Thursday, March 31, 2005
Just after sunset yesterday, I heard what sounded like singing outside. I looked out of the window and saw a couple dozen people gathered on the roof of the synagogue across the street. It was a wedding, with a chuppah, candles, prayers and, finally, some really cheerful whistling as everyone walked back indoors from the snow-covered roof.
Watching it from the balcony was very moving: I was sharing in somebody's joy without having been invited - in a way, it was like watching a theater play. The air around me smelled incredibly tasty, and, very briefly, I wished I had been invited to the celebration...
In the apartment building right next to the synagogue, I saw people coming over to their windows, looking out to see what's going on some ten meters away from them, on the roof... At some point, two kids walked away from the crowd around the chuppah and stood by the fenced-off edge of the roof, looking into those windows...
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Eighteen imbeciles at the Livadia Town Council have voted in favor of going ahead with the installation of Zurab Tsereteli's monument to Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill in Livadia.
The freaks plan to have the monument installed in one of Livadia's parks by May 9, the 60th anniversary of the victory in WWII. Just nine days later, on May 18, Crimean Tatars will be marking the 61st anniversary of the deportations, ordered by Stalin in 1944.
Here's part of a story re-published at the site of the Crimean Communist leader, Leonid Grach:
***
Here's more on the deportations of the Crimean Tatars, from the International Committee for Crimea.
Here's more info on Pyotr Grigorenko: his bio and his 1968 address to the Crimean Tatars.
And here's more on the contemporary Stalin monument mania, from my previous entries: here and here.
The freaks plan to have the monument installed in one of Livadia's parks by May 9, the 60th anniversary of the victory in WWII. Just nine days later, on May 18, Crimean Tatars will be marking the 61st anniversary of the deportations, ordered by Stalin in 1944.
Here's part of a story re-published at the site of the Crimean Communist leader, Leonid Grach:
Livadiya deputies and residents of the town think that the monument to the "Big Three" will become one of the popular tourist destinations of not just Livadia but of Crimea as a whole.
Leonid Grach, leader of the Crimean Communists and a people's deputy of Ukraine, was present at the the Town Council session. He admitted that certain Crimean Tatar politicians have already spoken against installation of the monument, one of whose characters is Stalin. But they, according to [Grach], should respect the feelings of the Crimeans.
"We aren't yelling that the monument to dissident Pyotr Grigorenko erected without permission by the majlis (the illegal Crimean Tatar "parliament" - the editors' note) in the center of Simferopol should be torn down. We respect the feelings of those who initiated its installation - so let them respect our feelings," said Grach.
***
Here's more on the deportations of the Crimean Tatars, from the International Committee for Crimea.
Here's more info on Pyotr Grigorenko: his bio and his 1968 address to the Crimean Tatars.
And here's more on the contemporary Stalin monument mania, from my previous entries: here and here.
From Registan.net (thank you, Nathan and Laurence):
- Elnura Osmonalieva's translation of Akayev's bullshit Radio Ekho Moskvy interview;
and
- an op-ed on Kyrgyzstan in the New York Times, by University of Alaska Professor Elinor Burkett
***
Ms. Burkett argues that while Georgians and Ukrainians protested against corruption and a rigged election, people in Kyrgyzstan "were venting their frustration over the grim economic situation." At one point, she calls what happened in Bishkek a "so-called revolution."
Back in November, I remember feeling very reluctant to call our own situation a revolution, orange or whatever, primarily because the word brings to mind the bloodshed and futility of 1917. 'Revolution' is a fearsome word. We were spared (thank God and our wonderful people) - but it proved to be much tougher for the Kyrgyz: 15 or 20 people lost their lives and all that looting occurred. And it could've been much worse.
Still, revolution is defined as 'the overthrow of one government and its replacement with another' - and "a so-called velvet revolution" would have been a better way to describe the one in Kyrgyzstan.
As for the reasons and motivations, I'm sure that the degrees of poverty in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan differ, somewhat, but it's poverty nevertheless, and it's closely connected with the corruption in the government and with the ruling folks' belief that once they get on top, they can do whatever they want, fearing no consequences. This is why Ms. Burkett's analysis seems superficial to me, and a bit too abstract:
Ms. Burkett makes totally valid points about Kyrgyzstan's new leadership - they all have too much history in both the Soviet and Akayev's past, and they do not necessarily agree with each other on everything.
