Local Politics - The Times Of Central Asia

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An Uneasy Calm After Unrest in Bishkek

On the night of May 18, riots took place in Bishkek. The reason - a fight between foreign medical students and local youth. The trigger was a video of a scuffle, which occurred on May 13, when Egyptian citizens beat several locals. This video was then widely circulated on social networks. Local politicians have stated that they believe the situation was fueled from the outside. What happened? On the night of May 18, protesters blocked several streets in the center of Bishkek. According to the Interior Ministry, the number of people continued to grow, and there was a threat of mass disorder, so all personnel from the capital's police were placed on alert. All hostels and dormitories in the city where foreign citizens live were put under guard. The protesters expressed dissatisfaction with the large number of migrants coming into the country from Egypt, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. The head of Kyrgyzstan's National Security Committee said law enforcement agencies detained several provocateurs who were calling for the overthrow of the government. By morning, the participants in the unauthorized rally had been dispersed. In total, about 1,000 people took part in the unrest, according to the capital's police. Law enforcement urged citizens not to give in to provocations and show a high-level of civil responsibility. The Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic reported that following the incident, 41 people sought medical assistance in Bishkek. Four Egyptians were detained - local media claim they were participants in the conflict that took place on May 13. Later, it became known that some Kyrgyz citizens had also been detained. The confrontation between local residents and foreigners has acquired an international dimension, with a number of government agencies in neighboring countries expressing their concern. For example, Kazakhstan introduced a special regime on the border with Kyrgyzstan. The authorities in Pakistan, meanwhile, have organized emergency flights, and a number of their students and workers are leaving Kyrgyzstan. Several thousand students from India, Pakistan, Egypt, Bangladesh and Nepal study at Bishkek's medical institutes. There are also migrant workers from these countries living in the country, who are mainly employed in the production of garments. Who benefits from the unrest? According to deputy Dastan Bekeshev of the Jokorku Kenesh, the unrest is an attempt to find the authorities' vulnerabilities. "One of the indicators of economic growth is when citizens of the country hire foreign citizens as workers. And there is no way for us to avoid conflicts with foreign citizens. Conflicts are also arranged by our own citizens abroad. Of course, guests should not forget that they are guests and must coexist peacefully with the citizens of the country they are in. But we should also learn tolerance and wisdom when various conflicts occur. There are law enforcement agencies and they have every opportunity to punish a foreigner and expel him from Kyrgyzstan for a long time. Our laws on external migration are very strict," the parliamentarian wrote on his Telegram channel. The MP said...

Electronic Information Exchange Systems to Be Introduced in Turkmenistan’s Agencies

The Türkmenaragatnaşyk Agency and UNDP (United Nations Development Program) have signed an agreement to assist the introduction of an inter-agency electronic information exchange system in Turkmenistan in accordance with the decree of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, as reported by Arzuw.news. "The document provides for the connection of Turkmenistan's agencies to the systems of electronic information exchange and electronic document management, as well as training of specialized staff in this area, taking into account international experience," the report states. The President of Turkmenistan stressed that the country is currently actively working on digitization in various spheres of life in the state. At the meeting of the Government of Turkmenistan, Director General of the Agency of Transport and Communications, Mammetkhan Chakyev presented for consideration projects on introduction of electronic information exchange systems in the country's agencies.

Villagers in Tajikistan Building a Hospital With Their Own Funds

In the village of Kalai Dust in Tajikistan, locals have begun building a hospital on their own. Currently, there isn't even an outpatient clinic, and women go to a neighboring village to give birth, Radio Ozodi reports. Local entrepreneurs together with migrant workers from the village have already collected half of the sum of 8 million somoni required ($740,000). "According to the project, there will be 16 wards. Zoning is envisioned - on the lower floor there will be a maternity ward and on the second floor a children's hospital for children up to 12-years-old... [It's] on the initiative of our migrants working in Russia, thanks to them: they organized it," said Asliddin Tojizoda, a resident of the village. Residents hope that when the hospital is built, albeit at the expense of the villagers themselves, it will be fully transferred to the state and the authorities will provide it with the necessary specialists. The village needs doctors very badly. Approximately 30 hectares of land have been allocated for the hospital in a plot adjacent to the local school. According to some villagers, while people were collecting money, the local authorities gave part of the land for private construction; now, residents are trying to challenge the officials' decision and return the land to public use. They are filing a collective complaint against the district chairman.

