I choose to highlight and comment on, as they do about life here in Bishkek … they are also a snapshot – written at a particular moment in time, reflecting the information available – at the time – and my understanding – at the time.  Sometimes additional information becomes available later which shows that things weren’t quite as I had described them  … and maybe leading me to change my mind, my opinion.

 

That’s especially true when, as seems to be a growing tendency … situations develop towards the end of the week just as I am preparing the postcard.

A couple of weeks ago, for example, we had the incident on the Tajik border … at the time of writing the postcard we only really had the Kyrgyz side of the story.  It wasn’t until the next week that we started to get the Tajik version of events and it became clear that the two sides were using different maps which showed different interpretations of where the border actually lay.  Not that this explained and justified all the violations that the Kyrgyz say took place.  This week we discovered that there are at least three different versions of the map – dating from 1924, 1954-6 and later … each with different outlines of where the border lay.

All this adds urgency to the need to conduct, and conclude an agreement on delimination of the border.   It seems that the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe, (OSCE), have agreed to help in this – and Switzerland, which has taken over the chairmanship of the organization, has offered to mediate between the two sides – but it will require a lot of goodwill, understanding and a willingness to compromise in order to make real progress.  That might be difficult to achieve with emotions already running high.

Although both sides have agreed to withdraw forces from the border, apparently some paramilItaries have appeared on the Tajik side of the border and the Tajik army has apparently already been back “over the border” in order to prepare some trenches for “defensive” constructions and the Kyrgyz are adamant that the road they are building to bypass a Tajik enclave is legitimate and they have no intention of ceasing the construction.

The dispute continues with both sides prohibiting the pasturing of livestock from the other side on their pastures.  Some analysts seem to think that is just one issue which might lie behind the dispute, but the big money seems to back the issue of water supply as being the real cause of the tension.  My guess is that it is a combination of factors.

One deputy even proposed closing Kyrgyz airspace to Tajik aircraft.  (The border may be closed but flights between Dushanbe and Bishkek continue.)

As an aside, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were competing in the same group in an Under-21 football competition in St. Petersburg … and, although in their previous encounters Kyrgyzstan managed to win the matches, this time the game ended in a draw … and neither side managed to make it through past the group stage.

 

Then, last week, there was the incursion of the eleven unknown people from China who killed a Kyrgyz hunting guide and ended up being ‘eliminated” in the resulting military operation.  The parliament were debriefed on the incident at the beginning of the week, and although we still don’t know who the eleven were, it does seem that there were serious concerns which go some way to explaining how and why things developed as they did.  The deputies still had serious questions like, “why did all eleven have to be killed? – couldn’t some of them have been taken alive?, especially when they appear to have had no serious weapons?”.  Some of the details that have emerged, however, do seem to make it clear that these were not just poachers or refugees but were involved in and prepared for something far more desperate.

As it happens, most of the details that emerged were already known last week, but they were put into context with a timetable of events.

There was some surprising news, however, including the fact that there an American hunter in the neighbourhood who was quickly evacuated.

It became clear, however, that Janysh Bakiev probably had nothing to do with it – even though their are stories of people claiming to have seen him sitting in a cafe in Urumqi, as, apparently or so the Chinese authorities have said, he never entered China.

 

There was yet another shooting incident on the border this week – this time on the Kazakh border – and it was Kazakh border guards who opened fire, whilst trying to arrest some Kyrgyz citizens who were allegedly trying to smuggle horses across the border.

 

Talking about the border posts, one of the deputies was concerned about the meager rations that were being served and urged officials to appeal to businessmen to help – to sponsor the service … this is in addition to paying taxes.

Which brings me to the economic front.  There has been some discussion about fluctuations in the value of the US dollar against the som.  The dollar seems to be rising.  The National Bank are fairly adamant that there is nothing untoward; that this is just the usual seasonal variation caused by the demand for foreign currency coupled with the need for the government to make debt repayments abroad and a general global tendency.  Indeed, the bank says that the rate is one of the most stable in the world … in the last five years it has changed by about just one single som …

Mind you, the Oil Traders Association are warning that they are suffering substantial losses as a result of sharp rise in the rate, and may result in a price hike … adding to inflation.

 

The Prime Minister has ordered a ban be introduced to the import of goods labelled “Made in Kyrgyzstan”.  Yes, you got that right … apparently there has been a significant decline in the garment industry, as demand from Russia has dropped off.

He’s also been in the news for the comment that many domestic investors are placing their funds in projects abroad, supporting the economies of other countries.  Meanwhile, when it comes to foreign investments into the Kyrgyz economy it seems that in the first nine months of last year it almost doubled compared to the previous year … well, it grew by 70%.  Most of that seems to have come from China and Canada – almost 70% – mainly in geological exploration (although there was a considerable proportion into manufacturing – and another 8% came from Russia, (divided between trade, energy and manufacturing).  Kazakh investments seem to be predominantly in the financial sector, although they also invest in mining and trade.

