Sunday, June 27, 2010
Some Pretty Good, or At Least Not Bad, News out of KG
Voter turnout for the referendum was higher than expected at about 62%, with many of those interviewed for this article seeing a yes vote (which puts in place a new constitution, keeps Otunbaeva as president until the end of 2011 and calls for parliamentary elections in 6 months) as a vote for stability.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
I Guess That's One Possibility
The head of the Kyrgyzstan's security services has made a statement that the Bakiev family worked with the Taliban and IMU and recruited militants from Tajikistan and Afghanistan to set in motion the events starting June 10. They apparently paid $30 million for the attacks. The director of the SNB says that he has evidence supporting these claims, but thus far has not provided any documentation.
I mean, I guess it's possible? It seems a bit contrived that the government would be able to blame both the Bakievs (while president, Bakiev certainly did not do much to ingratiate himself to religious extremists) and Islamic fundamentalists, all at the same time. So until there's some credible evidence supporting these assertions, forgive me if I give them about as much weight as the whole "the Western media did it" argument.
I mean, I guess it's possible? It seems a bit contrived that the government would be able to blame both the Bakievs (while president, Bakiev certainly did not do much to ingratiate himself to religious extremists) and Islamic fundamentalists, all at the same time. So until there's some credible evidence supporting these assertions, forgive me if I give them about as much weight as the whole "the Western media did it" argument.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Ethnicity in the Conflict; Also Some Useful Background
I have a post coming up on Racialicious, the very awesome blog* that covers the intersection of race and pop culture, most likely tomorrow. It's my take for a non-specialist audience on how problematic the US media discourse surrounding the violence often is, and you should check it out if so inclined. I'll post a link when it goes up.
In the meantime, here's a much fancier and smarter-sounding analysis by Madeleine Reeves, an anthropologist who knows a whole lot about ethnicity in Kyrgyzstan (thanks, E., for the link!). And here's an article that I think does a pretty good job of outlining events leading up to the initial violence on June 10 for those who would like more of an idea of the very complicated factors involved in goings on (Hint: it's not as simple as saying "ethnic hatred" or "class conflict," etc.).
*I've long thought Racialicious an awesome blog, as it covers topics dear to my heart in an interesting way. But I'll admit that I have a new appreciation for it based on how my post came about: I noted that they had brought up the conflict on their site, but linked to the truly awful Slate Explainer article. I left a comment to this effect (never having commented before) and very shortly thereafter heard from the editor asking if I would like to write something for their audience. I was pretty impressed that they both took my feedback seriously AND are willing to present something a little outside of their normal fare (though race/ethnicity in international contexts is an area of interest) to their readers, most of whom are likely not super familiar with Central Asia.
In the meantime, here's a much fancier and smarter-sounding analysis by Madeleine Reeves, an anthropologist who knows a whole lot about ethnicity in Kyrgyzstan (thanks, E., for the link!). And here's an article that I think does a pretty good job of outlining events leading up to the initial violence on June 10 for those who would like more of an idea of the very complicated factors involved in goings on (Hint: it's not as simple as saying "ethnic hatred" or "class conflict," etc.).
*I've long thought Racialicious an awesome blog, as it covers topics dear to my heart in an interesting way. But I'll admit that I have a new appreciation for it based on how my post came about: I noted that they had brought up the conflict on their site, but linked to the truly awful Slate Explainer article. I left a comment to this effect (never having commented before) and very shortly thereafter heard from the editor asking if I would like to write something for their audience. I was pretty impressed that they both took my feedback seriously AND are willing to present something a little outside of their normal fare (though race/ethnicity in international contexts is an area of interest) to their readers, most of whom are likely not super familiar with Central Asia.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Well, OBVIOUSLY
Oh, that's right, it's all the media's fault. Duh.
And, to be clear, yes, I have been complaining about coverage of KG in the American press. I think, however, that my complaints are not quite the same as those of the provisional government.
And, to be clear, yes, I have been complaining about coverage of KG in the American press. I think, however, that my complaints are not quite the same as those of the provisional government.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
More Atrocities
A friend of mine who spent a great deal more time in Central Asia than I and knows a lot more people in the sort of public expat sector (embassy, NGOs, etc., as opposed to academics like me) has been forwarding me reports from people in the region. I haven't mentioned them in previous posts because of privacy issues, which is a reason for the following vagueness, but today he shared a message from an American who has been in a position to hear eye-witness accounts.
