Our People > Stephen M. Bland

Stephen M. Bland

Managing Editor and Head of Investigations

Stephen M. Bland is a journalist, author, editor, commentator, and researcher specializing in Central Asia and the Caucasus. Prior to joining The Times of Central Asia, he worked for NGOs, think tanks, as the Central Asia expert on a forthcoming documentary series, for the BBC, The Diplomat, EurasiaNet, and numerous other publications.

His award-winning book on Central Asia was published in 2016, and he is currently putting the finishing touches to a book about the Caucasus.

Articles

Election

Uzbekistan Prepares for the Polls: Embracing a New Electoral System

On October 27, citizens of Uzbekistan will cast their ballots under a new mixed electoral system for the 150-member Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (Lower House of Parliament) in elections billed as “My choice is my prospering Motherland.” Half of the candidates will be elected from single-member districts using a first-past-the-post system, whilst the other half will come from nationwide proportional representation which requires parties to surpass a 7% electoral threshold. If fewer than one-third of eligible voters participate, the election will be deemed invalid, and should no party meet the threshold for proportional seats, those elections will be considered void. By mandate, at least 40% of the candidates must be women, up from 30% in the elections held in 2019. Additionally, 56 members of the upper chamber, 65 deputies of the Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, 12 regional and 208 district and city council seats are also being contested by approximately 30,000 candidates. At the invitation of the authorities in Uzbekistan, at the end of September, the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) dispatched a team of long-term observers. On October 5, Uzbekistan held a groundbreaking pre-election TV debate for party leaders which was broadcast live on multiple TV channels and social media platforms in Uzbek, Russian, English, and Karakalpak. Reportedly modeled on the BBC’s Question Time, the debate’s audience featured voices from the nation's youth, women, and ethnic minorities as part of a drive to engage with voters described by organizers as “innovate, creative [and] interactive. Five parties - the Liberal-Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, Milli Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party, the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan, the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (PDP), and the Adolat (Justice) Social-Democratic Party – have been registered for the upcoming elections. However, others have faced a backlash for attempting to register. According to The Diplomat, all of the entities running “have always been perceived as mere extensions of the state.” Since the death of long-term despot, Islam Karimov, however, Uzbekistan’s “state apparatus [have] become more open,” as noted by an election observer in 2019, whilst the platforms of figures such as Alisher Qodirov have increasingly chimed with the public. Amidst reforms aimed at tackling endemic corruption, in recent years Uzbekistan has gained ground on Transparency International’s global corruption perception index, and recently partnered with the World Bank on “training, projects, and research to combat corruption.”

1 year ago

Art and Literature

Eurasian Creative Guild Festival Bridges Cultural Divides

The 4th International Festival of Poetry and Visual Arts, "Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art 2024" took place from September 15 to 18 in the scenic Burabay National Park, Kazakhstan. The festival, organized by the Eurasian Creative Guild (London) and supported by various local entities, showcased a vibrant blend of poetry, visual arts, literature, and cinema. It included the 13th Open Eurasian Literary Festival and Book Forum, the third Burabay International Short Film Festival (BISFF), and the inaugural Future Cinema youth film festival. More than 50 creative individuals from 15 countries, including Kazakhstan, the UK, Belarus, Israel, the UAE, and the U.S., participated, bringing a rich tapestry of cultural expressions to the event. The festival featured an array of activities, started with an introductory meeting and progressing through screenings, presentations, and master classes. Highlights included the introduction of youth films and the BISFF screenings, which received over 80 submissions, celebrating diverse stories through film. Noteworthy films, such as In Search of Healing Water: Chunja-Burabay-Dushanbe and Teacher on Stage were showcased. The festival also encompassed literary salons, art presentations, roundtable discussions on tourism, and a charity auction, providing attendees with a deep dive into the creative and cultural industries. The festival concluded with award ceremonies celebrating achievements in film, poetry, and visual arts. Winners in various categories were recognized, such as Best Short Film awarded to As Easy As Closing Your Eyes from the United States, and announcements for future events were made. With over 500 guests, the event underscored its stated objective of celebrating the power of art to bridge cultures and enhance mutual understanding among diverse communities. The next Guild Festival will be held in Scotland later in the year.