But I don't think the Kyrgyz should be either more pessimistic or more optimistic about the future than we, Ukrainians, or the Georgians are: our new leaders haven't descended from heaven, either. And the way the Kyrgyz seem to fit into "the paradigm du jour" is this: just like Georgians and Ukrainians, they have shown their leaders - both old and new - that they're capable of dissent, and that it's safer not to try their patience for too long. And, hopefully, something good will eventually come out of it all.
- Elnura Osmonalieva's translation of Akayev's bullshit Radio Ekho Moskvy interview;
and
- an op-ed on Kyrgyzstan in the New York Times, by University of Alaska Professor Elinor Burkett
***
Ms. Burkett argues that while Georgians and Ukrainians protested against corruption and a rigged election, people in Kyrgyzstan "were venting their frustration over the grim economic situation." At one point, she calls what happened in Bishkek a "so-called revolution."
Back in November, I remember feeling very reluctant to call our own situation a revolution, orange or whatever, primarily because the word brings to mind the bloodshed and futility of 1917. 'Revolution' is a fearsome word. We were spared (thank God and our wonderful people) - but it proved to be much tougher for the Kyrgyz: 15 or 20 people lost their lives and all that looting occurred. And it could've been much worse.
Still, revolution is defined as 'the overthrow of one government and its replacement with another' - and "a so-called velvet revolution" would have been a better way to describe the one in Kyrgyzstan.
As for the reasons and motivations, I'm sure that the degrees of poverty in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan differ, somewhat, but it's poverty nevertheless, and it's closely connected with the corruption in the government and with the ruling folks' belief that once they get on top, they can do whatever they want, fearing no consequences. This is why Ms. Burkett's analysis seems superficial to me, and a bit too abstract:
Look at the facts. In Georgia, President Eduard Shevardnadze was swept out of power when thousands of organized protesters surged into the Parliament and demanded an end to corruption. In Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Akayev's 15-year reign was endedby a motley crowd of 20,000 who began the day in Bishkek's Ala-Too Square chanting "Akayev is dirt," then moved on to loot not only the main government building - called the White House - but also supermarkets, Internet cafes, the wholesale food market, beauty salons and A.T.M.'s.
Likewise, Ukrainians rebelled against a rigged election that threatened to install Moscow's favorite in the presidency; but the Kyrgyz mobs that seized the provincial capitals of Osh and Jalalabad before moving on Bishkek weren't demonstrating against the flawed parliamentary elections in February and March. Rather, they were venting their frustration over the grim economic situation of a nation dependent on foreign exchange coming largely from a single gold mine and two foreign military bases, one Russian and one American.
Ms. Burkett makes totally valid points about Kyrgyzstan's new leadership - they all have too much history in both the Soviet and Akayev's past, and they do not necessarily agree with each other on everything.
But I don't think the Kyrgyz should be either more pessimistic or more optimistic about the future than we, Ukrainians, or the Georgians are: our new leaders haven't descended from heaven, either. And the way the Kyrgyz seem to fit into "the paradigm du jour" is this: just like Georgians and Ukrainians, they have shown their leaders - both old and new - that they're capable of dissent, and that it's safer not to try their patience for too long. And, hopefully, something good will eventually come out of it all.
I was looking through the Guardian's archive on Kyrgyzstan and found this piece about Jonny Bealby, a travel writer and founder of Wild Frontiers, a travel agency.
Among many other things, Bealby runs horse trips in Kyrgyzstan, and owns a "little house" in the Hindu Kush, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, "a fascinating culture populated by incredibly passionate and interesting people."
I'm timid and lazy and that's the main reason why Istanbul has been our only travel destination in the past five years (also, because Istanbul is absolutely amazing, of course, and because I'm scared of long flights, and because of how easy it is to get a Turkish visa...) - anyway, I still dream of going to Armenia, and Bosnia, and Central Asia, and Pakistan, and Israel, and Italy, and maybe someplace else I forget - and the Wild Frontiers site has made me crave travel even more, and I was beginning to feel pretty depressed, knowing full well that I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, but then I found some totally breathtaking pictures on the site and now I feel better, as if I've traveled already...
Here're the links to the photo galleries of my dream destinations (and there are more here):
- Pakistan
- Central Asia (with quite a few pictures of Kyrgyzstan)
- Georgia
The pictures are truly awesome and I'm so glad I've found them!
Among many other things, Bealby runs horse trips in Kyrgyzstan, and owns a "little house" in the Hindu Kush, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province, "a fascinating culture populated by incredibly passionate and interesting people."
