Postcard from Bishkek

I was asked to give an interview this week for a television programme looking at foreigners who have lived here for some time.  Personally, I don’t really like interviews – it you are not well prepared then you can let something slip, say something in the “heat of the moment”, and regret it afterwards.  At least when it comes to writing articles like these postcards, there is the opportunity to review and reflect on what is being said before it becomes “public”.  That isn’t really the case when it comes to an interview.

As it happened, the journalist had done her research and asked a lot of very good questions … and what advice I would give, both to other foreigners who were thinking of investing in Kyrgyzstan and also to locals.  I fielded the questions as best I could – but when I did sit back and review the two hour experience afterwards, I thought to myself that a better answer than the one I givee might have been to contemplate the inscription on the memorial to the “Afghansev” in Attaturk Park.

Attaturk Park is in the South of Bishkek.  It used to be called Drujba Park, (Friendship Park), but was renamed in honour of the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Attaturk, whose statue now stands at the entrance on Akhunbaeva Street.

No-one really knows when Attaturk was born but, by convention, his birthday is commemorated on 19th May – because in one of his speeches he declared that he felt his birthday was May 19th.

That was the date on which he led Turkish troops in the landing at Samsun in 1919 and thus started the Turkish War of Independence, or War of Liberation, .  Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War, Turkey was occupied and partitioned by the allies and it wasn’t until 1923 that the modern secular state that we now kn0w as Turkey emerged from the various conflicts that made up the struggle for independence: the Turkish-Armenian, Franco-Turkish, and Greco-Turkish wars.

Anyway, on this date there is usually a ceremony where flowers are laid at the foot of the his statue inside the park.  Also in the park there are a large Ferris Wheel and other amusements – and on summer days there are often people selling collectibles, (stamps, badges, etc.).   There is also the memorial to the fallen soldiers of the war in Afghanistan, (the Afghansev), with the inscription “People, Don’t Forget the Lessons of the Past”.

 

It is an interesting question as to why the Kyrgyz chose to name one of the main parks in their capital after the head of a foreign state – especially one who had never set foot in the country.

As it happens, it’s not the only park in Bishkek named after a foreigner; Fuchika Park is named after a Czech Communist partisan executed by the Nazis during the Second World War, but Josef Fuchik had been to Kyrgyzstan.  What’s more there are other heads of state who may seem to have a stronger claim to be recognized: Alexander Dubcek of Czechoslovakia, Mannerheim of Finland and, (perhaps more controversially), Mubarak of Egypt and Assad of Syria, (the father of the current President) .

I suppose that part of the answer the question as to why the Kyrgyz chose to name one of the largest parks in their capital city after the head of a foreign state involves the fact that Kyrgyzstan is one of the peoples known the Turkic peoples, the Kyrgyz language is very close to Turkish, and there has always been a close affinity between the peoples.  The Pan Turkic movement was once a threat to the fledgling Communist State when Enver Pasha led the Basmachi in an attempt to create a Pan Turkic state across the region.   Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Turkish influence in the Central Asian region grew and continues to this day with many Turkish businesses, educational institutions and close cooperation between the two governments.  Indeed, this week President Atambaev noted, during a meeting with a delegation of Turkish parliamentarians currently here on a visit, that relations between two states are “developing dynamically” and are at a “high level”.

Judging by reports in the press about how China is interested in investing in several large projects here in Kyrgyzstan, (including road building, electricity supply infrastructure, building factories, developing tourism, not to mention the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway), you might think that relationships between the two countries are also blossoming.  However, it seems as if an anti-China mood is beginning to surface, (or is that “re-surface”?), which is raising questions about the last of these in particular.  One parliamentarian has had the temerity to suggest that it could increase Kyrgyzstan’s external debt by about two billion dollars.  In the face of some local opposition, (and possibly the problems being experienced by others in the mining sector – the Deputy Prime Minister has told the mining companies that they need to work on their relationships with the local communities), the Chinese Ambassador seems to have dropped any thought of a “swap” of an investment in the railroad for mineral rights in a number of prospective lucrative deposits.  He is now talking of just two options – a “build and operate” scheme so that the party undertaking the construction gets a chance to recoup their expenditure or a straight forward Joint Enterprise.  (Presumably he is aware that Kyrgyzstan probably can’t afford the latter option).  He’s also taken great pains to point that China has no plans in terms of stationing any military in the country.

