Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Central Asia
Today
For the people of ex-Soviet Central Asia it's been a turbulent couple of decades since inde-
pendence in 1991. Each of the republics have grappled with economic collapse, population
shifts and resurgent Islam. All have reinvented their past, rehabilitating historical heroes
and reinforcing their national languages in an attempt to redefine and shore up what it
means to be Central Asian. Despite years of political repression and faltering economies,
life is improving slowly, if unevenly, across the region.
Differing Paths
In addressing their shared post-independence chal-
lenges the Central Asian governments are forging
quite different paths. Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan
are the only republics that seem to have bright eco-
nomic prospects - sitting pretty on enormous reserves
of oil and gas.
Tajikistan is the only one to have experienced the
horror of civil war, while the others are all in dread
that they will be next to succumb to Islamic funda-
mentalism and political meltdown. Uzbekistan and
(to a lesser extent) Turkmenistan have faced this
challenge by sliding into pariah states, where politi-
cal abductions, torture and trumped-up charges are
commonplace.
Only Kyrgyzstan has embraced democracy, with
mixed results. The street demonstrations and political
violence that unseated Kyrgyz president Bakiev and
pushed Kyrgyzstan to the brink of civil war in 2010
have continued with regular street protests.
Political Tensions
The Central Asian republics (particularly Uzbekistan)
look south to turbulent Afghanistan in horror, using
the perceived threat of Islamic insurgency to justify
their increasingly repressive policies. Isolated bomb-
ings in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan have
underscored the threat but it's hard to say whether
armed attacks are the cause for repression, or rather
a result of it.
Despite claims of Central Asian fraternity, tensions
persist. Disputes over water, electricity and gas supplies
simmer under the surface and the lack of trust means
that regional issues such as the Aral Sea, the drug
trade from neighbouring Afghanistan and economic
Bet of Print
The Lost Heart of Asia
(Colin Thubron)
Our favourite travel writer captures
the region in beautiful prose. Also try
his more recent
Shadow of the Silk
Road.
The Great Game
(Peter Hopkirk)
Fast-paced and immensely readable
account of 19th-century Victorian
derring-do.
The Land that Disappeared
(Christopher Robbins)
Excellent contemporary account of
Kazakhstan.
Bet News Websites
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
www.rferl.org
New Eurasia
www.neweurasia.net
Registan
www.registan.net
EurasiaNet
www.eurasianet.org