1 year ago

World Nomad Games

World Nomad Games 2024: A Golden Spectacle

September 13 sees the final day of the World Nomad Games in Astana, themed as the “Gathering of the Great Steppe.” An extravaganza of color and culture, the Games were about much more than sport, however. As described by Sultan Raev, General Secretary of the International Organization of Turkic Culture, even the sports themselves are “not about physical strength. They are about spiritual endurance.” [video width="848" height="480" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Video-2024-09-13-at-11.46.04.mp4"][/video] The Games have proven an unmitigated success for Kazakhstan, not only due to the nation’s huge medal haul, but in a diplomatic sense, as well, with important regional leaders in attendance. The Games brought together around 3,000 participants from 89 countries competing for 581 medals across 21 sports, with media outlets from 64 countries applying for accreditation. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has stated that over tens of thousands of foreign tourists will have attended the Games, which will “help showcase Kazakhstan's cultural and sports heritage to a global audience, significantly boosting interest in tourism to the country." On the last day proper of the Games, the finals of the kokpar and the kok boru were staged. Described by Ablai Kondybaev, Deputy Head of the Directorate responsible for preparing and organizing the 5th World Nomad Games in an interview with TCA as the “most famous” events, they are “traditional games akin to polo played with sheep or goat carcasses. Long popular among Turkic people, especially in Central Asia, these fast and furious competitions attract record numbers of spectators.” [video width="848" height="480" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/WhatsApp-Video-2024-09-13-at-11.46.041-1.mp4"][/video] Games popularized by Jenghiz Khan - though it is said his horde preferred to use a human torso for a ball – these days, at international events at least, the goat carcass has been replaced by a dummy, known as a serke. Still, with the stampeding horses producing a great wall of dust, the flag-waving partisan crowd were hugely engaged, and it is easy to see why. A scrum of whips and sweating horses snorting, occasionally a horseman would emerge, swinging the serke by a leg. Forecasts had pointed to the finals likely being between the favorites, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and this proved to be the case, and in the kokpar, Kazakhstan were victorious. However, the hosts had to settle for silver in the kok boru, losing 10-4 to neighboring Kyrgyzstan after beating Turkey 15-1 in the semis in a surprise drubbing. Overall, however, the Games have been a golden event for the nation as a whole. Despite earlier reports indicating that the World Nomad Games would return to Kyrgyzstan in 2026, according to Kondybaev, “it is planned that it will be Uzbekistan” who will stage the next iteration, which would mean another new host nation for this dazzling demonstration of the resilience of nomadic culture and its dramatic resurgence in the era of globalization. As previously reported by TCA, in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony, President Tokayev pointed out that: “Even amid globalization, the nomadic lifestyle that existed for a thousand years is reviving and...