There has been no news this week about the Chinese company’s announcement last week that they had produced a barrel of oil from a test well.  In the meantime, however, there is still talk of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan examining the prospects of building a refinery here in Kyrgyzstan.  It was also announced this week that we have Russia to increase the amount of petroleum products exported to Kyrgyzstan.

We  could still face problems over Gas.  Although it has been announced that we should clear our debt to Kazakhstan by the “end of Spring” – that is by, the end of the month – those of us in the center of Bishkek have been told that there will be no gas next week … although the reason is nothing to do with supplies being cut off or outstanding debts, just the replacement of the Gas main.

I’m not sure what the equivalent figures for other countries are, but it has been reported that more than five million mobile phones were imported into Kyrgyzstan between 2009 and 2011.  Not all of those phones are going to be in use, however, like the one that someone I know managed to drop into the toilet – he didn’t bother trying to retrieve it although I think he was tempted … the idea of having to live without one for even a short period of time seems to cause serious withdrawal symptoms in many people.  Another of my acquaintances has managed to “lose” eight telephones and was constantly being berated by his brother for it, which was amusing because I knew that he too had a similar amount, himself.  I know that some people have two phones – I even know someone who carries three around with him.  All the same, the statistic is pretty impressive, not only representing a pretty growth rate, (from just 2600 at the turn of the century), but also chalking up a market penetration of 113% of the total population of the country.

 

There was, of course, news that was not so impressive.  For example, according to one report, something like 70-75 tons of heroin was smuggled into Kazakhstan in 2010, most of it through Kyrgyzstan.  Also, the head of Russia’s Federal Drug Service has said that up to 40% of the GDP of Central Asian countries comes from criminal activities, (particularly the illegal drug trade).  Interestingly, he said that the key to combating this situation was improving living standards.

Having campaigned for Suleiman Mount in Osh to be included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, there now seems to be a threat that it will soon lose this status.   In the parliament it was reported that there are some 88 infringements of the UNESCO requirements,  including illegal construction on the site, which may result in it being excluded from the list – possibly making it one of contenders for the shortest citation.

Health issues have attracted a fair amount of attention throughout the week, with Tuberculosis, in particular, coming under the spotlight.   This is mainly because there is a proposal to “force” people to undertake treatment, with anyone refusing treatment being detained in special camps (or colonies).  Although, technically, the parliament approved such a measure over a year ago, no camps have been built yet and some of the donor agencies appear to be getting a little uneasy about the prospect.

There has also been considerable attention given to the question of human trafficking.  Some 140 people were returned to Kyrgyzstan in 2011, as victims of trafficking.  Although there are questions about the statistics, (such as over what time period), over 8000 calls to the dedicated telephone hot line and almost 14000 complaints were registered by the ministry.   Despite these apparently alarming figures, there were only 13 prosecutions initiated in 2011, (and this represented a decline on the 25 cases in 2009).  Indeed, it is being claimed that a lot of those cases don’t even get to court as there are some officials who are “ready to use their positions to help criminals avoid prosecution”.  Another statistic that prompts a host of questions, according to the Department of Immigration at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one in six of all females who marry foreigners “ends in slavery”.  This is presumably why the parliament has decided to ban advertising by marriage bureaus or dating services which serve the international market.  The servitude can apparently result in exploitation as surrogate mothers, carers or as sex workers.   Another form of exploitation, according to some pressure groups, would be trafficking resulting in extraction of and trading in body parts as there seems to be no provision relating to this in Kyrgyz legislation.

Then there was the report from the Ombudsman Office that something like 8000  girls kidnapped each year in the traditional practice of Ala Kachuu, “bride kidnapping”.   A couple of critical reports have been published on one of the “international” websites criticizing the response of the Kyrgyz legal system, (especially the Aksakal Courts, presided over by a counsel of elders drawn from the local community – Aksakal means white beard – which seem to have have a particularly poor record when it comes to cases involving allegations involving this, divorce cases and the like).

There has also been considerable coverage of children’s rights – ironic in a way as next week sees the Last Bell – the end of the school year – when the children will be turned out on the streets for the long, (three month long), summer holidays.  There have been stories, for example, of the school without any buildings – where classes take place in tents.  Although it is possible to understand this sort of thing in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake – it seems that  the situation is a bit more long lasting than that.  There are often stories in the media about “street children”, and this week saw the establishment of a new NGO dedicated to searching for missing children.  There are all sorts of reasons why children go missing, (one set of statistics suggests that one child in three suffers from abuse and cruel treatment … but as I keep saying, “statistics raise more questions than they answer”), but the law enforcement bodies don’t have the facilities to conduct searches, (or, according to some activists, are not interested as it gets in the way of their “solving crimes committed by minors”).    This week, there have also been stories about a whole group of children who can’t get  to school at all – children who are disabled in one way or another and there being a lack of suitable schools for them.