And they are horrifying. Which is not unexpected--when you hear about x number of dead and y number of injured, it's pretty easy to assume that some of those people are being tortured and killed in imaginatively awful ways, but press reports are pretty sterile and, I think, help contribute to the distance of the whole situation to most of us here in the US.
While the descriptions of some of mind-blowing cruelty that people are showing one another are sufficiently shocking, almost more so were the reports of Kyrgyz knowing in advance to leave Osh, telling their Uzbek neighbors they were off on holiday, etc. All of this remains rumor at this point, but I really think the worst of these events is still unknown. This message also confirmed reports that aid is not getting through to those who need it--it goes through Bishkek, where instead of making it to Uzbeks in Osh it gets siphoned off in various ways, including being sold on the black market.
And they are horrifying. Which is not unexpected--when you hear about x number of dead and y number of injured, it's pretty easy to assume that some of those people are being tortured and killed in imaginatively awful ways, but press reports are pretty sterile and, I think, help contribute to the distance of the whole situation to most of us here in the US.
While the descriptions of some of mind-blowing cruelty that people are showing one another are sufficiently shocking, almost more so were the reports of Kyrgyz knowing in advance to leave Osh, telling their Uzbek neighbors they were off on holiday, etc. All of this remains rumor at this point, but I really think the worst of these events is still unknown. This message also confirmed reports that aid is not getting through to those who need it--it goes through Bishkek, where instead of making it to Uzbeks in Osh it gets siphoned off in various ways, including being sold on the black market.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
For Your Consideration
I've recommended The Registan in posts below, but there are two posts up over there that I highly recommend, though each for different reasons (and the first is more likely to be of interest to anyone reading about it here), both by Sarah Kendzior.*
Crisis in Kyrgyzstan: How You Can Help
This is a collection of places accepting donations that have been verified to one degree or another as reliable places to send donations, so if you can, click on the link and donate to one of the agencies listed there.
The other is a really interesting post looking at why so many were taken by surprise by events of the past week:
Why Didn’t We See It Coming?
I recommend checking out both the post and the comments for an interesting discussion. There are a bunch of other posts up over there with interesting premises and back and forth in the comments (in which I haven't participated).
*Side note: I met Sarah, the author of these posts, at a dissertation development workshop at which I had no business participating, given the eventual focus of my dissertation. Sadly, we did not realize our shared fondness for all things ANTM until after the workshop was passed, leaving us with an unrealized opportunity to work on our signature walks and practice our smizing together.
Crisis in Kyrgyzstan: How You Can Help
This is a collection of places accepting donations that have been verified to one degree or another as reliable places to send donations, so if you can, click on the link and donate to one of the agencies listed there.
The other is a really interesting post looking at why so many were taken by surprise by events of the past week:
Why Didn’t We See It Coming?
I recommend checking out both the post and the comments for an interesting discussion. There are a bunch of other posts up over there with interesting premises and back and forth in the comments (in which I haven't participated).
*Side note: I met Sarah, the author of these posts, at a dissertation development workshop at which I had no business participating, given the eventual focus of my dissertation. Sadly, we did not realize our shared fondness for all things ANTM until after the workshop was passed, leaving us with an unrealized opportunity to work on our signature walks and practice our smizing together.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Support the Kyrgyz-Uzbek Peace Initiative
I know that some of you are looking for ways to help with the ongoing crisis in Kyrgyzstan. Unfortunately, there are already reports of aid shipments going astray and not going to those most in need. In a situation in which already very active criminal organizations are taking full advantage of chaos (which they may have instigated--I think it will be a long time, if ever, before we know who coordinated the original attacks), the government has been unable to adequately address the crisis, and attacks are ongoing, the problem of directing one's humanitarian impulses is a real one. I'm still sticking with the idea of the ICRC as one of the best bets for monetary donations, simply because they are a well-known organization which can be held accountable with a history of work in the region.
I'm posting this to point people's attention to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek Peace Initiative, an group who describe themselves thus:
"We are a group of Kyrgyz and Uzbek professionals living in Washington, DC, whose families and friends are affected by the tragic events in the Southern Kyrgyzstan or who are just simply not indifferent to sufferings of fellow humans.
We realize that unless decisive and fast actions are taken by each of us a humanitarian catastrophe of a huge scale can unfold in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring countries. We appeal for your help!"