He’s also been making comments about the protracted situation over the Kumtor mine – urging the deputies not to make even more difficulties and making statements about “pseudo patriots” being engaged in disinformation in seeking “fame and cheap political prestige”.  There has been a lot of discussion about the amount that the country has lost already in terms of potential earnings   Although the company made 145 million dollars last year, Kyrgyzstan received only 12 million, (which after tax in Toronto meant only 11 million made it into the country’s coffers), and the risk to further possible receipts.

There may be some movement on the argument over the stake the country takes in the reorganized company … with an influential deputy saying that if it cannot increase its share in the company then it can improve its position through increased taxation.  There is already a move to tax exports of unprocessed ore, which it is hoped will help boost the development of the refining industry in the country.

Meanwhile the trial of the three men accused of trying to extort three million dollars from the country continues with their lawyer asking that the video of the alleged “extortion attempt” should not be considered as it was obtained illegally.  The prosecution called for long prison sentences for them, stating that although they were trying to raise support to improve life for villagers in the immediate neighbourhood of the mine, they went beyond the law in organizing protests.

 

For the ordinary person, the news this week has not necessarily been good.  It was revealed, for example, that only 42% of pensioners receive a pension above what is deemed subsistence level – which is actually an improvement on last year when it was something like 30%.

Then the Russians have announced that from the start of next year, a foreign passport, (as opposed to a internal passport or identity card),  will be required for CIS citizens who want to enter or exit from the country … and the embassy has urged all Kyrgyz citizens who may want to travel to Russia to apply for and receive such a passport.

Funnily enough, there have been a number of stories of foreigners being given Kyrgyz passports, fraudulently …

When it comes to foreigners in Kyrgyzstan. it seems that although some 69 countries have foreign national working in Kyrgyzstan, some 71% of all the foreigners working in the country are Chinese nationals, followed by Turkey, Pakistan and Korea.  Only something like 5% come from the countries of the CIS – countries like Russia, Belarus and Tajikistan. Now that comes as a surprise.  Over 600 of them received residence permits in 2013 – which means that they don’t need work permits anymore.  Once again, the vast majority came from China- followed by Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan Turkey, stateless persons and Russians.

Almost 80% of the foreigners working in the country are private entrepreneurs – mainly traders working in the countries markets like Dordoi and Kara Suu.

 

The controversy over the possible accession to the Customs Union with Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia continues – with warnings from one side that the large markets, Dordoi and Kara Suu could “die” within two years if the move goes ahead.  Mind you, a survey conducted by Gallup is reported to have found that something like 70% of the population favour the move – especially the older generation and people in rural districts.

Apparently, according to the Prime Minister’s adviser, the current members of the Customs Union do not see any great benefit arising out of Kyrgyzstan joining the club … apart from, perhaps, as a model for other countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The proposal from the Ministry of Labour to cancel some of Kyrgyzstan’s Public Holidays, using two of them to extend the New Year holiday has received tacit approval in the Parliament committee considering it, although they did ask the Ministry to come up with some figures,economic calculations, to justify the move.  Perhaps the strangest comment came from one deputy who suggested that people should be asked to work … for free … without pay.    (No, I didn’t really follow that either).

Meanwhile, the Federation of Trade Unions is complaining that there’s a “traitor” somewhere in the administration … apparently  they sent a  letter to the President about corruption and it wasn’t delivered … or, at least, a letter was delivered, but it wasn’t the one that they sent.  Instead of a letter outlining corruption in the public sector that they had sent, the one that delivered contained allegations of corruption in the trade unions.  It seems, they claimed, that someone had intercepted their letter and submitted a forgery in its place.

Following the allegations against the former mayor of Bishkek and last week’s news of the investigations against the mayors of Karakol and Balykchy, the Prosecutors office has now instituted a criminal case against officials of the city of Uzgen.

 

There have been a host of other stories this week that I don’t have space or time to consider: plans to ban “intimate adverts” in the press; to ban Right hand drive vehicles; to raise energy tariffs; Kyrgyzfilm banning the broadcast of its output on local TV channels unless a contract has been signed with them; a proposal to introduce a fee for foreign vehicles to enter the country; a proposal from the president for schools to teach three languages, not just two; a bank changing hands for four and a half million dollars –  with questions being asked about the new owner and where the money came from; moves to once more restrict the right of foreigners to buy accommodation; a shortage of firemen; avalanches blocking roads; the recovery of the painting stolen from the Museum of Fine Arts – it turns out that it was an opportunistic crime … by someone who went into the gallery simply to use to the toilet and saw that no-one was watching the painting and so decided to seize the moment; the guy who set fire to the portrait of President Atambaev in a protest rally in Osh was a former police chief …  … and so on.

