You know when I said that posts on Waycross Area News and BSG Retrospective would be up soon? You know how you're probably expecting Kyrgyzstan updates over here? Well, I've been terribly ill *and* this is my last week of class with finals next week. Expect nothing on any of my blogs until the second week of May.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Hindsight 20/20?
Really? More examples of things I could've told you six months ago, a year ago, whenever. And yet everyone seems so surprised. It was obvious (to me, anyway) that after the US got kicked out of Uzbekistan they kissed Bakiev's ass in order to make sure they didn't lose their foothold in Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile, these analysts seem a tad too late in their analyses. Also, I've seen numerous article (like this one) which try to make it out to be that the US presence at Manas was the reason for the ouster of Bakiev. Um, no. Certainly the fuel contract sending dollars directly into the Bakiev family coffers added to the anger and resentment of the Kyrgyz citizens against corruption in the government... but a key factor? No.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Brierpatch Cats Adopt-A-Thon!!!
As you may know, Brierpatch Cats is a project run by me (Jane Keeler) and my mom (Sandy Keeler). We take care of all the cats ourselves, and we pay all of the vet and other animal related bills ourselves. We do not receive any outside funding. I have been going back to school since August 2009, and as such have been working ultra-part-time (less than ten hours a week at minimum wage). This means that my mom has been paying all of the vet and other animal related bills. We calculated that in 2009, my mom spent a full THIRD of her salary on our animals. Additionally, since I've been working ultra-part-time since August '09, my mom has spent a good portion of her salary buying me food and paying my bills.
The school year is almost over, and I have decided that what I really need is a job. (I already have my Bachelor's degree, BTW, for those of you who didn't know.) I really hate being 31 years old and relying on my mom for gas money, bills, groceries, etc. This is the first time since 2001 that I haven't been self-sufficient, and it is maddening. Unfortunately, while the economy may be on the rebound in other parts of the country, jobs are few and far between here in Waycross. I've applied for several, been interviewed for one, and been hired for none.
Meanwhile, I've received a really good job offer from the school in Daegu, South Korea (where I taught in 2006-2007)! I've decided to go overseas again to teach English (as I did from 2005-2008). The job in Korea pays enough that I will be able to send home a decent amount to help my mom cover veterinary and other animal related expenses. (I've also applied for a teaching position in Kazakhstan, although I've yet to hear back from them.) Additionally, I'm planning to put my house up for sale. (Of course, given the housing market in Waycross, I'm not sure what kind of luck I'll have!)
While having an additional source of income will help a LOT with the expenses of caring for so many animals, AND we'll be able to put money towards fixing the flooded part of the road to the land and improving our facility out there… having me out of the country will make things rather more difficult for my mom, considering how many critters we have at this time. As such, we need to downsize.
See, my mom works full time AND she will be turning 66 in August 2010… Caring for fifty cats, eleven dogs, and two horses is a lot of work. A friend of mine who lives here in Waycross has volunteered to help my mom out with the animals when he can (thanks, Mark!!), although the biggest thing that would be of help to us would be if we could lower the number of animals for which we care at this point in time.
Whether I move to Korea or Kazakhstan, I will be leaving at the beginning of August 2010. As such, we are starting a big push to adopt out as many cats and dogs as possible during the next three months. (Obviously, our permanent residents, feral cats, and horses are not up for adoption and are not included in this.)
The school year is almost over, and I have decided that what I really need is a job. (I already have my Bachelor's degree, BTW, for those of you who didn't know.) I really hate being 31 years old and relying on my mom for gas money, bills, groceries, etc. This is the first time since 2001 that I haven't been self-sufficient, and it is maddening. Unfortunately, while the economy may be on the rebound in other parts of the country, jobs are few and far between here in Waycross. I've applied for several, been interviewed for one, and been hired for none.
Meanwhile, I've received a really good job offer from the school in Daegu, South Korea (where I taught in 2006-2007)! I've decided to go overseas again to teach English (as I did from 2005-2008). The job in Korea pays enough that I will be able to send home a decent amount to help my mom cover veterinary and other animal related expenses. (I've also applied for a teaching position in Kazakhstan, although I've yet to hear back from them.) Additionally, I'm planning to put my house up for sale. (Of course, given the housing market in Waycross, I'm not sure what kind of luck I'll have!)
While having an additional source of income will help a LOT with the expenses of caring for so many animals, AND we'll be able to put money towards fixing the flooded part of the road to the land and improving our facility out there… having me out of the country will make things rather more difficult for my mom, considering how many critters we have at this time. As such, we need to downsize.
See, my mom works full time AND she will be turning 66 in August 2010… Caring for fifty cats, eleven dogs, and two horses is a lot of work. A friend of mine who lives here in Waycross has volunteered to help my mom out with the animals when he can (thanks, Mark!!), although the biggest thing that would be of help to us would be if we could lower the number of animals for which we care at this point in time.
Whether I move to Korea or Kazakhstan, I will be leaving at the beginning of August 2010. As such, we are starting a big push to adopt out as many cats and dogs as possible during the next three months. (Obviously, our permanent residents, feral cats, and horses are not up for adoption and are not included in this.)
We DO NOT charge an adoption fee; however, we DO interview (either via phone or email) all potential adopters to ensure that our animals go to the best of homes. If you live within reasonable driving distance, we will drive the cat or dog to you. If you wish to have an animal shipped to you, we will cover all the local expenses (traveling crate, veterinary health certificate, transfer to airport), but you will be responsible for flight costs.
