Weekly Digest of Central Asia
BISHKEK (TCA) — The Publisher’s note: Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Central Asia was the scene of intense geopolitical struggle and the Great Game between the British and Russian Empires, and later between the Soviet Union and the West, over Afghanistan and neighboring territories. Into the 21st century, Central Asia has become the area of a renewed geopolitical interest, dubbed the New Great Game, largely based on the region’s hydrocarbon and mineral wealth. On top of that, the region now is perhaps the most important node in the implementation of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative through which Beijing aims to get direct access to Western markets. Every week thousands of news appears in the world’s printed and online media and many of them may escape the attention of busy readers. At The Times of Central Asia, we strongly believe that more information can better contribute to peaceful development and better knowledge of this unique region. So we are presenting this Weekly Digest which compiles what other media have reported on Central Asia over the past week. KAZAKHSTAN Smooth Transition: New Kazakh Leader Pushes Photoshopped Pictures The aim of the photoshopping of the interim President’s pictures may be to digitally smooth his appearance — and possibly ease his path to a five-year term as Kazakhstan prepares for its snap presidential election in June April 30 — “Kazakhstan's interim president, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, may be finding life in the spotlight a little too harsh since the surprise resignation of longtime President Nursultan Nazarbaev in March. RFE/RL has discovered that official pictures of the new Kazakh leader have been dramatically altered with photo-editing software.” READ MORE: https://www.rferl.org/a/new-kazakh-leader-employs-heavy-retouching-to-photographs/29912137.html Kazakhstan’s Xinjiang Dilemma China’s crackdown on Muslims in its far west Xinjiang region has become a domestic issue for the Kazakh government May 1 — “Kazakhstan and China have developed strong economic and political ties over the last few decades. But the Xinjiang crisis, involving ethnic Kazakh people in addition to Uyghurs and other Muslim groups, could have long-lasting and wide-ranging impacts on the Kazakhstan-China relationship. Kazakhstan may be particularly vulnerable given the power transition process playing out at present.” READ MORE: https://thediplomat.com/2019/04/kazakhstans-xinjiang-dilemma/ Moonlight Madness: For Clues To How Well Kazakhstan Is Managing Wages, Just Ask Its Civil Servants Statistics says that Kazakhs spend some 46 percent of their household incomes on groceries, and only 1.9 percent for leisure and culture May 1 — “For civil servant Nurzhan Sadirbekuly, a pay raise couldn't come soon enough. "Couldn't" as in it's too late. In more than a decade of work at a government agency in southern Kazakhstan, the 36-year-old father of two young children says he has seen colleagues try just about anything to make ends meet. They frequently seek outside income or even second jobs, something he says his 9-to-5 workday makes virtually impossible.” READ MORE: https://www.rferl.org/a/moonlight-madness-kazakhstan-wages-civil-servants/29914586.html Kazakhstan government sides with banks in rogue fees scandal In Kazakhstan, known for its unhealthy banking sector, taking out a loan involves a whole array of hidden costs, which...