Perhaps the strangest stories of the week concerned domestic violence – with claims that something like one in four married women becoming victims … and a survey suggesting that many people actually think it is acceptable … even for something like burning the dinner.   Talk about Turkeys voting for Christmas!

But as the week comes to an end, a news story has erupted and Kyrgyzstan has found itself catapulted back in the global headlines once more … this time over Gay Rights.  We are not talking about Gay Marriage – that’s not on the agenda and I suggest won’t be until … well, I was tempted to say until “Hell freezes over” … but I saw the photos from earlier this month.

This story concerned a report from Human Rights Watch which summarized interviews with 40 gay men who reported abuse by the police including allegations of arbitrary detention; beatings; sexual assault; extortion under threat of revealing their orientation to family, friends, employers and so on.  The interviews seemed to have a number of recurring themes including  that the police officers concerned seemed to act with a sense of of impunity, a sense of fear of reprisals instilled in the respondents and the phrase used for the title of the report, “They said we deserved it” when describing the treatment they had received

I suppose that Human Rights Watch should have been aware of the potential hornets nest that they were stirring up – the report talks clearly enough about a general homophobic atmosphere in the country, and there was the storm created last year over the plan to screen the film “I am Gay and Muslim” and the controversy that statements on the subject from the ombudsman elicited.  Well, the report certainly did stir things up …

Needless to say the police response is one of denial saying that this is all hearsay, based on unfounded allegations.  Complaints have not been received; apparently only two of those interviewed wrote formal complaints – neither of which resulted in proceedings even though one sought a judicial review right up to the Supreme Court.

At the beginning of the week, the Ombudsman revealed that the Prosecutors’ Office has received over 200 complaints alleging torture of suspects and defendants last year – and that’s not just from gays.  That figure was actually less (almost half) than in 2012 – although in both years they led to just precious few criminal investigations, yet alone legal proceedings … so, it seems reasonable to ask if it is any wonder that virtually all of the respondents in the report didn’t feel confident enough to bother filing a complaint …

Incidentally, the week also saw an item saying that the Prime Minister and OSCE discussed the need for reform of the law enforcement agencies.

But the response of the Muftiat went much further … apart from declaring that Islam prohibits sexual activity between people of the same sex, the newly elected Mufti, chose to ask if it wasn’t time to restrict the activities of foreign agencies that sow social discord under the guise of “humanistic ideas”.  He went further and issued a Fatwa “against gays’.  It’s in Kyrgyz with some quotations in Arabic – so I am not entirely sure what it says but Human Rights Watch have referred it to the Prosecutors’ Office saying that the language could be understood as “see a gay, kill him”.

The Muftiat is actually in state of disarray with a string of disgraced officials, allegations of bribery and corruption and even a number of sex scandals -one of which cost the previous Mufti his job … culminating in allegations that the new man in the hot seat is a supporter of an extreme group … which, incidentally, he denies.

What I found interesting, however, was not the overall stance taken by either the police or the Muftiat … I do see their reasoning, even if I don’t agree with it and consider the “see a gay, kill him” part (if that is really a fair interpretation of what the document says) to be both extreme and dangerous … but that neither of them addressed the issue of  whether, IF the stories have ANY element of truth in them at all, then is this acceptable behaviour from the guardians of law and order?  Their silence on this question is both deafening … and worrying.

 

Having started and ended this postcard with questions of fear and fundamental human rights, let me finish on a lighter note … and reiterate that we do need to cast a skeptical eye over the news … whether it appears in one of the 986 newspapers registered in the country, on one of the  109 TV companies or the 59 radio stations … not to mention the burgeoning number of internet news outlets … which, incidentally, are not registered at all.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Information, the actual number of media outlets operating in the country is unknown … now, why does that not surprise me?

Perhaps the best part of the report, however,  was the statement that “much of the print media exists only on paper” … which sounds like a tautology to me …

 

 

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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:

•  Double or nothing – well almost - A recent survey found that the average person in the UK has visited seven countries in their life … a trip to Central Asia could more or less double that – 26/01/14
•  The Siege of Leningrad - Seventy years ago saw the end of the worst siege in human history … – 27/01/14
•  Jenishbek Rayimbaev - Who is Jenishbek Rayimbaev? – the sad story of Kyrgyzstan’s tallest man – 28/01/14
•  Those annoying little emails – Spams and Scams. - I think the title says it all – 29/01/14
• Ferghana Valley - Cities in the Uzbek part of the Ferghana Valley – 30/01/14
• Could This Be Kyrgyzstan’s Year – The Year Of The Horse? - Chinese New Year is here again … it’s the Year of the Horse – and the Kyrgyz have a particular affinity with the horse – 31/01/14

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