Please consider adopting one of our cats or dogs today! And spread the word to everyone you know! Thank you so much for your help!!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Latest Kyrgyzstan Links
Deposed Kyrgyz leader says he is still president (despite submitting a letter of resignation and leaving the country. Yeah.)
US State Department only just now issues a travel warning for Kyrgyzstan.
New Kyrgyz Government authorizes opening fire on looters
Megalomania!! "Death alone can stop me!" says Bakiev.... um.... his warm welcome in Belarus must be going to his head!!
US State Department only just now issues a travel warning for Kyrgyzstan.
New Kyrgyz Government authorizes opening fire on looters
Megalomania!! "Death alone can stop me!" says Bakiev.... um.... his warm welcome in Belarus must be going to his head!!
Talk of revolution... in the US??
The Diane Rehm Show is by far my favorite news program. For those of you who have never listened, on her Friday News Roundup she has a panel of experts and journalists (different each week) who discuss recent events in the US and in the world. After discussing said events, they then take calls and read emails, which are also then discussed by the panelists. Click here to download a very short MP3, and listen to Diane read a very, very creepy email. To those of you who are to the right of me politically... are people really talking about this? Seriously?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
More on ethnic clashes in Kyrgyzstan
Here's an English language Reuters video and article on the ethnic clashes outside of Bishkek. I'd read elsewhere (can't remember where) that the Russians, knowing that the Turks were the focus of the crowd, painted "Russians" on their doors to keep the looters out... These two articles make the spraying of "Russians" on the doors out to be something a little different. where lies the truth?
More on the clashes on the outskirts of Bishkek
This article (in Russian) was so informative that I translated it for you:
Medvedev orders the Russian Defense Ministry to ensure the safety of Russians in Kyrgyzstan
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has instructed the Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to take measures to ensure the safety of Russian citizens in Kyrgyzstan, according to the Kremlin press service. In addition, the President ordered the Defense Ministry to strengthen the protection of Russian facilities due to the increasing number of seizures and raids in Kyrgyzstan.
One day ago, Russia's Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan said that during the pogroms in the villages outside Bishkek, Russians were attacked. There have been reports that the rioters “burst into the house of a Russian family and demanded that the Russians be tossed out.”
Pogroms in the villages Mayevka and Lenin began on April 19. A large crowd of looters seized land on which farmers grew wheat, and began to divide the land among themselves. The looters clashed with the locals, and then marched toward the capital of Kyrgyzstan, where they were stopped by security forces.
Riots outside of Bishkek continued until the evening, with looters throwing stones, smashing cars, burning houses, and fighting with villagers. Police officers, government security forces, and armored personnel carriers were sent to the village of Mayevka. As a result of the rioting and looting, five people were killed, including several from gunshot wounds. The next day, looters, local residents and police continued to clash.
Um... Is this to ensure the safety of Russian *citizens* only? Or does this also apply to ethnic Russians who are citizens of Kyrgyzstan? Food for thought.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Another update from a contact in Kyrgyzstan
Never thought this would happen why I was here but can't say I didn't see this coming.
I lived in Jalalabad for 2yrs but have been in Kant since January so I've gotten a taste of both the north and south vibe. I'm sure you've found out about last night's disturbances outside B[ishkek].
Last few days, I've been getting comments about the low level of education the new government seems to possess.for instance, some Kyrgyz told me Otunbaeva's Kyrgyz is bad. Of course, some Russians tell me her Russian is bad so there's a lot of bias mixed in there. At least it's consistent ;0
I've even heard "grass is greener on the side" comments bout Akaev.
If you're outside B[ishkek], [Jalala]bad, or Osh, or Talas you don't notice much. Though from what I hear Talas is still without a police force. I guess 50% control of the nation equates to 100% for the new govt?
The south, well, is the south. The majority didn't like the old prez and they don't the new one either. Well, that's how the majority of the country feel anyways lol
One thing is certain, however. If a certain someone [Bakiev] tries to come back anytime soon, 'there will be blood'.
I lived in Jalalabad for 2yrs but have been in Kant since January so I've gotten a taste of both the north and south vibe. I'm sure you've found out about last night's disturbances outside B[ishkek].
Last few days, I've been getting comments about the low level of education the new government seems to possess.for instance, some Kyrgyz told me Otunbaeva's Kyrgyz is bad. Of course, some Russians tell me her Russian is bad so there's a lot of bias mixed in there. At least it's consistent ;0
I've even heard "grass is greener on the side" comments bout Akaev.
If you're outside B[ishkek], [Jalala]bad, or Osh, or Talas you don't notice much. Though from what I hear Talas is still without a police force. I guess 50% control of the nation equates to 100% for the new govt?
The south, well, is the south. The majority didn't like the old prez and they don't the new one either. Well, that's how the majority of the country feel anyways lol
One thing is certain, however. If a certain someone [Bakiev] tries to come back anytime soon, 'there will be blood'.
So sad....
The road to normalcy isn't easy.
Turks in the Kyrgyz village of Maevka become a target of attacks as rioters loot and burn their houses -full story and sad video here :-(
Calmer, but not yet back to normal.
I can understand the violent overthrow of Bakiev. I can't condone the looting that came afterward, but that kind of behavior seems to be human nature. This, though.... *shiver* :-(
Friday, April 16, 2010
Awesome documentary on Roza Otunbayeva by AlJazeera English
(This was aired originally in 2008, but is especially pertinent now... Plus, it was filmed when I was in Kyrgyzstan! And pretty much everywhere they go in the video, I have been.)
