Protests move to the Kyrgyz Capital

The Moscow Times ^ | March 24, 2005 | Greg Walters

[sergey1973]

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan -- Kyrgyzstan's new hard-line interior minister warned on Wednesday that force could be used to restore order, and riot police violently broke up an opposition rally in the capital, Bishkek, sending a signal that authorities were determined to prevent protests from spreading north.

[sergey1973]

I sympathize with the protesters, but I also worry that Islamists who are very active in Central Asia may use the protests as an opportunity to wreck havoc or possibly seize the power. My hope is that Akayev will find a wisdom not to try to hold on to power at any cost and not to continue bloodshed. He should seek an agreement with responsible opposition leaders for transition to power and re-election to calm the situation down. Kyrgyzstan is fmr. Soviet Central Asian Republic that was very stable for quite a long time. It is the only country in the world that hosts both US and Russian military bases. US put the troops there as a part of operation against Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001.

[MikefromOhio]

I almost took a job in Bishkek about 3 or 4 years ago....kinda glad I didnt now....

[Wiz]

Agree, there should be no room for the Islamists to play role in politics, and Russia should not support the president that may collapse with the uprise by the Islamists, turning out to be against both US and Russia as well. The president of Kyrgyz to step down, while banning the entrance of Islamist party into the politics.

[magellan]

"I almost took a job in Bishkek about 3 or 4 years ago ... kinda glad I didnt now ... "

I doubt there is too much trouble in Bishkek. I spent a total of six months on two trips there between December of 2003 and July 2004.

While Bishkek is the capitol of Kyrgyzstan, it is a very Russian city. The ancient capitol of Osh, south of the Tien Shan mountains, is a central asian Islamic city.

Kyrgyzstan is a very poor country. It is extremely landlocked, which further hurts their economy. I hope they get their political house in order.

[jimboster]

Does "extremely landlocked" mean it's like a desert or something?

[magellan]

Does "extremely landlocked" mean it's like a desert or something?"

No, it means it many miles over mountains and deserts to get to a ocean accessable port. Big moutains, Gobi desert, and thousands of miles to the Pacific Ocean. Big mountains, more big mountains, Afghanistan desert, and unstable Pakistani regions to make it to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Big desert in Kazakhstan, and thousands of miles over the Russian plains to make it to ports in eastern Europe.

This means Kyrgyzstan is pretty useless for exporting any commodities or finished goods. The transportation costs kill the economics. Kyrgyzstan has deposits of Uranium, but unless nuclear power has a renaissance, that valuable mineral won't be exported.

The only economic solutions for Kyrgyzstan are tourism, which they are trying build, and the information economy. But the information economy needs a fiber optic backbone from Bishkek to Europe, as there are too many mountains between Bishkek and either China or India to make laying the cables econmically feasible.

[Boiler Plate]

I was there about that time. Be VERY glad you didn't take the job. What a hole.

[Boiler Plate]

Information economy!? The backbone of their communication passes through a single 16m IntelSat Standard A.

[magellan]

Maybe, but they also had the highest per capita of doctors of any of the former Soviet republics. I hear about radiologists in India looking at x-rays transmitted to the digitally, or just reviewing insurance claims, and I can't help but think if there was better connectivity, the same could be done in Kyrgyzstan. Instead the doctors either drive taxis or emmigrate elsewhere. Of course, if the emmigrate to another country, they often cannot practice medicine.

[Boiler Plate]

The hospital in Biskek was one of the quietest places in the city. The rare ambulance, I saw, was never in a hurry. Where did these doctors learn and train?