The website I linked to above (the group also has a Facebook page) has information on the crisis and a variety of ways to help, including tips on how to write to legislators and officials and information on how to make both monetary and in-kind donations.
I'll be bringing it up when it's a bit closer, but the group has already scheduled a day of mourning for the victims for July 11. I know that it's hard for many of us to donate in any concrete way, but this day of fasting and remembering those whose lives have been affected is one way to focus attention on what is going to be a crisis for a long time to come. Though, let's be honest, if you do have $5 or $10 or $20 or some old clothes to give, that will probably go a bit further in getting a refugee some food and clothing and medical care and a place to live.
I spent a bit of time chatting with my dear and very wise friend E, who has made many an appearance in these pages before (for those of you who know me personally and have been reading this blog for a long time--there have been visitors recently from the places I've been posting about the tragedy--welcome!). E is Kyrgyz and from Osh (though not currently in Kyrgyzstan), and reported from family that no, the violence does not seem to have abated. She also spoke about family members--people whom I don't know well, but who have been truly warm and welcoming and thoroughly gracious to me in the past--and how intolerance is hardening as atrocities continue, order remains elusive, and rumors fly. She made some excellent and troubling points about the future: how do Kyrgyz and Uzbeks move forward after something like this? When killing and raping and burning and looting and all the worst types of behavior you can imagine were started so easily and spread so quickly, how do you go back to what came before? There have been beautiful stories of people helping one another regardless of ethnicity, and perhaps those will come to dominate in the future, but right now they seem to be a sad minority. All of these questions of continued co-existence are heightened by a government that is unstable and ineffective at best, and possibly indirectly contributing to the violence (considering the role or lack thereof of law enforcement, for example).
E also expressed a feeling that the phrase "ethnic violence" is one that allows Americans and other outsiders to distance ourselves from what is going on. It's a phrase we've heard so many times before, one that carries with it whispers of primordial savagery and inscrutable Otherness, that it may make it easier for us to think of events in KG, to the extent we think of them at all, as a far away problem happening to people very different from us who were doomed to something like this because of ancient hatreds. Somewhere, it seems, some ethnic group is always killing some other ethnic group, and there is a sense of unreality to it all. (Full disclosure: this topic came up at my instigation, as I pulled together a brief essay on ethnicity and media coverage of the crisis at the invitation of an editor of another blog, one actually read by lots of people. I'm not sure if or when it will get published and if it does not I'll put it up here anyway, so as not to deny you all my oh-so-brilliant insights).
I guess my point here is: pay attention. Do something, even though there isn't really much meaningful that any of us as Americans in America can do at this point. Do it anyway. Because it matters that people notice, and care, and feel terrible that this is going on, and try to contribute to circumstances that will stop it and then keep it from happening again. And yes, I'm fully aware that I'm so invested in this particular crisis because it's happening in a place I care about, very likely to people I care about, at least in the caring that evolves in any research situation between the researcher and her participants. And you probably don't have the connection I do, so violence in KG doesn't affect you any more than any of the horrible violence going on in innumerable locations worldwide. I'm trying to long-windedly argue that, well, human nature or no, you SHOULD care, just as I should care more about all those places about which I don't care enough about.
I'm tired and I'm babbling. My ultimate point? These posts aren't going to stop, I'm not going to stop bringing it up in conversation, or asking for money or anything else you can give. So really, you should go check out the Kyrgyz-Uzbek Peace Initiative because it will get me off your back and they all have some practical suggestions for things to do, rather than whatever it is I'm doing here.
I'm posting this to point people's attention to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek Peace Initiative, an group who describe themselves thus:
"We are a group of Kyrgyz and Uzbek professionals living in Washington, DC, whose families and friends are affected by the tragic events in the Southern Kyrgyzstan or who are just simply not indifferent to sufferings of fellow humans.
We realize that unless decisive and fast actions are taken by each of us a humanitarian catastrophe of a huge scale can unfold in Kyrgyzstan and neighboring countries. We appeal for your help!"
The website I linked to above (the group also has a Facebook page) has information on the crisis and a variety of ways to help, including tips on how to write to legislators and officials and information on how to make both monetary and in-kind donations.
I'll be bringing it up when it's a bit closer, but the group has already scheduled a day of mourning for the victims for July 11. I know that it's hard for many of us to donate in any concrete way, but this day of fasting and remembering those whose lives have been affected is one way to focus attention on what is going to be a crisis for a long time to come. Though, let's be honest, if you do have $5 or $10 or $20 or some old clothes to give, that will probably go a bit further in getting a refugee some food and clothing and medical care and a place to live.