 

Judging by the amount of what could be considered critical stories in the media this week, gives some support to Deputy Prime Minister Joormat Otorbaev’s observation that we have a remarkably free press.  He was apparently responding to the country’s poor rating in the surveys surrounding Press Freedom Day last week.   Indeed, it is true that the rise of self publication thanks to the ease of internet public ation has led to some interesting stories that would probably not have surfaced, for example, in the days of Kemal Attaturk.

There are a number of bloggers, for example, who mount campaigns – about: being able to take photographs in supermarkets, or contemporary “adornments” that ruin the facades of old buildings; policeman in uniform who decide to down a pint of beer or shops that refuse to accept payment using Kyrgyzstan’s smallest coins; exposing teachers and lecturers who expect payment before they will assign a grade or a traffic cop using his own (unmarked) vehicle to stand behind as he holds aloft a radar gun; about potholes in the capital’s roads and expensive cars owned by public figures who apparently earn a mere pittance … and so on.

During the final years of the Bakiev regime, and in the period since then, there has been a considerable amount of controversy in the press, blogs and social media, surrounding Attaturk park.  In particular over the sale of land where elite houses have been constructed and the loss of trees which were felled in the process.  This week saw the publication of a list of all the land grants from the park’s territory since independence and it makers interesting reading.  The “mistakes” of the past are coming home to roost.

However, there are some indicators that suggest that all is not “hunky dory” in this respect, I suppose the reporters, bloggers, commentators, and so on, (and that includes me, for that matter), have to be careful about what they write.  Not only is there a law on libel – which can have some pretty stiff penalties – but there are also other provisions which have to borne in mind.  According to the Russian news agency RIANovosti,  for example, prosecutors are seeking an eight year prison sentence for one reporter/blogger for “incitement of racial hatred” in some of his pieces.  Apparently, someone from the national Academy of Sciences has reviewed the articles and the indictment was, apparently, “based on their expert review”.

It always strikes me as odd that so many people live only for the present – aren’t interested to learn the lessons of the past and don’t want to think about, yet alone plan for, the future.   I think a few more people should take a stroll in Attaturk Park and look at that memorial to those who fought and fell in Afghanistan … and as well as remembering the human suffering that always accompanies conflict, contemplate the wording … “People, Don’t Forget the Lessons of the Past”.

 

Finally, and on a more positive note …  for anyone in London next Sunday, (27th May, 2012), there is a concert at Pushkin House, (5A Bloomsbury Square, London WC1A 2TA, Tel: (0) 20 7269 9770, Fax: (0) 20 3116 0151), featuring the 19-year old violist, Jumash Poulsen, who although he grew up in Aberdeenshire with his mother, Ainur,  was born in Kyrgyzstan.

Jumash studied at the Kemnay Academy before enrolling at the Yehudi Menuhin School.  Despite his youth he has quite a list of credits which includes playing with the Aberdeen Chamber Orchestra, the Silk Road Ensemble of American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and at the Proms in 2010 as well as winning international competitions (including Osaka).   He has also composed some pieces himself.

The concert is being held in order to raise funds for the UK-registered charity HealthProm, which promotes health and social care for women and children in Eastern Europe and Asia … including 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 were postcards about:

• A clash of dates – Last Saturday saw both the second TEDxBishkek conference and the IBC Annual General Meeting, and I was torn as to which one I should attend
• It was on a Monday morning … – Museum’s in Bishkek tend to close on Monday’s – so why did the State Historical Museum open last Monday?
• Lechebniye Tourism – Health Tourism, or Medical Tourism, is another niche in the tourism market … actually, Kyrgyzstan has long been a destination for patients seeking treatment, and I describe a visit to a special “resort” where they specialise in treatments based on Kumys; Fermented Mare’s milk
• New Challenges, New Inspirations – This week sees International Museums Day and as part of the activities organized around the world, many museums are stating open late into the night – and Bishkek is no exception as I take a look at “A Night in the Museum”
• An early meeting – I was invited to an early morning meeting at the European School here in Bishkek, where we received an update on what’s been happening over the last six months.
• Bishkek Museums – On International Museum Day, I give a rundown on the Museums here in Bishkek.

 

It is now 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