Bakiev has left Kyrgyzstan...
....and is now in Kazakhstan in the city of Taraz, located just over the Kyrgyz/Kazakh border. So yes, he has gone... but he hasn't gone all that far. Below are some news reports on the subject:
I know this guy! :-)
My friend, Kyrgyz journalist Bektour Iskender, was interviewed by Russia Today regarding the situation in Kyrgyzstan.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Not as much support down there as he'd hoped!
I hate to see further violence, but I have to admit relief at seeing that residents of the south of Kyrgyzstan are not flocking to the Bakiev banner as he had obviously hoped they would. This morning in the southern city of Osh (see my pics), Bakiev had scheduled a rally to fire up his supporters... and ended up being fired at. No one was injured, although Bakiev was rapidly evacuated. From the video below and pictures of the evacuation, it would seem he is headed back to the northern part of the country. I could be wrong... but isn't that the Osh-Bishkek highway??? (According to eurasianet, he's gone back to his home village of Teyit, where he's been since fleeing Bishkek.... and according to Russia Today, he's left for Kazakhstan.) Anyway, watch the video.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Gah! Hard to know....
I got online this morning to discover numerous headlines proclaiming Kurmanbek Bakiev's willingness to step down and to leave Kyrgyzstan... but upon taking a closer look, it seems that his words may very well ring hollow.
Related Articles:
Ousted president offers to step down, asks for safety
Kyrgyz leader agrees to resign if safety guaranteed
(etc, etc - there are numerous others along these lines)
But let's not forget Bakiev's whole Drown in Blood rhetoric...
Two depressing links
These two links - two Russian journalists traveling Kyrgyzstan together - provide a very depressing and distressing look at the situation in Kyrgyzstan. Not sure how much is accurate, as according to Elena Skochilo, the land seizure did not occur. And they frequently refer to "rubles" when they really mean "soms" - nonetheless, quite worth a read, although soooo depressing.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Kyrgyzstan Media Coverage: The Good and The Bad
News coverage of the events in Kyrgyzstan is rapidly drying up here in the US. Apparently, if there's no longer any violence or bloodshed, there's little media interest. Boooo. Also, much of the remaining coverage revolves around whether or not this will affect the US base (er, "transit center") at Manas, just outside Bishkek. [I should point out that the US base and the Manas Airport - as in the place you fly in and out of if you visit Kyrgyzstan - share the same facility. Granted, civilian passengers and US military are partitioned off from one another and don't mix, but the first thing you see when your airplane lands in Kyrgyzstan is a row of US fighter jets and transport planes.]
Additionally, I've noticed so many Western journalists struggling with pronunciation, concepts, facts.... I mean, take this fellow below - from CNN. I just want to smack him. Be sure you take a good look at the map that pops up on the screen at the very end. In fact, I'll go ahead and post the map underneath the video...
Additionally, I've noticed so many Western journalists struggling with pronunciation, concepts, facts.... I mean, take this fellow below - from CNN. I just want to smack him. Be sure you take a good look at the map that pops up on the screen at the very end. In fact, I'll go ahead and post the map underneath the video...
Now I know that Central Asia isn't a part of the world most Americans can visualize all that well (even despite our involvement in Afghanistan) - but this is CNN. They should know better. See below.
I have to admit, I was even disappointed by this week's Friday News Roundup on the Diane Rehm show. I love Diane Rehm, and the Friday News Roundup makes up my favorite two hours of the podcasting week. She led the international hour with the situation in Kyrgyzstan, but her guests didn't seem to know that much about what was going on over there. One referred to Roza Otumbayeva as "Okunbaev" and another kept calling the place Kir-ZIK-stan. And of all the issues the show covered, Kyrgyzstan got the least amount of attention. Boooo.
This certainly isn't to say that all news sources have been lacking... My friend Elena, whom I've mentioned and linked to several times during this crisis, was interviewed by Global Voices regarding the impact her blog has had on the coverage of these events. Score!
Most of the really informative videos I've been able to link to have been from Al Jazeera English and Russia Today... which I suppose shouldn't surprise me, as Kyrgyzstan does fall under their regional coverage area. Still, I'm a little disappointed that the US media is moving on already...
Update: Kyrgyzstan on the Sunday After Revolution
An email from my friend, an American who works for an NGO in Bishkek:
Hello all,
Things are fairly quiet in the city and we were "de-consolidated" yesterday which means we were allowed to go back to our own apartments.
After getting back to my own apartment, I took my first shower since Wednesday (they had showers at our "safe house" but I figured the revolution was a good excuse to skip a few days). It seems a little strange to do anything normal during these un-normal times but after my shower I got a haircut (where they proceeded to wash my hair two more times). Then I went grocery shopping (at the shopping center which wasn't looted) because I had left all my boiled eggs, ramen noodle bowls and canned corn at the safe house. The store where I went grocery shopping had been badly looted in the 2005 revolution, really fortified itself afterwards and survived this round. Lesson well learned.
After shopping I did the wash which means right now I'm wearing my "gym" clothes. When I first arrived in Bishkek last November I bought a heavy coat, two dress shirts, a pair of work pants and two pairs of socks. I alternate the dress shirts and socks. My next purchase was a pair of "office" slippers. This prompted someone in my office to comment that I don't seem to care about what I wear. He was wondering if it was a personal or cultural thing.