I spent a bit of time chatting with my dear and very wise friend E, who has made many an appearance in these pages before (for those of you who know me personally and have been reading this blog for a long time--there have been visitors recently from the places I've been posting about the tragedy--welcome!). E is Kyrgyz and from Osh (though not currently in Kyrgyzstan), and reported from family that no, the violence does not seem to have abated. She also spoke about family members--people whom I don't know well, but who have been truly warm and welcoming and thoroughly gracious to me in the past--and how intolerance is hardening as atrocities continue, order remains elusive, and rumors fly. She made some excellent and troubling points about the future: how do Kyrgyz and Uzbeks move forward after something like this? When killing and raping and burning and looting and all the worst types of behavior you can imagine were started so easily and spread so quickly, how do you go back to what came before? There have been beautiful stories of people helping one another regardless of ethnicity, and perhaps those will come to dominate in the future, but right now they seem to be a sad minority. All of these questions of continued co-existence are heightened by a government that is unstable and ineffective at best, and possibly indirectly contributing to the violence (considering the role or lack thereof of law enforcement, for example).
E also expressed a feeling that the phrase "ethnic violence" is one that allows Americans and other outsiders to distance ourselves from what is going on. It's a phrase we've heard so many times before, one that carries with it whispers of primordial savagery and inscrutable Otherness, that it may make it easier for us to think of events in KG, to the extent we think of them at all, as a far away problem happening to people very different from us who were doomed to something like this because of ancient hatreds. Somewhere, it seems, some ethnic group is always killing some other ethnic group, and there is a sense of unreality to it all. (Full disclosure: this topic came up at my instigation, as I pulled together a brief essay on ethnicity and media coverage of the crisis at the invitation of an editor of another blog, one actually read by lots of people. I'm not sure if or when it will get published and if it does not I'll put it up here anyway, so as not to deny you all my oh-so-brilliant insights).
I guess my point here is: pay attention. Do something, even though there isn't really much meaningful that any of us as Americans in America can do at this point. Do it anyway. Because it matters that people notice, and care, and feel terrible that this is going on, and try to contribute to circumstances that will stop it and then keep it from happening again. And yes, I'm fully aware that I'm so invested in this particular crisis because it's happening in a place I care about, very likely to people I care about, at least in the caring that evolves in any research situation between the researcher and her participants. And you probably don't have the connection I do, so violence in KG doesn't affect you any more than any of the horrible violence going on in innumerable locations worldwide. I'm trying to long-windedly argue that, well, human nature or no, you SHOULD care, just as I should care more about all those places about which I don't care enough about.
I'm tired and I'm babbling. My ultimate point? These posts aren't going to stop, I'm not going to stop bringing it up in conversation, or asking for money or anything else you can give. So really, you should go check out the Kyrgyz-Uzbek Peace Initiative because it will get me off your back and they all have some practical suggestions for things to do, rather than whatever it is I'm doing here.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Today in Upsetting News from Kyrgyzstan
There are estimates of up to 400,000 displaced persons. Just to put that in context, that is close to 8% of the entire population. And if all were Uzbeks (which of course is not the case; it's not a simple story of all the Kyrgyz ganging up on all the Uzbeks or anything close to that), that would be over half the Uzbek population.
So, so sad. Neweurasia has some posts from locals highlighting the mutual assistance between ethnic groups as a counterpoint to the truly horrifying details emerging (the cherry on top of the oh-so-delicous sundae of mega-violence that is this whole heart-rending story), but those glimmers of humanity really fail to lighten the overall picture.
So, so sad. Neweurasia has some posts from locals highlighting the mutual assistance between ethnic groups as a counterpoint to the truly horrifying details emerging (the cherry on top of the oh-so-delicous sundae of mega-violence that is this whole heart-rending story), but those glimmers of humanity really fail to lighten the overall picture.
Some Visuals
Just to give an idea what the scene at the border is like. The border is overrun, babies are being passed around in chaos . . . this film is apparently from June 15, and one hopes the situation is getting better, but make no mistake: this is a humanitarian crisis.
I'm not posting more graphic videos as I understand that many don't want to see them,without warning, perhaps over their morning coffee, but they're out there, and they are upsetting.
