Central Asia
Tajiks Stare into “Black Hole” Economy
Tax dodgers, drug traffickers and others create virtual economy which bears little relation to official figures.
Ethnic Uzbeks Opt Out of Turkmen Polls
Many feel alienated by election process and do not plan to lend their votes to anyone.
Controversy Over Kyrgyz Protest Sentences
Sentences of up to 20 years seen as warning to other protesters, rather than justice.
Land Audit Planned for Desert State
Fears of Mass Return of Migrant Workers
The global economic crisis is beginning to result in job cuts in Russia and other countries where hundreds of thousands of Tajiks have found work, leading to fears they will return home en masse.
Make Your Own Power Station
While the focus in Kyrgyzstan is often on ambitious hydroelectric projects like the Kambarata dam, water-powered turbines of more modest proportions are quietly whirring away in the background.
Kyrgyz Builders Fear Compatriots' Return
As it becomes clear that Russia will no longer host as many migrant workers as before because of the economic downturn, reporter Almaz Turdubaev investigated how this would impact the job market inside Kyrgyzstan.