Since I don't have a camera, here are some links to articles with pictures. The picture in this article is the "mall" where I usually (or should I say "used to"?) go to lunch:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8610691.stm
It is also the mall where I (used to) get holes in my clothes sewed. I have so far brought in a jacket, pants and a sweater. When I brought in my socks, though, they said no and told me just to buy a new pair. When I told my co-worker what happened she took out a needle and some thread and sewed them on the spot (she first asked if the socks were clean and then added that I should get married so my wife could sew my socks).
This article has a map of Bishkek (I've also attached a copy with my edits) where you can see my old apartment:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8608440.stm
I read another article referring to the protests as the Easter Revolution which is a little funny since Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim country. Someone in my office suggested that I move up my trip to Bangkok but after reading the news today I'm not so sure that's a good idea either?
Hello all,
Things are fairly quiet in the city and we were "de-consolidated" yesterday which means we were allowed to go back to our own apartments.
After getting back to my own apartment, I took my first shower since Wednesday (they had showers at our "safe house" but I figured the revolution was a good excuse to skip a few days). It seems a little strange to do anything normal during these un-normal times but after my shower I got a haircut (where they proceeded to wash my hair two more times). Then I went grocery shopping (at the shopping center which wasn't looted) because I had left all my boiled eggs, ramen noodle bowls and canned corn at the safe house. The store where I went grocery shopping had been badly looted in the 2005 revolution, really fortified itself afterwards and survived this round. Lesson well learned.
After shopping I did the wash which means right now I'm wearing my "gym" clothes. When I first arrived in Bishkek last November I bought a heavy coat, two dress shirts, a pair of work pants and two pairs of socks. I alternate the dress shirts and socks. My next purchase was a pair of "office" slippers. This prompted someone in my office to comment that I don't seem to care about what I wear. He was wondering if it was a personal or cultural thing.
Since I don't have a camera, here are some links to articles with pictures. The picture in this article is the "mall" where I usually (or should I say "used to"?) go to lunch:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8610691.stm
It is also the mall where I (used to) get holes in my clothes sewed. I have so far brought in a jacket, pants and a sweater. When I brought in my socks, though, they said no and told me just to buy a new pair. When I told my co-worker what happened she took out a needle and some thread and sewed them on the spot (she first asked if the socks were clean and then added that I should get married so my wife could sew my socks).
This article has a map of Bishkek (I've also attached a copy with my edits) where you can see my old apartment:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8608440.stm
I read another article referring to the protests as the Easter Revolution which is a little funny since Kyrgyzstan is a Muslim country. Someone in my office suggested that I move up my trip to Bangkok but after reading the news today I'm not so sure that's a good idea either?
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Updates from friends in Kyrgyzstan
From my former boss at The London School, where I worked when I lived in Kyrgyzstan:
Dear Jane,
Thank you very much for asking and it was nice to hear from you again. We are fine and are already working again and city life is back to normal; the police are back on the streets and the new interim government has got the situation under control.
We had a national strike on April 7th but it was not organized. The opposition people had wanted to organize a national meeting on April 7th, but on April 6th all opposition leaders were put in prison. The next day people came for the meeting and were looking for their leaders. But they were surrounded by police and the police tried to arrest all of them.
Then people got crazy, about this humiliation, and it grew into a wildcat strike which ended with the overthrow of Bakiev's ( former president) presidency. Of course, widespread discontent of the government preceded this situation - people were unhappy about increasing prices for electricity and heating because all strategically important property and resources of the country have been sold out for unrealstic prices to Bakiev and his relatives’ family. Plus, unprecedented growing violations of ordinary peoples' rights -, shutting down all important news Internet channels ,on a mass scale arrest of people and the increase of corruption and illegal activity.
I saw the news on CNN and other channels – we believe they are exaggerating the situation. Yes, there were lootings and burning of some buildings and a couple of supermarkets - which belong to the president or other dishonest politicians, however, these looted buildings are about 10% of the city and others are fine. It is thought these actions were under taken by people who were angry or frustrated with Bakiev and his government - they did it because they wanted revenge against a corrupt government system. Of course, from the western point of view, it is not something that you could understand because your Government does not act in such an illegal manner or in such a large scale, which influences people’s lives. Unfortunately, people here could only uphold their rights and liberty through the actions taken in Bihkek, which you have probably heard about in the media.
Of course, some of them did turn to violence which usually follow this type of event, but it does not mean widespread violence.
Some of the news channels commentated about the possibility of Civil War and Bakiev is going to head to Bishkek with his armed services. And because of this a confrontation between the north and south of Kyrgyzstan, which is not true. In all regions, authority has been passed to the interim government representatives in a peaceful manner including the south.
We still we have disquiet in the city which is typical in this kind of situation however we are happy that we could have a chance to change things towards of democracy system.
I hope this short piece of information gives you an explanation of what is happening here and again thank you very much for asking,
Kendje
From my former student, Justin, who is Korean and 12 years old:
Hello, Jane.
How are you?
Its been a long time since we met.
Well, you see...
I'm scared to go outside because of the protest.
But people say it is over.
I have also skipped school because of this.
I'm not even sure that my school and London school is alright.
Well, I guess I have to wait.
Okay. How is it in USA?
Do you have any good news?
I'll wait for your reply.
Justin
From a friend who works at a US-based NGO in Bishkek:
Hello All,
It's about 10am Friday morning in Bishkek. Nice day. Sun is out. Day 3 of the revolution. It hasn't been given a name yet, as far as I know. Their revolution in 2005, which I never heard of until I got there, was called the "Tulip Revolution". The interesting thing is that the President that came to power in 2005 is the same guy they are trying to get rid of now. Great example of being careful what you wish for.