Remember, you can donate to the ICRC to help relief efforts here.
I'm not posting more graphic videos as I understand that many don't want to see them,without warning, perhaps over their morning coffee, but they're out there, and they are upsetting.
Remember, you can donate to the ICRC to help relief efforts here.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Very Interesting, Also Kind of Totally Freaky When You Think About It
The UN has confirmed, based on analysis of eye-witness accounts, that the origins of the conflict were with five coordinated attacks (see here). So this did NOT start out as an ethnic dispute, though, as I hypothesized earlier, pre-existing tension is certainly contributing to the continuation of the crisis. But yes, paranoid and crazy conspiracy theory-like as it seems, someone or some groups thought this through and WANTED THIS TO HAPPEN. No points going to humanity for this one.
There are still loads of competing guesses as to who is responsible and why, and the confirmation of the provacateur theory does not absolve anyone involved in killing, burning, looting, etc. from blame, but I do hope that this at least cuts down on the overly-simplistic American MSM narratives of "Oh! Look at those savages with their ancient ethnic hatreds that are just too deep to ever be understood or overcome!" or, alternatively, "Nothing matters but money!"
There are still loads of competing guesses as to who is responsible and why, and the confirmation of the provacateur theory does not absolve anyone involved in killing, burning, looting, etc. from blame, but I do hope that this at least cuts down on the overly-simplistic American MSM narratives of "Oh! Look at those savages with their ancient ethnic hatreds that are just too deep to ever be understood or overcome!" or, alternatively, "Nothing matters but money!"
Donate If You Can
Hey folks,
I know it's hard to figure out how to help in a crisis as large and far away as this one is, especially with reliable information being so hard to get. I think, as with most large-scale disasters far away, the best Americans can do is try to fund efforts that experts are spearheading.
Here's the page for the International Committee of the Red Cross. If you donate to their Tashkent regional efforts, the money will be directed toward dealing with the humanitarian crisis in southern Kyrgyzstan and border areas in Uzbekistan.
The Red Cross has around 80,000 refugees at the Uzbek borders, which have been overwhelmed. Dysentery is appearing in camps. Some of the injured are scared to seek treatment. This is a humanitarian crisis that will not be going away anytime soon.
I know it's a hard time for everyone, and I know that Kyrgyzstan is a small country very far away, making it hard to give up one's hard-earned and needed money. I'm sure I wouldn't care quite so much if I hadn't walked and worked in these places, eaten in homes that have now likely been deserted and burned, cared for and been cared for by people caught up in this chaos. But please, please, help anyway you can.
Love
I know it's hard to figure out how to help in a crisis as large and far away as this one is, especially with reliable information being so hard to get. I think, as with most large-scale disasters far away, the best Americans can do is try to fund efforts that experts are spearheading.
Here's the page for the International Committee of the Red Cross. If you donate to their Tashkent regional efforts, the money will be directed toward dealing with the humanitarian crisis in southern Kyrgyzstan and border areas in Uzbekistan.
The Red Cross has around 80,000 refugees at the Uzbek borders, which have been overwhelmed. Dysentery is appearing in camps. Some of the injured are scared to seek treatment. This is a humanitarian crisis that will not be going away anytime soon.
I know it's a hard time for everyone, and I know that Kyrgyzstan is a small country very far away, making it hard to give up one's hard-earned and needed money. I'm sure I wouldn't care quite so much if I hadn't walked and worked in these places, eaten in homes that have now likely been deserted and burned, cared for and been cared for by people caught up in this chaos. But please, please, help anyway you can.
Love
Information Resources
For anyone trying to follow along with what is going on in southern Kyrgyzstan, I've compiled a list of the more trustworthy English language sources, in response to frustration with what the mainstream press is reporting.
Slate had an Explainer article that may have had more pieces of misinformation than actual words.
Foreign Policy started off right by implying that there are more Russians than Uzbeks in Kyrgyzstan. Once you get a basic, easily checked fact like that wrong, it's hard to trust the rest of what you have to say.
The NYT isn't doing too horribly, but they suffer from the problem of trying to fit a complex narrative into easy bullet points.
Basically, if you read anything that says "ethnic hatred!" or "it's all about class!" or "provacateurs did it! Innocent Kyrgyzstanis would never do such things!" it's probably way too simplistic. So if you're trying to get an idea of the situation, about which little is still known, here are some starting points:
Eurasianet archives: Here's the link to their page of articles on the unrest.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty also has a good backlog of articles as well as current coverage.