1 year ago

World Nomad Games

The Subtle Politics of the World Nomad Games

Attending the World Nomad Games in Kazakhstan, one might be tempted to look for a possible political dimension, or the seeming lack thereof. The 5th World Nomad Games have brought together in Astana more than 3,000 participants from 89 countries competing for 581 medals across 21 sports, with a prize fund of 250 million tenge ($521,000). This dwarfs the 19 nations which participated in the first iteration of the event, hosted in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, where just ten sports were held. Of course, the Games have expanded exponentially since then, and interest from visitors and media alike has also skyrocketed. Kazakhstan's Ministry of Tourism and Sports has stated that over 100,000 foreign tourists will attend the Games, which will “help showcase Kazakhstan's cultural and sports heritage to a global audience, significantly boosting interest in tourism to the country." Also hugely significant is the level of media interest, with outlets from 64 countries applying for accreditation. With competitors, visitors and media from around the globe, clearly the appeal of the Games has expanded far beyond those nations from which the heirs to nomadic civilizations hail. As for its cultural significance, it speaks volumes that the World Nomad Games has been included in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Games, however, are also acting as a semi-official summit, as evinced by the attendance of President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, President Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the Chairman of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, the Rais (Head) of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, the Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Aisen Nikolayev, the former president of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar, the son of Turkey’s President, Bilal Erdogan, and more. Given all this, the World Nomad Games as more than just an event, sporting or otherwise, and have been utilized as part of Kazakhstan's strategic course in pursuit of a balanced and multi-vector foreign policy aimed at ensuring the best interests of the state, whilst positioning the nation as an increasingly important land-bridge between East and West, both in terms of trade and diplomacy. This dynamic neutrality has made the Nomad Games in Astana the first international sporting event since the beginning of Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine in which the Russian team has been able to participate under the national flag. Spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated that the “Russian national team, comprising 150 athletes, was welcomed with applause in Kazakhstan’s capital, accompanied by a rendition of “Katyusha.” It’s a celebration of sport and friendship! Kazakhstan has reminded the world of what global sports should be: depoliticized, inclusive, and focused on promoting athleticism rather than being tainted by various perversions.” This, however, does not mean that Kazakhstan is cosying-up to Russia in the slightest. Despite disruptions in trade chains and logistical problems, Astana has followed Western sanctions to the letter, much to Putin’s chagrin. In this ever more open and outward looking nation, rallies against Russia’s invasion have been allowed to be staged. Even the death of Alexei Navalny...

1 year ago

World Nomad Games

Day Four at the World Nomad Games: Mighty Deeds at a Global Gathering

On day four of the World Nomad Games, themed as the “Gathering of the Great Steppe,” TCA attended the finals of the Powerful Nomad competition, and spoke to visitors from the West about what had drawn them to Kazakhstan and the Games. “I'm an American traveling around the world,” Andy from Houston, Texas, one of a group of friends who’d met on the road in Central Asia told TCA. “I’ve wanted to come to the World Nomad Games for quite a few years, now, but haven't got the chance. I'm traveling full-time this year and figured I’d swing by Kazakhstan and check it out.” “It’s so cool to be here and see all the sports and cultures together,” Liam from Vancouver, Canada, added. [caption id="attachment_23061" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] “We knew about the World Nomad Games from having lived in Kyrgyzstan,” Allison from Miami told TCA. “So, when we found out about this one, we decided to come because it's been on the bucketlist. It's been a blast!” “We’re here because we’re doing the five Stans; When we arrived, we found out this event was going on, so we figured we had to come. We really want to see the hunting with birds. Everyone's been very welcoming, and the food has been good,” Lauren from San Diego said. “I’m traveling in Kazakhstan because I wanted to do horseback stuff,” said Hellie from the UK. “I’ve never been to Kazakhstan before. I was curious about the Games, and it’s amazing how much I’m learning here. The tents from the regions are really cool.” [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_3959.mp4"][/video] Reflecting the cosmopolitan crowd, on the field for the final of the powerful nomad strongman competition were athletes from around the globe: Cyprus, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Romania, China, Nigeria, Iran, Belarus, Spain, Kuwait, Russia, India, and Kazakhstan. Given the response from the raucous, flag-waving home crowd, you didn’t need to be able to hear the announcer to know which was the Kazakh competitor, but warm and hospitable as ever, all of the competitors were well supported, particularly the ebullient Jerry from Nigeria. [caption id="attachment_23063" align="aligncenter" width="2391"] Image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] In the opening discipline of squats with a 100-kilogram bag – with four objects protruding which made it resemble a carcass - the hulking men strained every sinew, with some faring better than others, whilst one keeled over as if having suffered a hernia. It came as no surprise, as outside the arena a smaller, lighter weight set up to challenge spectators saw many fall afoul. Next up was pulling a trolley weighing 200 kilos, which resembled a horse carriage. “Bad luck; it was his first time trying,” the ever-comedic commentator chipped in after the participant from Kuwait managed three meters. Others fared far worse. The standout, however, was the tallest man in the competition, the entrant from Iran, who managed a staggering twenty-six meters. [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/IMG_3968.mp4"][/video] “Wow!” the announcer chimed. “It will be very difficult to bring...

1 year ago