Quick recap. On Tuesday, reports came in that there were protests in the western part of the country. Expat interns were "grounded" meaning we had to go home right after work and to stay in our apartments. That meant I had to cancel my Russian lesson and miss my Latin Dance class :(
Wednesday is when the proverbial sh*t hit the fan. The day started normally but then reports started coming in of protesters clashing with police downtown just blocks away from our office. Soon we started hearing gunshots. Someone eventually explained to me how to tell the difference between a rubber bullet, live ammo and a car exploding.
The expats were taken to a "safe house" (not what they actually call it). I and the other intern made spaghetti for everyone. I was in charge of the toast and accidentally spread some sort of cheese on all the bread. I was like "This butter is like cheese" and the other intern said "It is cheese". Turned out pretty tasty anyway. After dinner I was asked for contact information for relatives, about what visas I had for neighboring countries (!) and about what kind of insurance I had (!!). We later heard that the opposition had declared a new government and hoped that things would start settling down.
The next day, Thursday, the city was relatively quiet. People were strolling around the grounds of the main government building (called the "White House") which was still burning and had burnt-out cars littering the parking lot. By the evening, though, hopes for a quick resolution dimmed as the old president announced he would not resign. Reports came in that crowds in the main square downtown were being disbursed and no-one knew where they would go or what they would do next.
Besides the continuing gunshots and one little scare when we were told to turn off all the lights, the rest of the night was relatively calm. Things seem quiet again today but things change quickly and the plan is to stay in the safe house for at least one more night.
Well, that's all the time I have to write right now. I had actually been cat-sitting before all this started and need to go feed the kitties.
Dear Jane,
Thank you very much for asking and it was nice to hear from you again. We are fine and are already working again and city life is back to normal; the police are back on the streets and the new interim government has got the situation under control.
We had a national strike on April 7th but it was not organized. The opposition people had wanted to organize a national meeting on April 7th, but on April 6th all opposition leaders were put in prison. The next day people came for the meeting and were looking for their leaders. But they were surrounded by police and the police tried to arrest all of them.
Then people got crazy, about this humiliation, and it grew into a wildcat strike which ended with the overthrow of Bakiev's ( former president) presidency. Of course, widespread discontent of the government preceded this situation - people were unhappy about increasing prices for electricity and heating because all strategically important property and resources of the country have been sold out for unrealstic prices to Bakiev and his relatives’ family. Plus, unprecedented growing violations of ordinary peoples' rights -, shutting down all important news Internet channels ,on a mass scale arrest of people and the increase of corruption and illegal activity.
I saw the news on CNN and other channels – we believe they are exaggerating the situation. Yes, there were lootings and burning of some buildings and a couple of supermarkets - which belong to the president or other dishonest politicians, however, these looted buildings are about 10% of the city and others are fine. It is thought these actions were under taken by people who were angry or frustrated with Bakiev and his government - they did it because they wanted revenge against a corrupt government system. Of course, from the western point of view, it is not something that you could understand because your Government does not act in such an illegal manner or in such a large scale, which influences people’s lives. Unfortunately, people here could only uphold their rights and liberty through the actions taken in Bihkek, which you have probably heard about in the media.
Of course, some of them did turn to violence which usually follow this type of event, but it does not mean widespread violence.
Some of the news channels commentated about the possibility of Civil War and Bakiev is going to head to Bishkek with his armed services. And because of this a confrontation between the north and south of Kyrgyzstan, which is not true. In all regions, authority has been passed to the interim government representatives in a peaceful manner including the south.
We still we have disquiet in the city which is typical in this kind of situation however we are happy that we could have a chance to change things towards of democracy system.
I hope this short piece of information gives you an explanation of what is happening here and again thank you very much for asking,
Kendje
From my former student, Justin, who is Korean and 12 years old:
Hello, Jane.
How are you?
Its been a long time since we met.
Well, you see...
I'm scared to go outside because of the protest.
But people say it is over.
I have also skipped school because of this.
I'm not even sure that my school and London school is alright.
Well, I guess I have to wait.
Okay. How is it in USA?
Do you have any good news?
I'll wait for your reply.
Justin
From a friend who works at a US-based NGO in Bishkek:
Hello All,
It's about 10am Friday morning in Bishkek. Nice day. Sun is out. Day 3 of the revolution. It hasn't been given a name yet, as far as I know. Their revolution in 2005, which I never heard of until I got there, was called the "Tulip Revolution". The interesting thing is that the President that came to power in 2005 is the same guy they are trying to get rid of now. Great example of being careful what you wish for.
Quick recap. On Tuesday, reports came in that there were protests in the western part of the country. Expat interns were "grounded" meaning we had to go home right after work and to stay in our apartments. That meant I had to cancel my Russian lesson and miss my Latin Dance class :(
Wednesday is when the proverbial sh*t hit the fan. The day started normally but then reports started coming in of protesters clashing with police downtown just blocks away from our office. Soon we started hearing gunshots. Someone eventually explained to me how to tell the difference between a rubber bullet, live ammo and a car exploding.
The expats were taken to a "safe house" (not what they actually call it). I and the other intern made spaghetti for everyone. I was in charge of the toast and accidentally spread some sort of cheese on all the bread. I was like "This butter is like cheese" and the other intern said "It is cheese". Turned out pretty tasty anyway. After dinner I was asked for contact information for relatives, about what visas I had for neighboring countries (!) and about what kind of insurance I had (!!). We later heard that the opposition had declared a new government and hoped that things would start settling down.