I'm timid and lazy and that's the main reason why Istanbul has been our only travel destination in the past five years (also, because Istanbul is absolutely amazing, of course, and because I'm scared of long flights, and because of how easy it is to get a Turkish visa...) - anyway, I still dream of going to Armenia, and Bosnia, and Central Asia, and Pakistan, and Israel, and Italy, and maybe someplace else I forget - and the Wild Frontiers site has made me crave travel even more, and I was beginning to feel pretty depressed, knowing full well that I'm not going anywhere anytime soon, but then I found some totally breathtaking pictures on the site and now I feel better, as if I've traveled already...
Here're the links to the photo galleries of my dream destinations (and there are more here):
- Pakistan
- Central Asia (with quite a few pictures of Kyrgyzstan)
- Georgia
The pictures are truly awesome and I'm so glad I've found them!
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
A Kyrgyz woman, Fatima, a supermarket owner and a victim of the looting, on ORT: "This was done by the hungry ones to those of us who work hard."
***
Askar Akayev on ORT:
His voice and intonations are those of a somewhat feeble man, even though he looks okay; his hands aren't exactly shaking but he does have a little problem keeping them still and definitely holds the armchair more forcefully than he needs to. But who wouldn't be nervous in a shameful situation like Akayev's? At least he doesn't have to live in a tent - the interior in the room they're interviewing him in is pretty fancy.
He's saying almost exactly the same things that he said on Radio Ekho Moskvy a few hours ago - sometimes verbatim. All this molodchiki rhetoric.
Q. The opposition has been calling you a dictotor.
A. Well, the recent events have shown what kind of a dictator I am.
He's denying some of those looted stores in Bishkek belong to his family...
***
Askar Akayev on ORT:
His voice and intonations are those of a somewhat feeble man, even though he looks okay; his hands aren't exactly shaking but he does have a little problem keeping them still and definitely holds the armchair more forcefully than he needs to. But who wouldn't be nervous in a shameful situation like Akayev's? At least he doesn't have to live in a tent - the interior in the room they're interviewing him in is pretty fancy.
He's saying almost exactly the same things that he said on Radio Ekho Moskvy a few hours ago - sometimes verbatim. All this molodchiki rhetoric.
Q. The opposition has been calling you a dictotor.
A. Well, the recent events have shown what kind of a dictator I am.
He's denying some of those looted stores in Bishkek belong to his family...
No matter where I am, I'll be trying to help my country, my people, to overcome the difficulties...
Russian scientific circles - huge moral support, very grateful to them...
Q. "Green" danger - is the threat of Islamic fundamentalism real?
A. There were external influences - the revolution has even been called "tulip." Financing of democratic institutions from abroad have turned into the unconstitutional overthrow of the regime... Hizb ut-Tahrir is coming into play, too... [blah blah... he wouldn't have mentioned it if they hadn't asked...]
[Deputy editor-in-chief of Rossiyskaya Gazeta was also in the studio - they got hold of Akayev first...]
***
That's it.
Total crap.
Russian scientific circles - huge moral support, very grateful to them...
Q. "Green" danger - is the threat of Islamic fundamentalism real?
A. There were external influences - the revolution has even been called "tulip." Financing of democratic institutions from abroad have turned into the unconstitutional overthrow of the regime... Hizb ut-Tahrir is coming into play, too... [blah blah... he wouldn't have mentioned it if they hadn't asked...]
[Deputy editor-in-chief of Rossiyskaya Gazeta was also in the studio - they got hold of Akayev first...]
***
That's it.
Total crap.
Kulov and Bakieyev aren't legitimate and cannot guarantee my immunity and safety. Only the parliament and its head can give me those guarantees. If they give them to me, I'll definitely return and help them, I'm very concerned about the stability and the future of Kyrgyzstan.
...The new power will soon become vulnerable - in a year, the opposition will emerge and will threaten them...
Q. What's your advice to you colleagues, all Central Asian plus Putin?
A. Our democracy is weak and can't defend itself. Colleagues should defend democratic gains, with weapons, if necessary...
...The new power will soon become vulnerable - in a year, the opposition will emerge and will threaten them...
Q. What's your advice to you colleagues, all Central Asian plus Putin?
A. Our democracy is weak and can't defend itself. Colleagues should defend democratic gains, with weapons, if necessary...