NewEurasia gets a lot of locals in on the reporting action.
And Registan is one of the best blogs covering Central Asia out there.
And for those wanting to help in a humanitarian sense, the best place to check thus far is probably the Facebook page Stop the Violence in
Kyrgyzstan! with suggestions for writing to senators, organizing aid, etc
There are other sources out there--leave ideas in the comments!
Slate had an Explainer article that may have had more pieces of misinformation than actual words.
Foreign Policy started off right by implying that there are more Russians than Uzbeks in Kyrgyzstan. Once you get a basic, easily checked fact like that wrong, it's hard to trust the rest of what you have to say.
The NYT isn't doing too horribly, but they suffer from the problem of trying to fit a complex narrative into easy bullet points.
Basically, if you read anything that says "ethnic hatred!" or "it's all about class!" or "provacateurs did it! Innocent Kyrgyzstanis would never do such things!" it's probably way too simplistic. So if you're trying to get an idea of the situation, about which little is still known, here are some starting points:
Eurasianet archives: Here's the link to their page of articles on the unrest.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty also has a good backlog of articles as well as current coverage.
NewEurasia gets a lot of locals in on the reporting action.
And Registan is one of the best blogs covering Central Asia out there.
And for those wanting to help in a humanitarian sense, the best place to check thus far is probably the Facebook page Stop the Violence in
Kyrgyzstan! with suggestions for writing to senators, organizing aid, etc
There are other sources out there--leave ideas in the comments!
Monday, June 14, 2010
On Assigning Blame and Absolving of Guilt
Here's a great post from Registan.net on the knee-jerk reactions that the present conflict must be orchestrated by someone else. Like everything else about the current conflict, opinions have to be contingent because information is so scarce and slippery.
My take, again, is that there is no master manipulator, but I would bet interested parties are taking full advantage of what is going on and are encouraging, even if not actively aiding, those perpetrating the violence. But not matter what, it's those who are pillaging, burning, killing, looting and so on who are to blame: ordinary citizens of Kyrgyzstan are doing this and are ultimately responsible for their own actions, and it makes me sick.
My take, again, is that there is no master manipulator, but I would bet interested parties are taking full advantage of what is going on and are encouraging, even if not actively aiding, those perpetrating the violence. But not matter what, it's those who are pillaging, burning, killing, looting and so on who are to blame: ordinary citizens of Kyrgyzstan are doing this and are ultimately responsible for their own actions, and it makes me sick.
Some History and Some Context
So this is a brief, hopefully at least semi-coherent summary of what is going on in the south of Kyrgyzstan right now. I'm taking my information from what media is available, blog posts, and reports passed through acquaintances. Official reports tend to be not worth a tremendous amount in times like these in settings like KG, hence the reliance on fourth-hand reports. I'm trying to be succinct and informative for an audience who mostly doesn't spend a lot of time working on stuff in Central Asia, so I'll leave out links and citations (much is in Russian; much more is in Kyrgyz, but that stuff is hard for me). If you want more information, however, I'll be happy to oblige. I also welcome comments and corrections from anyone who comes across this and would like to amend, elaborate, or provide a different perspective.
From what I can tell, things have been tense in the South since the change in government on April 7. Bakiev, the ousted president, is from the South, and he held out in his home village for a time, sparking fears of continued unrest and a possible Civil War similar to the war in Tajikistan in the mid-90s. Most observers were pleased when he resigned and fled to sanctuary in Belarus, although members of his family remain, and there have been (alleged?) taped recordings among his relatives and cronies regarding the possibility of regaining power.
In mid-May unrest burst to the surface in regional southern governments, as pro-Bakiev forces, mainly young men (likely unemployed, possibly from among those who have lost their jobs in Russia that were contributing largely to the Kyrgyz economy and the loss of which has been yet another way in which the world economic crisis has been affecting Kyrgyzstan), briefly took over government ministries and installed new regional governors. These lasted all of a day; order was quickly resolved.