The next day, Thursday, the city was relatively quiet. People were strolling around the grounds of the main government building (called the "White House") which was still burning and had burnt-out cars littering the parking lot. By the evening, though, hopes for a quick resolution dimmed as the old president announced he would not resign. Reports came in that crowds in the main square downtown were being disbursed and no-one knew where they would go or what they would do next.
Besides the continuing gunshots and one little scare when we were told to turn off all the lights, the rest of the night was relatively calm. Things seem quiet again today but things change quickly and the plan is to stay in the safe house for at least one more night.
Well, that's all the time I have to write right now. I had actually been cat-sitting before all this started and need to go feed the kitties.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Elena Debunks Rumors in Kyrgyzstan
by Elena Skochilo, taken from here:
Снайперы из службы государственной охраны НЕ наемники.
Курманбек Бакиев находится в Жалалабадской области.
Курманбек Бакиев НЕ подавал в отставку.
В Оше НЕ раздавали оружие.
На американской авиабазе НЕ открывали огонь.
На американской авиабазе БЫЛА боевая тревога.
В Бишкеке обезвредили ТРИ мины.
Случаи мародерства были ТОЛЬКО в Бишкеке и Токмаке.
Массовых погромов пансионатов на Иссык-Куле НЕ было.
Противостояния между севером и югом Кыргызстана НЕТ.
Трасса Бишкек-Ош НЕ перекрыта.
Попытка захвата земель была, но в настоящий момент ситуация под контролем.
Конгантиев находится в Таразе.
Жапарова НЕ избивали
Translation (by me)
Snipers from the government were NOT mercenaries
Kurmanbek Bakiev IS located in the Jalalabad region
Kurmanbek Bakiev has NOT resigned
They are NOT handing out weapons in Osh
The American airbase has NOT been shut down
The American airbase HAS been on high alert
THREE mines (the explosive kind) have been removed/cleared from Bishkek
Looting occurred ONLY in Bishkek and Tokmak
There were NO mass pogroms at Issyk-Kul
There is NO conflict between Northern and Southern Kyrgyzstan
The Bishkek-Osh highway is NOT blocked
There WAS an attempt to capture the land but now the situation is under control*
Kogantiev IS in Taraz
Japarova was NOT beaten (I'm afraid I can't tell you who these two guys are, though.)
* I didn't know what this referred to, so I asked Elena. Her response: The looters were trying to seize it. Land is in Bishkek area (Kok-Zhar, Tunguch and some land in parks and abour hectares of land where flowers were grown for the city flower beds).
Снайперы из службы государственной охраны НЕ наемники.
Курманбек Бакиев находится в Жалалабадской области.
Курманбек Бакиев НЕ подавал в отставку.
В Оше НЕ раздавали оружие.
На американской авиабазе НЕ открывали огонь.
На американской авиабазе БЫЛА боевая тревога.
В Бишкеке обезвредили ТРИ мины.
Случаи мародерства были ТОЛЬКО в Бишкеке и Токмаке.
Массовых погромов пансионатов на Иссык-Куле НЕ было.
Противостояния между севером и югом Кыргызстана НЕТ.
Трасса Бишкек-Ош НЕ перекрыта.
Попытка захвата земель была, но в настоящий момент ситуация под контролем.
Конгантиев находится в Таразе.
Жапарова НЕ избивали
Translation (by me)
Snipers from the government were NOT mercenaries
Kurmanbek Bakiev IS located in the Jalalabad region
Kurmanbek Bakiev has NOT resigned
They are NOT handing out weapons in Osh
The American airbase has NOT been shut down
The American airbase HAS been on high alert
THREE mines (the explosive kind) have been removed/cleared from Bishkek
Looting occurred ONLY in Bishkek and Tokmak
There were NO mass pogroms at Issyk-Kul
There is NO conflict between Northern and Southern Kyrgyzstan
The Bishkek-Osh highway is NOT blocked
There WAS an attempt to capture the land but now the situation is under control*
Kogantiev IS in Taraz
Japarova was NOT beaten (I'm afraid I can't tell you who these two guys are, though.)
* I didn't know what this referred to, so I asked Elena. Her response: The looters were trying to seize it. Land is in Bishkek area (Kok-Zhar, Tunguch and some land in parks and abour hectares of land where flowers were grown for the city flower beds).
Plov and Politics
Akyl and Chingiz make plovOne of my very first Kyrgyz experiences (blogged about here) occurred when friends of a coworker (who later became friends of mine as well) cooked plov for a bunch of the teachers at The London School. They told us that they were experts at cooking plov because they were from Osh, in the south of Kyrgyzstan, and that only people from the south could cook *real* plov.
Even though we LOVED our "plov parties" as we grew to call them, we couldn't expect Akyl and Chingiz to cook for us all the time. They were right though; their plov tasted better than most of the plov we found at local restaurants... at least until we discovered Jalalabad.
Sadly, I neglected to take any photos of Jalalabad, despite the numerous evenings we spent there, lounging on the tapchans, eating incredibly delicious (and cheap) plov. The place was always packed.
Imagine my surprise when, while browsing articles on Kyrgyzstan today, I found one that discussed Jalalabad - the restaurant in Bishkek, not the city in the south of Kyrgyzstan:
Sharing the same name as Mr Bakiyev’s home town in southern Kyrgyzstan, the Jalalabad became a haunt for the southerners who flocked to the capital, filling government and business jobs as the president consolidated his power.... Admitting its heyday was over, the Jalalabad barricaded its doors and warned of a newly limited menu – if it ever opened again.
