Before moving to the "fancy" main part of this post, I would like to resume and conclude the previous Nookat Report issue. As probably very few of you were so willing to read it to the very end, I will shortly summarize the facts; whoever is interested in knowing a bit more can move to the "Nookat Report" post to have the full picture.
Nookat events of 1 October 2009 (based on the attached report prepared by a Commission of Inquiry established by the Ombudsman)
The annual celebration of Orozo-Ait and Kurman-Ait is taking place throughout the country including in Bishkek and has been a tradition celebrated in Nookat since 2005. An official authorization for this year’s celebration was issued by the mayor of Nookat on 27 September. However, on 1 October, when people gathered in front of the stadium where the celebration was to take place, the stadium was surrounded by police. The people then spontaneously went in front to the building of the local administration to ask the mayor for an explanation. After about an hour the mayor came outside the building, announced that the celebration had been banned and warned the crowd to disperse within half an hour otherwise force would be used. According to witnesses four young people were then taken inside the building, reportedly beaten up and then thrown out of the building in front of the crowd. The situation deteriorated when the police stared dispersing the people and some of them responded by throwing stones. On 2 October, a list of 90 people suspected in extremist activities compiled by the State Committee for National Security was given to the border authorities to prevent them from leaving the country (the list contained names of children as young as 4 as well as elderly people). After a very quick investigation (less than a month) during which all detained were severely tortured, including a pregnant woman who later lost her child, on 27 November, 32 people were convicted in a 4-days trial to up to 20 years of prison. On 17 January, a Court of Appeal upheld the sentences. The next instance is the Supreme Court –dates have not been fixed yet. Our Office is supporting the Commission's request to the International Community to monitor, advocate and push for the Supreme Court to repeal the sentences.
And now, finally:
Eating Japanese style in Bishkek
Yesterday evening I was invited as International UNV to the evening reception to launch a photography exhibition organized by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), UNV and HelpAge International. Pictures were taken by a Japanese UNV, Azuma Nakahira, who volunteered with HelpAge International collecteding photography, case studies and video interviews over a series of visits to older people between December 2008 and February 2009.
The "Winter Diary" aims to raise public awareness towards both the extreme vulnerability of many older persons in winter months and their critical contributions to sustain families and communities to live through cold weather. Temperatures in Kyrgyzstan routinely fall below 20°c during the winter months, yet shortages in gas and electricity supplies, coupled with rising food and fuel prices, mean that many are unable to heat their homes. The venue of the exhibition, mainly inplemented bu JICA, was the Russian National Theatre. It has been a nice event with beautiful and moving pictures and videos, music performance and mixed Japanese-Kyrgyz folk cotillons and gadgets. The overall sight was amazing: geishas and kyrgyz women walking around in traditional dress and posing with participants who wanted to take pictures of this impressive pan-asian pastiche. Most of all, the main attraction of the evening was the announced Japanese catering that meant only one thing: Sushi for free!
To be honest, in the end I ate just a few things; I didn't want to be gross or appear ill-mannered, so I just bottled up my spontaneus instinct of flying in circle around the catering staff waiting for the right moment to "refill" my dish again and again, and I did avoid asking the staff - very thrifty in dispensing food - to be a little more generous as 90% of others actually did. In this way I just had to chance to taste a pair of maki, a meatball, some fried chicken and a few slices of outstanding sesame-flavoured beef but I can easily say that the overall level was very good. After the exhibition a small group of us (2 Italians and 3 Spanish) moved to a British-style pub where we had a beer (it's the second time I drink some alcohol in one month) and both me and Federica we had the chance to practice a lot of Spanish. It's always weird to speak a foreign language different from the one of the country you're living in, and as usual I provoked some funny moments such as talking to Kyrgyz people in Spanish rather than using the 4 Russian sentences that I've hardly learnt.
Apart from that, a new sudden decision has been taken: as soon as possible, we will experience Asian restaurants in Bishkek. Firstly, Corean, then Japanese and finally Chinese.
Will keep you posted on this ambitious plan.