Questions from the audience online: Does Akayev see the mistakes in his policies? Does he think it was wrong to have his children rule the country?
A. Russian wisdom - the one who doesn't work, doesn't make mistakes [???]. There were many mistakes, but I'm convinced the country was moving in the right direction...
[Should've been either "the one who doesn't work, doesn't eat" - or "the one who doesn't take risks, doesn't drink champagne"]
[Blah-blah-blah... He's talking of all the wonderful, democratic reforms, wonderful economy, people's lives getting better...]
President's children cannot choose their own political way - for example, the Kennedies in the States, the Bushes...
Question from NTV: Kulov says they're not gonna nationalize your property. In your declaration it says that the only thing you own is an old car. Is that true?
A. I don't remember what's written in the declaration... If you believe the myths, then half of Moscow belongs to Akayev, palaces in Moscow, in Turkey, half the world...
A. Russian wisdom - the one who doesn't work, doesn't make mistakes [???]. There were many mistakes, but I'm convinced the country was moving in the right direction...
[Should've been either "the one who doesn't work, doesn't eat" - or "the one who doesn't take risks, doesn't drink champagne"]
[Blah-blah-blah... He's talking of all the wonderful, democratic reforms, wonderful economy, people's lives getting better...]
President's children cannot choose their own political way - for example, the Kennedies in the States, the Bushes...
Question from NTV: Kulov says they're not gonna nationalize your property. In your declaration it says that the only thing you own is an old car. Is that true?
A. I don't remember what's written in the declaration... If you believe the myths, then half of Moscow belongs to Akayev, palaces in Moscow, in Turkey, half the world...
There haven't been any external intrusions...
...I order not to use force and that allowed the opposition to seize power.
...Even in a nightmare I couldn't imagine that those molodchiki, the criminal elements brought by the radical opposition, would then be directed to do the looting. I was shocked when I saw it.
...If I had known this would happen, I would've declared state of emergency. But I couldn't imagine, it's unbelievable that people would start looting...
...I was categorically against using force and my last order, right before I left, to the minister of internal affairs was under no circumstances to use force... A civil war could have started...
...I order not to use force and that allowed the opposition to seize power.
...Even in a nightmare I couldn't imagine that those molodchiki, the criminal elements brought by the radical opposition, would then be directed to do the looting. I was shocked when I saw it.
...If I had known this would happen, I would've declared state of emergency. But I couldn't imagine, it's unbelievable that people would start looting...
...I was categorically against using force and my last order, right before I left, to the minister of internal affairs was under no circumstances to use force... A civil war could have started...
Q. Many questions from Bishkek online. Does Radio Ekho Moskvy broadcast there?
A. Yes, of course, it's one of the most popular stations there.
[A question from someone whose last name is Bekbolotov - but not Ilyas.]
Akayev promises not to run for president yet another time. Declares his love for the constitution.
Q. Dialogue with the opposition?
A. The only legitimate body now is the parliament. It's head, elected yesterday, has always been my opponent, at all the previous elections. I'm ready to have a dialogue with him. [I didn't catch the name, sorry.]
...Executive branch is illegitimate now. Anti-constitutional overthrow...
Q. Were the emails from you authentic?
A. Yes, I confirm the authenticity. I had no access to other media and the computer is always with me. I did write those two letters.
A. Yes, of course, it's one of the most popular stations there.
[A question from someone whose last name is Bekbolotov - but not Ilyas.]
Akayev promises not to run for president yet another time. Declares his love for the constitution.
Q. Dialogue with the opposition?
A. The only legitimate body now is the parliament. It's head, elected yesterday, has always been my opponent, at all the previous elections. I'm ready to have a dialogue with him. [I didn't catch the name, sorry.]
...Executive branch is illegitimate now. Anti-constitutional overthrow...
Q. Were the emails from you authentic?
A. Yes, I confirm the authenticity. I had no access to other media and the computer is always with me. I did write those two letters.
Can you spontaneously gather 10,000 well-prepared molodchiki? It was, of course, a well-prepared action.
They've brought people in huge numbers from the provinces... Not a single resident of Bishkek was there during the storming, all were from the regions...
The opposition ordered physical execution of the president...
The family - wife, grandchildren - were at the dacha; the children were at the parliament.
They've brought people in huge numbers from the provinces... Not a single resident of Bishkek was there during the storming, all were from the regions...
The opposition ordered physical execution of the president...
The family - wife, grandchildren - were at the dacha; the children were at the parliament.
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