Click here to read the full article. You have to register in order to read it, but it's free and well worth it.
An Interview with Akayev
Askar Akayev is the former president of Kyrgyzstan... as in the one who was deposed in the 2005 Tulip Revolution. He gave an interview with Russia Today (below) which is... well, more interesting than I'd expected it to be. I found a lot of it hypocritical, as he takes Bakiev to task for the same sort of things that he had done when he was president. He also places a LOT of blame for the discontent on the US. Not so sure how I feel about that. Thoughts?? (And something I learned from this interview: Akayev is a PHYSICIST. After the hell my physics class has been putting me through since last August, I am impressed. Who knew?)
Contrasts: 2005/2010 and North/South
Here's a really good article comparing and contrasting Kyrgyzstan's 2005 Tulip Revolution with the current revolution, from Transitions Online.
Meanwhile...
Bakiev has fled from Bishkek (which, for those of you who don't know, is located in the north of Kyrgyzstan) to the south of Kyrgyzstan. He has announced this in several interviews with foreign news organizations, although whether he is in Osh, Jalalabad or one of the smaller villages in that part of the country is uncertain.
There is a divide between the north and south of Kyrgyzstan. The borders of the "stans" were drawn up by the Soviet Union in ways beneficial to the Kremlin and not so much to the residents of that part of the world. Much of southern Kyrgyzstan probably should've become part of Uzbekistan, back in the day. There's a much larger Uzbek population in that part of the country than in the north.
Cultural differences between north and south go back in time a long way, being derived in part from landscape differences. Those residing in mountainous northern Kyrgyzstan tended to be nomadic, shepherding their livestock from valley to high mountain pastures as the seasons changed. Southern Kyrgyzstan is located along the Ferghana Valley - and area which lends itself well to a more sedentary, farming lifestyle. (You can see the differences in lanscape in the pictures I took in 2008 during my trip from Bishkek to Osh.)
Lastly, Southern Kyrgyzstan tends to be more more religious and more conservative than their northern half... and it is this part of the country that Bakiev is from. (He was born in a village near Jalalabad. There are tons of rumors that Bakiev has gone south to rally supporters in order to take back power. How I hope these rumors are false.
Articles:
Friday, April 09, 2010
One more link (for now)
Click on this link and watch the video. It features the VEFA Center, which was a huge, upscale shopping center less than a block from where I lived and worked when I was in Kyrgyzstan. I'm still trying to get info on The London School.
Updates: Russia, US, Bakiev, Otumbayeva
Russia has recognized Otumbayeva as the new President of Kyrgyzstan, although the US is still dithering. As far as I can tell the US government (as well as much of the US news media) are more concerned with how this will affect their ability to fight the war in Afghanistan, what with the Manas base just outside of Bishkek is such an important transit base for the US war effort. Meanwhile, Bakiev seems to have fled to the southern city of Osh. There's a big north-south divide in Kyrgyzstan, and it appears that Bakiev is playing on this to gain support and perhaps ignite civil war. He announced in an interview with Ekho Moscovy, a Russian radio station, that he has no intention of giving up the Presidency. Below are several more informative articles.
Bishkek before the blood
Bishkek wasn’t always bloody. I’ve been glued to the internet for the past couple of days, doing my best to follow what’s going on over there. I have spent so much time in Bishkek, and have literally walked all over the city. I know downtown Bishkek so well that it’s like an old friend… and watching video clips of the violence in the city center is like watching an old friend get punched in the face. Or shot. It’s horrible, and yet I can’t look away.
I went home last night, dug out my external hard drive, and began looking through the pictures of my time in Bishkek. I needed to see the place *without* the blood. If you’ve watched any of the videos or looked at any of the photos I’ve linked to in the previous posts, you’ve no doubt seen the same few buildings in the background over and over. Here they are in better times.
I went home last night, dug out my external hard drive, and began looking through the pictures of my time in Bishkek. I needed to see the place *without* the blood. If you’ve watched any of the videos or looked at any of the photos I’ve linked to in the previous posts, you’ve no doubt seen the same few buildings in the background over and over. Here they are in better times.
I just uploaded a whole bunch of my old Bishkek photos to flickr (for some reason, when I was in Kyrgyzstan I never uploaded a Bishkek set, just sets of my travels outside of Bishkek), so please CLICK HERE to check them out. It’s what the city *should* look like.
My father called me last night to ask if I’d heard about what was happening in Kyrgyzstan, saying essentially: I bet you’re glad you’re not there now! To which my response was: No way! I’d go back in a heartbeat. Even right now, I wish I were there.
Thursday, April 08, 2010
More updates from Kyrgyzstan
Rioting has devolved into looting. Why, why, why must looting and destruction accompany protest and revolution? I understand the need for protest, the need to oust Bakiev. I do not at all comprehend the looting and destruction that has accompanied it... but it seems that this always happens (not just in Kyrgyzstan, but all over the world, when such situations arise). What is particularly distressing, is that I have seen so many pictures of businesses where the owners have posted signs reading, "We are with the People!" - and yet these businesses have been looted and destroyed nonetheless.
The opposition has claimed control of the government, if not of the looters, under the leadership of Roza Otunbayeva. I'm still trying to figure out what's up with Bakiev, as far as his location and what his intentions are.
