Latest posts by Alexander Sodiqov from July, 2012
What's Going On in the Mountains of Tajikistan?
The recent murder of a senior national security official in the mountainous Tajik region of Badakhshan has led to deadly clashes in the area between government troops and the supporters of a local strongman whom the authorities blame for the assassination. Christian Bleuer on Ghosts of Alexander offers an insightful...
Tajikistan: Learn the National Anthem to be a Doctor
Tajikistan's Deputy Health Minister has recently announced [ru] that “without knowing the national anthem, doctors will not be able to correctly diagnose their patients”. Netizens have responded to the announcement with irony. Blogger Harsavor writes [ru], for example: “[M]y donkey cannot diagnose people. Maybe it is because he does not know...
Tajikistan: Senior National Security Official Killed
Abdullo Nazarov, a one-star general in the State Commitee for National Security – successor to the Soviet-era KGB – was murdered yesterday in southeastern Tajikistan. Jasur Ashurov tweets [ru] angrily: “How? Tell me, HOW is this possible? If generals are killed so easy, can we really talk about [law] and order...
Turkmenistan's Homegrown Hip-Hop
Khan on NewEurasia.net writes about Turkmenistan's homegrown hip-hop. Although the country's two most popular rappers spend more time in Turkey than at home, they have many fans in Turkmenistan.
Afghanistan as Seen by a Photographer
Kazakh photographer Oskar Shalmanov shares photos from his recent trip to Afghanistan. The photos come with insightful comments [in Russian] about the war-torn country and its past. The images can be seen here, here, and here.
Tajikistan: Stories of Female Migrant Workers
On Blogiston.tj, Shakhlo posts [tj] short stories about the lives of Tajik women working in Russia. Most of these stories focus on the problems that female migrant workers typically go through to help their families back in Tajikistan make ends meet.
Afghanistan: Women Continue Suffering Violence and Abuse
On The Peace Cycle, Omid Bidar writes about a 16-year-old Afghan girl who was raped and murdered by a local strongman in the country's Bamyan Province. “We have forgotten many such stories… [We] will add this [one] to the forgotten list too,” suggests the blogger bitterly. According to one estimate,...
Kyrgyzstan: Patriarchal Society as Seen by Artists
The Kyrgyzstani art group ‘705′ describes itself as a 'nomadic theater'. It is best known for hand-drawn animation films that criticize the conventions and norms of a patriarchal society, particularly its treatment of women. The group's head talks to Global Voices Online.
Afghanistan: American-Handpicked President a “Terrible Idea”
In a recent op-ed piece in the Washington Post, American scholar Michael O’Hanlon (who also advises the CIA) argued that the US should pick the next president of Afghanistan. Ahmad Shuja, an Afghan blogger and political commentator based in US, calls this proposal “a terrible, terrible idea” and a “dangerous option that...
Kyrgyzstan: Blogger Suggests “Ethnicity Should Die”
Ilya Karimdjanov, a prominent Kyrgyzstani blogger, argues [ru] that ethnicity as a criterion for dividing people up into groups “should simply die”. “I really don't understand why people tend to differentiate themselves using the stupid criterion of ethnicity,” he writes. While many people reading the blog agree with Karimdjanov, one...
Kazakhstan: A Bird Eye's View of Almaty
Photographer Maxim Zolotukhin believes that Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, best reveals itself at a certain height. On Vox Populi, the photographer presents an aerial view of the city's landmarks captured during daytime and at night.
Tajikistan: Global Voices Puts Spotlight on Dushanbe Zoo
Our recent update on an American student's impression of the Dushanbe Zoo has generated a passionate discussion on ‘Platforma’, a 5,400-odd-member Tajik community on Facebook. A Dushanbe-based newspaper has now published an interview [ru] with the zoo's director who responds to questions asked by Facebook users.
Tajikistan: Facebook Users Discuss Presidential Elections
In about a year from now, voters in Tajikistan will go to the polls to elect a president for the next seven years. The Kimiyoi Saodat blog summarizes [tj] a recent Facebook discussion on the next year's elections where opposition groups will have to challenge the incumbent president seeking another...
Start Your Day the Mongolian Way
Natalya, a Kazakh blogger, believes that every day should start with a different breakfast. In her latest post, Natalya explains [ru] how to prepare a traditional Mongolian-style breakfast.
Kyrgyzstan: Breathtaking Scenery Caught on Camera
Fans of Vladimir Vysotsky, an iconic Soviet actor and singer, know that, ‘only mountains can be better than mountains’. If you disagree with the verses, have a look at this breathtaking scenery of Kyrgyz mountains caught on camera. The amazing shots were taken by Russian photographer Ivan Dementievskiy during his...