Before I get to what is going on this week, a digression on ethnic tension in Kyrgyzstan. Under the Soviet Union, Russians were kind of the supreme ethnicity, and since independence there has been much push-back against this. Opposition political parties often hold all speeches in Kyrgyz, etc. Symbols of nationalism are explicitly and implicitly tied to symbols of Kyrgyz ethnicity. The word for “citizen of Kyrgyzstan” is never used in normal speech; rather the speaker identifies herself and others by their ethnicity. And people are quick to ascribe characteristics and behaviors to people based on those ethnicities. This would be a problem anywhere, but is particularly so in Kyrgyzstan given the extreme heterogeneity of the population. There are over 80 different ethnic groups represented in a population of about 5.25 million. The majority are Kyrgyz, but that still amounts to less than 2/3 of the population. Uzbeks comprise approximately 16% of the population, largely in the south, and Russians are somewhere around 10-12%, mostly in Bishkek and northern areas. Tension between Kyrgyz and Uzbek is of long-standing, and some sources even claim that that the Soviet Union encouraged these tensions. Uzbeks have a reputation for being more successful in commercial endeavors, which some Kyrgyz resent. There were violent outbreaks shortly before the fall of the SU, in 1990, but since then things have been mostly calm.
Right now, Osh has been largely destroyed. At least 100 are dead and 1000 injured, and those numbers are likely to grow exponentially as better information is gathered and disseminated. Uzbek homes and buildings have been burned and razed. First-person reports have told of empty streets, filled only with cars carrying groups of Kyrgyz young men, often drunk, and often armed. Violence has moved on to Jalal-Abad.
Many have tried to flee—from one ethnic Russian citizen of Osh observing that it is women, children, and the elderly fleeing, while men remain behind to try to defend their property. Initially, Uzbekistan was not allowing refugees in, but that has changed. There are reports that at one border crossing a stampede left up to dozens dead, including children. The UN thus far has done nothing to intervene. The Otunbaeva interim government seems completely powerless. They have called on Russia for help, but Russia has thus far declined to send in troops. If Russia does get a military hold in the country, that raises all kinds of concerns for the future of an independent Kyrgyzstan. This is all happening just prior to the scheduled June 27th referendum on the new Constitution, which was seen by many as a vote on confidence in the provisional government. There are rumors that Bakievites have had some role in the violence, whether inciting, arming, or some other provocation, but at the moment all this is is rumor.
International observers, like me, have been shocked at how quickly the situation flared up into such shocking violence. I'm well aware of the history and the ongoing ethnic tensions, but I've also done work in areas from which people are fleeing and had people talk about the harmony in which people of different ethnic groups are able to live with their neighbors. There is a very high level of inter-marriage; many families do not neatly fall into one ethnic group. It's distressing to think that the mainstream media is likely to try to report on this the way they reported on the Balkans—talking about ancient ethnic strife that the West just can't understand, as if Kyrgyzstanis are somehow other. Right now, my best guess for what is going on is terrible economic conditions, political instability and fear, taking on the ugliest possible face and allowing all these prejudices to come out and play in, thus far, consequence free (for the perpetrators) ways. It is a terrible black spot on any new government Kyrgyzstan can try to pull together. Citizens are desperately fleeing to one of the most repressive regimes in the world to escape their fellow countrymen—it's not the new country those hopeful after April 7 were looking for.
Like I said, please leave comments, questions, etc. I'll do my best to follow up on anything and can certainly provide a more researched take on these issues if it will help anyone. I want to do my part to let the world know what is going on in KG, as standing silently by can only help the chaos continue.
From what I can tell, things have been tense in the South since the change in government on April 7. Bakiev, the ousted president, is from the South, and he held out in his home village for a time, sparking fears of continued unrest and a possible Civil War similar to the war in Tajikistan in the mid-90s. Most observers were pleased when he resigned and fled to sanctuary in Belarus, although members of his family remain, and there have been (alleged?) taped recordings among his relatives and cronies regarding the possibility of regaining power.
In mid-May unrest burst to the surface in regional southern governments, as pro-Bakiev forces, mainly young men (likely unemployed, possibly from among those who have lost their jobs in Russia that were contributing largely to the Kyrgyz economy and the loss of which has been yet another way in which the world economic crisis has been affecting Kyrgyzstan), briefly took over government ministries and installed new regional governors. These lasted all of a day; order was quickly resolved.