Tension Spills Into Streets of Bishkek After Fight Involving Foreigners

Police in riot gear deployed in part of Kyrgyzstan’s capital overnight as large crowds gathered in anger over an alleged fight between local and foreign people which was widely circulated on social media. The Kyrgyz government later reported that 28 people, including three foreigners had been injured in the incident, whilst four foreign citizens were arrested for incitement. The crowds milled around some intersections of Bishkek for hours before dispersing early Saturday, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs said the situation was stable. Riot police cordoned off areas where the mobs had gathered and negotiated with the protesters in order to head off any further confrontations. The incident appeared to reflect tension over the presence in Kyrgyzstan of migrants. Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs is taking steps to tighten monitoring and penalties for foreigners who violate immigration laws, Kaktus Media reported. The fight which led to the wider conflagration happened at a hostel on May 13. Rumors spread on social media, and a video showing Kyrgyz students fighting with medical students from Egypt went viral. People started gathering on Friday night to show their dissatisfaction with what they said was the lax treatment of foreigners involved in the fight. However, police said three foreigners were detained on suspicion of hooliganism, the AKIpress news outlet reported. It said the suspects appeared in a video, apologizing for the fight and saying they would accept their punishment. “All measures were taken in a timely manner, they were detained, legal measures will be taken against them,” said Azamat Toktonaliev, head of Bishkek´s Internal Affairs Directorate. He told AKIpress that Kyrgyz citizens were invited to testify as witnesses and were not detained. Kyrgyzstan has expressed concern about the plight of some of its own citizens who travel to Russia in search of employment and have faced official scrutiny and sporadic harassment there. In the wake of the violence, diplomatic delegations from Pakistan and India have advised their students in Bishkek to stay indoors.

Bishkek Bets on Bikes and Buses

To alleviate congestion and traffic bottlenecks in the capital, the Bishkek Mayor's Office has green-lit a strategic plan for enhancing the city's road transport infrastructure over the 2024-2030 period. This initiative, as detailed on the municipal website, encompasses an ambitious range of projects. Highlights include the construction of bridges and new road junctions, the introduction of bike lanes within the road network, the consolidation of dedicated lanes into a coherent system, the expansion of parking facilities including an increase in bicycle parking spaces, and the establishment of transport hubs and park-and-ride lots. The vision driving these efforts is to significantly reduce car dependency in Bishkek, promoting instead a robust network of public and bicycle transport options. Plans are underway to construct seven park-and-ride facilities around the city’s perimeter, encouraging commuters to opt for public transport upon entering Bishkek. City officials have consistently advocated for strategies to lower rampant smog levels and congestion, including proposals to limit private car access into the city based on a vehicle's license plate number. Furthermore, the Mayor's Office announced plans to establish at least two advanced transport and transfer hubs at key entry points into Bishkek. These hubs will serve as critical junctions for intercity and regional bus routes, facilitating seamless connections with the city's public transport system. By 2030, these initiatives aim to achieve a 20% reduction in car usage within the city and cut congestion by 30%.

Medical Universities of Kazakhstan, Tatarstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan Synchronize Study Programs

A joint international center for medical education will be opened by universities of Kazakhstan, Tatarstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Preliminary agreements were reached on the margins of the International Forum, Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum. Specialists will work on the compatibility of educational programs, the possibility of obtaining double diplomas, and mutual recognition of medical education, Sputnik reports. "We have an opportunity to join forces in developing new educational programs... to develop the quality and accessibility of medical education," said Alexei Sozinov, Rector of the Kazan State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia (KSMU), noting that this will also help reduce the shortage of doctors observed in each of the participating areas. Agreements were also reached on a joint postgraduate program were signed within the framework of the economic forum. "There is a need to work on joint educational programs, double degree programs, so that medical education is recognized in all countries that are part of the Eurasian Union," said the Vice-Rector for Strategic Development of the Medical University of Karaganda NAO, Victor Ricklefs. In addition, Director of the Center for Strategic Development and Quality of Education at the Abu Ali Ibn Sino Tajik State Medical University, Mahmudzoda Hayem Ruziboi stated that the new center, with further development, will create a model for the future doctor of Central Asia, which will meet the requirements of all states and communities.