Bruce Pannier is a Central Asia analyst and appears regularly on the Majlis podcast for RFE/RL.
Kyrgyzstan's interim government has blamed supporters of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiev for the recent unrest in the country's south. But a closer examination of the violence, and the events leading up to it, paint a more complicated picture.
This month's ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan forced some 400,000 people from their homes and left more than 250 dead. RFE/RL correspondents Farangis Najibullah and Bruce Pannier hear the story of one woman caught up in the turmoil in Osh.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is holding its annual summit in Tashkent on June 10-11. The event brings together the leaders of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. But the level of cooperation between the two "senior" partners -- Russia and China -- is being put to the test as the two powers emerge as rivals in Central Asia.
In early April, when the people of Kyrgyzstan chased their president from power for the second time in five years, it appeared spasmodic regime change was becoming a permanent fixture of Kyrgyz politics. But while there are similarities in the root causes of the March 2005 Tulip Revolution that ushered in Kurmanbek Bakiev's presidency, and the bloody unrest that led to his ouster, there are also stark differences in the way things are playing out.
As new cases of polio appear in Tajikistan, a war of words is heating up between the Central Asian country and Russia, where officials have barred young Tajik children from entering for fear that they will spread the virus.
While the apparent end of Zeromax -- a gas and oil company said to be the biggest foreign investor in Uzbekistan -- might appear to be just another business story, it may go much deeper, and even concern the question of succession in the Central Asian state.
Kyrgyzstan has not yet calmed down since last month's violence chased yet another president from office. But the lack of stability has not stopped work on a new constitution for the country, something the interim government has been promising from its first days in power.
Last year's global economic crisis may have slowed Russia's progress in pushing new energy projects in the lucrative European market. But those days appear to be coming to an end.
The chaotic turn of events that led to the ouster of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev this month breathed new life into fears that the country could be split in two. Upon fleeing the nation's capital amid Kyrgyzstan's second revolution in five years, Bakiev sought shelter in his native southern region, where he railed against the policies of northerners.
Deposed Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev departed his native region on April 15. By the next morning, it was clear in Jalal-Abad that he left behind lots of problems for area residents.
In southern Kyrgyzstan, residents are anxiously awaiting the final outcome of the political unrest, and keeping quiet on their own sympathies.
In Central Asia, officially sanctioned Islam and outside sects are engaged in a struggle for influence, with believers and clerics caught in the middle.
China is making huge inroads in Central Asia, essentially building the region’s energy infrastructure with an emphasis on export routes that lead to China. So far, the relationship looks great -- all parties are receiving what they want. But a look back at Central Asia's recent history suggests this relatively new and flourishing relationship can expect to go through some rough patches.
Mongolia's Dornod uranium mine is an attractive venture for many foreign investors. Recently, however, it has become the focus of a controversy involving several countries.
The EU-backed Nabucco natural gas pipeline has experienced a roller-coaster ride in recent years. At times it appeared the project was close to being scrapped, but shareholders have steadfastly maintained Nabucco is a viable way to deliver non-Russian natural gas to Europe. Several events at the start of this month have again raised hopes about the project.
Some of Uzbekistan's richest people are being detained and there is a great amount of speculation as to why. Bankers, factory owners, football club owners, and more are being rounded up by Uzbek authorities.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov surprised his country on February 18 by calling for the creation of opposition political parties, in a country that hasn't had one in over 18 years since independence.
Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's presidential victory in 2007 ushered in hope among the downtrodden Turkmen people that his predecessor's bizarre and repressive system would be dismantled. But three years on, those hopes have largely gone unfulfilled.
Jailings of human rights activists have become all too frequent in today's Uzbekistan. To the chagrin of democracy advocates, they often get little public attention. Not so with this month's arrest of popular local journalist Khairullo Khamidov, whose case has raised an unusually strong wave of opposition.
The global economic crisis has stopped or slowed construction projects around the world, but there are exceptions and Turkmenistan is one. The president has unveiled plans for a construction boom over the next two years at a cost of $23.6 billion.
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