Before I get to what is going on this week, a digression on ethnic tension in Kyrgyzstan. Under the Soviet Union, Russians were kind of the supreme ethnicity, and since independence there has been much push-back against this. Opposition political parties often hold all speeches in Kyrgyz, etc. Symbols of nationalism are explicitly and implicitly tied to symbols of Kyrgyz ethnicity. The word for “citizen of Kyrgyzstan” is never used in normal speech; rather the speaker identifies herself and others by their ethnicity. And people are quick to ascribe characteristics and behaviors to people based on those ethnicities. This would be a problem anywhere, but is particularly so in Kyrgyzstan given the extreme heterogeneity of the population. There are over 80 different ethnic groups represented in a population of about 5.25 million. The majority are Kyrgyz, but that still amounts to less than 2/3 of the population. Uzbeks comprise approximately 16% of the population, largely in the south, and Russians are somewhere around 10-12%, mostly in Bishkek and northern areas. Tension between Kyrgyz and Uzbek is of long-standing, and some sources even claim that that the Soviet Union encouraged these tensions. Uzbeks have a reputation for being more successful in commercial endeavors, which some Kyrgyz resent. There were violent outbreaks shortly before the fall of the SU, in 1990, but since then things have been mostly calm.
Right now, Osh has been largely destroyed. At least 100 are dead and 1000 injured, and those numbers are likely to grow exponentially as better information is gathered and disseminated. Uzbek homes and buildings have been burned and razed. First-person reports have told of empty streets, filled only with cars carrying groups of Kyrgyz young men, often drunk, and often armed. Violence has moved on to Jalal-Abad.
Many have tried to flee—from one ethnic Russian citizen of Osh observing that it is women, children, and the elderly fleeing, while men remain behind to try to defend their property. Initially, Uzbekistan was not allowing refugees in, but that has changed. There are reports that at one border crossing a stampede left up to dozens dead, including children. The UN thus far has done nothing to intervene. The Otunbaeva interim government seems completely powerless. They have called on Russia for help, but Russia has thus far declined to send in troops. If Russia does get a military hold in the country, that raises all kinds of concerns for the future of an independent Kyrgyzstan. This is all happening just prior to the scheduled June 27th referendum on the new Constitution, which was seen by many as a vote on confidence in the provisional government. There are rumors that Bakievites have had some role in the violence, whether inciting, arming, or some other provocation, but at the moment all this is is rumor.
International observers, like me, have been shocked at how quickly the situation flared up into such shocking violence. I'm well aware of the history and the ongoing ethnic tensions, but I've also done work in areas from which people are fleeing and had people talk about the harmony in which people of different ethnic groups are able to live with their neighbors. There is a very high level of inter-marriage; many families do not neatly fall into one ethnic group. It's distressing to think that the mainstream media is likely to try to report on this the way they reported on the Balkans—talking about ancient ethnic strife that the West just can't understand, as if Kyrgyzstanis are somehow other. Right now, my best guess for what is going on is terrible economic conditions, political instability and fear, taking on the ugliest possible face and allowing all these prejudices to come out and play in, thus far, consequence free (for the perpetrators) ways. It is a terrible black spot on any new government Kyrgyzstan can try to pull together. Citizens are desperately fleeing to one of the most repressive regimes in the world to escape their fellow countrymen—it's not the new country those hopeful after April 7 were looking for.
Like I said, please leave comments, questions, etc. I'll do my best to follow up on anything and can certainly provide a more researched take on these issues if it will help anyone. I want to do my part to let the world know what is going on in KG, as standing silently by can only help the chaos continue.
More on Kyrgyzstan
WEll, More will be coming in the morning. I'm going to keep analyzing the news until the country gets it together. Take that as a threat, KG: stop with the killing, firing, and making people flee, because not only are you murdering people, destroying their homes, and running them out of their country, you are dooming the world (or at least those few people who never got rid of the feed) to my deep thoughts on revolution, violence, and the "ethnic question" in a context of crazy economic uncertainty and political upheaval.
This will be continue Monday morning. Unless Kyrgyzstan learns to behave itself first.
Please read, comment, and send notes telling me what you want me to write on and at what level of specificity. It's very easy for me to skip 5 steps in the middle that would make a story make sense, because my lived experience makes it harder to narrativize those parts. But I will do my best. So please care, and let's go on an interactive journey together!
This will be continue Monday morning. Unless Kyrgyzstan learns to behave itself first.
Please read, comment, and send notes telling me what you want me to write on and at what level of specificity. It's very easy for me to skip 5 steps in the middle that would make a story make sense, because my lived experience makes it harder to narrativize those parts. But I will do my best. So please care, and let's go on an interactive journey together!
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