 RFE/RL Central Asia Report 8/6/2009 4:30:41 PM A review of RFE/RL reporting and analysis about the five countries of Central Asia.For more stories on Central Asia, please visit and bookmark our Central Asia page . |
 In Central Asia, Corruption Undermines System Throughout Central Asia, people say it's a fact of life that most university entrants must pay bribes to get enrolled into institutions of higher education. And because of the corruption in the system, many say can lead to doctors, lawyers, and other professionals with little qualification for the important work they do. More  IMU Fears A Decade In The Making When a small band of armed "refugees" seized a village in Kyrgyzstan 10 years ago this week, they didn't appear to pose much of a threat. It has since become clear that the storming of the international stage by IMU gunmen dashed Central Asian hopes of escaping Pakistan- and Afghanistan-style Islamist insurgencies. More  'King Of Uzbek Comedy' Dies In Tashkent Ergash Karimov, 75, was known as the "king of Uzbek comedy" during his long career in the Soviet Union. More Tajik security forces removed five checkpoints in the eastern Tavil-Dara district in a sign of improved security in that part of the country, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports. More An Uzbek asylum seeker and his 11-year-old son may have been forcibly returned from Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan where they face the risk of abuse, Human Rights Watch has said. More  Motives Behind Uzbek Attack Remain Unclear Tashkent's chief imam remains in critical condition after he was stabbed multiple times outside his home last week in the Uzbek capital. Authorities are seeking three men suspected of carrying out the attack. The motive is believed to be revenge, with suspicion centering on Islamic extremists or possible business rivals. More  Tashkent Says 'No Need' For Nearby Russian Base Uzbekistan issues a sharp rebuke to Russia and Kyrgyzstan over their plan to set up a Russian military base in the neighborhood. More  Professing Unity, While Growing Further Apart Long the object of great-power ambitions, Central Asia now resists the dominance of any single player. But the failure to form collective partnerships could leave the region vulnerable to the strategies of outside powers. More  Tajik Villagers Protest Over Demolished Home A Tajik family whose home was bulldozed held a protest with other supporters in front of the government building in Dushanbe, RFE/RL's Tajik Service reports. More  Bukhara Deer Reintroduced To Syr Darya River Valley For almost half a century, the Bukhara deer had not been seen in the wild in the forests along the Syr Darya river. But the species has now returned to Kazakhstan's southern Turkestan district with the recent release of ten deer into their native habitat. More  China And The EU In The Wings Russia and the United States were the first to step into the post-Soviet "new Great Game" for resources and influence in Central Asia, but other players have now entered the arena. In the second of a three-part series, RFE/RL looks at the inroads China and the European Union have made in the region. More  Shifting Influence In Central Asia Russia, the United States, China, and Europe still seek to hold sway in Central Asia, their sights set on energy reserves and security agreements, but the region now resists the dominance of any single player. In the first of a three-part series, RFE/RL looks at the recent ebb and flow of Russian and U.S. influence in the region. More  Russia, Kyrgyzstan Sign Base Deal At CSTO Summit The Russian and Kyrgyz presidents, meeting at a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, have tentatively agreed to establish a second Russian military base in Kyrgyzstan. Russian forces at the base would be charged with "protecting Kyrgyz sovereignty" and repelling attacks by international terrorist groups. More  Kazakh Rights Activist Jailed Again An Almaty court has found a Kazakh human rights group leader guilty of organizing an unsanctioned gathering, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports. More  Kyrgyz Rights Activists Detained, Fined In Bishkek Four female rights activists were detained, convicted, and fined in Bishkek for organizing an illegal protest, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports. More  Gallup's Index Of Fear Gallup today released results of a poll conducted in 12 of the 15 former Soviet countries (they left out Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) asking people how they think about their leaders. And the results raised some eyebrows in the newsroom. More  Uzbek Human Rights Activist Jailed For 12 Years Uzbek human rights activist Dilmurod Sayyid has been sentenced to 12 and 1/2 years in jail, RFE/RL's Uzbek Service reports. More  Swine Flu Cases Cause Panic In Kazakh Cities At least 14 cases of the swine flu virus (H1N1) have been confirmed in Kazakhstan, the only confirmed cases of the illness in Central Asia. Governments across the region are taking measures to prevent an epidemic, but many people remain unaware of the threat. More  Kyrgyz Opposition Leader Says He Has Done His Duty According to the official results, Almazbek Atambaev lost last week's presidential election in Kyrgyzstan. But he insists that he won the poll and that the incumbent was reelected only through massive fraud. Atambaev talked to RFE/RL about his "stolen" victory, the ordeal of campaigning and election day, and his plans for the immediate future. More |