Here's what my friends in Kyrgyzstan have to say:
This is from a friend who works for a US NGO in Bishkek:
Here's what my friends in Kyrgyzstan have to say:
This is from a friend who works for a US NGO in Bishkek:
Hello All, Thanks for your emails. Just wanted to let you know that I'm doing fine. They moved us to a "safe house" which meant we missed most of the action. Things are changing quickly. It seems like either we'll be evacuated to Kazakhstan or we'll go back to work :)
Yesterday there was a lot of shooting right outside our office since we're down the street from a National Guard building. Today, the city seems strangely normal. The streets are busy with cars and lots of people are walking around. People are also already cleaning up after the looting that happened during last night.
I'll try to send more updates when I get a chance.
This is from a former student of mine who lives in Bishkek:
Thanks for the message. Everything's ok. Me and my family sitting at home watching news. Goddam stupid politics are using the village youth. Bishkek is being looted like last time.
This is from another former student. She is studying in a high school in the US, but her family is in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan (where there has been unrest, but as far as I can tell, nothing like in Bishkek and Talas):
Hi Jane! Yes, I talked with my family and friends and they are all safe and everything is Ok; thank you :D
And this is from a Korean family (yes, I said Korean; not a typo) I am friends with, also living in Bishkek:
Thank you for your concern! We're staying at home and not going anywhere right now..
Hope everything ends soon. well, the change to the gov-t has already been made...
Yesterday there was a lot of shooting right outside our office since we're down the street from a National Guard building. Today, the city seems strangely normal. The streets are busy with cars and lots of people are walking around. People are also already cleaning up after the looting that happened during last night.
I'll try to send more updates when I get a chance.
This is from a former student of mine who lives in Bishkek:
Thanks for the message. Everything's ok. Me and my family sitting at home watching news. Goddam stupid politics are using the village youth. Bishkek is being looted like last time.
This is from another former student. She is studying in a high school in the US, but her family is in Naryn, Kyrgyzstan (where there has been unrest, but as far as I can tell, nothing like in Bishkek and Talas):
Hi Jane! Yes, I talked with my family and friends and they are all safe and everything is Ok; thank you :D
And this is from a Korean family (yes, I said Korean; not a typo) I am friends with, also living in Bishkek:
Thank you for your concern! We're staying at home and not going anywhere right now..
Hope everything ends soon. well, the change to the gov-t has already been made...
I'm still trying to get some info on The London School, where I lived and worked when I was in Kyrgyzstan. The VEFA Center, located less than a block from TLS has been looted, so I am a little worried.
My friend and former student Elena (who has been blogging like mad about this from her current home in Tennessee) has collected a large amount of photos of Bishkek in its current state from her contacts, and she has posted them on flickr. I highly recommend checking them out.
Not much has changed news-wise since last night, but this is a good article, with numerous photos and videos: Opposition says it's in control of Kyrgyzstan after riots.
Revolution Over? Bakiev flees, a female president appointed...
This is Roza Otunbayeva, former Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan and (according to announcements from the opposition), the new President of Kyrgyzstan.
Read about her on wikipedia.
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Situation worsens in Kyrgyzstan
Here are some more links.
Read them.
They speak for themselves.
My poor K-stan.
Read them.
They speak for themselves.
My poor K-stan.
Unrest in Kyrgyzstan prompts state of emergency
Kyrgyzstan in crisis as clashes escalate (has several videos)
Protesters kill government minister as violence escalates
Kyrgyzstan in crisis as clashes escalate (has several videos)
Protesters kill government minister as violence escalates
Is the next revolution coming?
Things are heating up over in Kyrgyzstan... Another revolution might be on its way. It's sad though, because instability will only serve to make things worse over there. I'm all for the removal of Bakiev, but I wish they could do it peacefully. And, of course, since Bakiev was brought to power by revolution, should we expect a new leader brought to power in the same fashion to be any better? I have to say that I wish I were there to blog about it... As it is, I'm trying to follow what's going on via blogs, Twitter feeds, and the few news reports that are coming out.
The following quote is from Edil Baisalov, and was taken from this very informative English language blog post. "Just a few hours ago, after 9:00 pm Bishkek time, Bakiyev’s special riot police simultaneously stormed the Talas oblast government building and arrested several leading opposition members in Bishkek, including Omurbek Tekebaev and Almaz Atambaev. At this time, the people in Talas have retaken the building and are reportedly preparing en masse for a large show of force against the Bakiyev government tomorrow. Also we expect that tomorrow earlier scheduled rallies will take place in Naryn, Issykkul, Alay, Aksy and a few other places."
The following are news reports from the region:
Protesters Clash With Police In Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyz unrest threatens to spread with new rallies
Kyrgyzstan: Bakiev Confronts Political Crisis
Protesters Retake Government Building in Kyrgyzstan
For those of you who read Russian, check out the live journal of my friend and former student Elena, who is in the US right now, but she's still blogging about it. Here are some twitter feeds for you, which give results in English, Kyrgyz and Russian: #talas and #freekg. Sigh.
The Case of the Disappearing Asses
Saturday, April 03, 2010
An awesome youtube series on the 'stans
I wish my friends and I could go back to K-stan and make a video series... granted, ours would probably be focused on things like haggling for taxis, avoiding being mauled by wolves, drinking tan, and finding not completely abysmal cat litter. I've linked below to their videos on Kyrgyzstan, although they visit the other 'stans as well. When they visit places I've been - and stand places I've stood - I find myself feeling thoroughly bummed that I'm here in Waycross instead of living in Kyrgyzstan. And then when they visit places in K-stan I didn't make it to (such as villages-cum-radioactive-waste-dumps), I feel insanely jealous. Sigh.
(I found the part about the US base kind of boring...
I recommend skipping ahead to the search for rdioactive waste)
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