Nookat events of 1 October 2009 (based on the attached report prepared by a Commission of Inquiry established by the Ombudsman)
The annual celebration of Orozo-Ait and Kurman-Ait is taking place throughout the country including in Bishkek and has been a tradition celebrated in Nookat since 2005. An official authorization for this year’s celebration was issued by the mayor of Nookat on 27 September. However, on 1 October, when people gathered in front of the stadium where the celebration was to take place, the stadium was surrounded by police. The people then spontaneously went in front to the building of the local administration to ask the mayor for an explanation. After about an hour the mayor came outside the building, announced that the celebration had been banned and warned the crowd to disperse within half an hour otherwise force would be used. According to witnesses four young people were then taken inside the building, reportedly beaten up and then thrown out of the building in front of the crowd. The situation deteriorated when the police stared dispersing the people and some of them responded by throwing stones. On 2 October, a list of 90 people suspected in extremist activities compiled by the State Committee for National Security was given to the border authorities to prevent them from leaving the country (the list contained names of children as young as 4 as well as elderly people). After a very quick investigation (less than a month) during which all detained were severely tortured, including a pregnant woman who later lost her child, on 27 November, 32 people were convicted in a 4-days trial to up to 20 years of prison. On 17 January, a Court of Appeal upheld the sentences. The next instance is the Supreme Court –dates have not been fixed yet. Our Office is supporting the Commission's request to the International Community to monitor, advocate and push for the Supreme Court to repeal the sentences.
And now, finally:
Eating Japanese style in Bishkek
Yesterday evening I was invited as International UNV to the evening reception to launch a photography exhibition organized by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), UNV and HelpAge International. Pictures were taken by a Japanese UNV, Azuma Nakahira, who volunteered with HelpAge International collecteding photography, case studies and video interviews over a series of visits to older people between December 2008 and February 2009.
The "Winter Diary" aims to raise public awareness towards both the extreme vulnerability of many older persons in winter months and their critical contributions to sustain families and communities to live through cold weather. Temperatures in Kyrgyzstan routinely fall below 20°c during the winter months, yet shortages in gas and electricity supplies, coupled with rising food and fuel prices, mean that many are unable to heat their homes. The venue of the exhibition, mainly inplemented bu JICA, was the Russian National Theatre. It has been a nice event with beautiful and moving pictures and videos, music performance and mixed Japanese-Kyrgyz folk cotillons and gadgets. The overall sight was amazing: geishas and kyrgyz women walking around in traditional dress and posing with participants who wanted to take pictures of this impressive pan-asian pastiche. Most of all, the main attraction of the evening was the announced Japanese catering that meant only one thing: Sushi for free!
To be honest, in the end I ate just a few things; I didn't want to be gross or appear ill-mannered, so I just bottled up my spontaneus instinct of flying in circle around the catering staff waiting for the right moment to "refill" my dish again and again, and I did avoid asking the staff - very thrifty in dispensing food - to be a little more generous as 90% of others actually did. In this way I just had to chance to taste a pair of maki, a meatball, some fried chicken and a few slices of outstanding sesame-flavoured beef but I can easily say that the overall level was very good. After the exhibition a small group of us (2 Italians and 3 Spanish) moved to a British-style pub where we had a beer (it's the second time I drink some alcohol in one month) and both me and Federica we had the chance to practice a lot of Spanish. It's always weird to speak a foreign language different from the one of the country you're living in, and as usual I provoked some funny moments such as talking to Kyrgyz people in Spanish rather than using the 4 Russian sentences that I've hardly learnt.
Apart from that, a new sudden decision has been taken: as soon as possible, we will experience Asian restaurants in Bishkek. Firstly, Corean, then Japanese and finally Chinese.
Will keep you posted on this ambitious plan.
5 comments:
Waah... Japanese will be expensive, I tell you... Although there is a slightly cheaper one than the really posh Aoyama on Toktogula - somewhere in the southern part of town, but I forgot the name.
Anyway, thanks for your e-mail and keeping my memories of Bishkek alive until arrive there.
Yours,
Franziska
Not more expensive than Adriatico, I hope! ;)
Maybe tomorrow me and Federica we will go to Talas with some Spanish UNV if the weather will allow us to do it.
What R u doing still there? Come here, we wait for you!!!
We should definitely try Watari..
Totally, absolutely, of course yes!
When?
:)
Saturday after a crazy shopping expedition?
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