Month: November 2023

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Kazakhstan refugees and migrants human rights

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine about 20,000 Russian citizens arrived in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan would allow Russian citizens to enter and stay in the country for up to 90 days using their domestic passports. Kazakhstan authorities promised accommodations, temporary shelter and said they would open facilities. Authorities suggested that the Russians would have to provide their international documents and passport in order to get housing and help. While nearly 20,000 Russians left Kazakhstan in search of better refuge.

Russian citizens queue outside a public service centre in the city of Oral, Kazakhstan September 27, 2022. REUTERS/Raul Uporov

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Moving Past Trauma with Hiking in Kurdistan

As a way for those in the Region of Kurdistan to move past the trauma and horrors it has experienced in the past, it has been through opening new hiking trails. This has slowly brought more tourism into the region, positively helping the economy grow. The Zagros Mountain Trail is the latest addition; it is 215km long and crosses through 35 different communities in the Kurdistan Iraqi Region. Many visitors have had concerns about the safety of passing through the Region of Kurdistan, as the UK and US State Department have advised against traveling to Iraq due to safety issues, but the creators of the trail have ensured the safety of all travelers passing through. Many homestays and local guides along the trail allow the safety and housing of those traveling through the region on the path. This has shown the positive side of history while giving acknowledgment to those who suffered traveling out of the region during the genocide in the 1980s.

“Kurdistan Opens up an Incredible 200 Km Trekking Route.” Lonely Planet, 13 June 2023, www.lonelyplanet.com/news/zagros-hiking-trail-kurdistan.

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Criminal Code 1997

Under the Criminal Code 1997, same-sex sexual activity is strictly prohibited and can have a penalty of up to 2 years in prison. The law is only criminalized for men. Enforcement of this law is very selective, a famous master of ceremonies was sentenced to 2 years in prison under Code 1997. There have been instances recorded of law enforcement luring out these men to quickly detain them. There have also been cases of missing persons because of male homosexuality. A man outed himself on the internet and quickly after being summoned by the police, he went missing. His parents were worried that he was being held for these ‘crimes’, but they themselves went missing over time. Their neighbors said that one day they just didn’t come home, they had disappeared. There were also reports of arrests relating to homosexuality increasing in 2013, stating that the men had to pay large bribes for their release. Men were tortured in detention for the ‘crime’ of homosexuality. The government in Turkmenistan is repressive and authoritarian, and it is not likely that these conditions will improve in the near future. 

“Turkmenistan | Human Dignity Trust.” Www.humandignitytrust.org., www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/turkmenistan/.

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History of Genocide in Kurdistan

Genocide swept across the region of Kurdistan. In the 1980s, the Anfal operation in Iraq was sent on a mission to exterminate the Kurds. This led to around 100,000 Kurds were reported to have been murdered. The Anfal operation led to countless Kurds being murdered in so many ways. This genocide came into the media in the 1980s, but the genocide has been occurring ever since the 1960s when women, children, and men began to disappear. This stands out because many children who went through this genocide are now adults and remember the horrors. I have a family friend who had to flee the region with her family as a teenager, and she remembers the refugee camps they had to stay in along the way. And how she witnessed her father fall into insanity due to the atrocities that occurred. This is why it stands out to me because this is exactly what the Jewish people went through while the Nazis were on a mission to exterminate them. The Kurds now use the word Anful to remember the horrible events that happened and the people that were lost during these attacks and in the countless concentration camps many of them were sent to.

Anfal Campaign and Kurdish Genocide – Department of Information Technology, KRG, us.gov.krd/en/issues/anfal-campaign-and-kurdish-genocide/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.

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Human Rights In Turkmenistan

Basic rights are regularly disregarded in Turkmenistan. Human rights continue to be violated in Turkmenistan, including detention and convictions of anyone daring to criticize or challenge official policy. In the election, Serdar Berdymukhamedov succeeded his father Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov as president. The election was deemed neither fair nor free by international monitors. Authorities persist in attempting to stop peaceful protests of activists and citizens living abroad. Authorities also exercise strict control over the flow of information and media. They censored information about important topics like economic hardship, shortages of essential food items, the impact of climate change, and Covid-19. Access to the internet was limited to prevent people from receiving information from abroad, authorities closely monitored the use of virtual private networks and proxy servers to stop those who tried to go against state controls. Authorities continue to discriminate against women, girls, LGBTQIA people. Restricting their rights, freedoms and bodily autonomy in the name of cultural traditions and Turkmeniçilik, which is Turkmen national identity. The government prevents women from getting certain beauty treatments, and sitting in the front passenger seat of a car. There is no legal clarity in these rules that are mainly implemented by the police. For people in the LGBTQIA community, it is considered to be a criminal offense to have consensual sexual relations between men, and can result in up to 2 years of imprisonment. There are serious human rights violations occurring in Turkmenistan as the government denies them freedoms. 

“Turkmenistan Archives.” Amnesty International, www.amnesty.org/en/location/europe-and-central-asia/turkmenistan/report-turkmenistan/.

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Biodiversity in Kazakhstan

Russians, Uzbeks, and Ukrainians make up majority of minority groups in Kazakhstan. This is due to Tsarist Russia and the Soviet Union using Kazakhstan as a kind of “dumping ground”. Kazakhs were the minority at the time of independence in 1991. They now make up the majority as millions of mainly Russians and other minorities left after independence. Kazakhstan does not seem to have many negatives affects from lack of biodiversity as there are still many minority groups in Kazakhstan with stable communities and actively keeping their cultures alive. An example of this is the Jewish community in Kazakhstan, the community has numerous synagogues, schools, and welfare systems.

“Kazakhstan – World Directory of Minorities & Indigenous Peoples.” Minority Rights Group, 2 Oct. 2023, minorityrights.org/country/kazakhstan/.

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Biodiversity in Turkmenistan

Endangered cultures are indigenous societies that face threatening situations and extinction. I agree with Wade Davis; these cultures are endangered by power and if it continues we will live in a monochromatic world. In Turkmenistan there is a government policy called ‘Turkmenization’, which gives preference to people of Turkmen origin in areas like education and employment. Turkmenistan’s ethnic minorities include the Kazakh, Russian and Uzbek populations. A portion of the Baluch community that lives in Turkmenistan and are at risk of forced assimilation. There have been reports of children from these minorities being denied the opportunity to study in their own languages due to the steady closure of schools and reduced resources. It has also been reported that some struggle to secure formal legal recognition, despite living long-term in the country, which has created difficulties when accessing public services and other rights. Although Turkmenistan is mainly comprised of deserts, it is noted as one of the global centers of genetic diversity. Although they only cover about 5% of Turkmen land, the mountain ecosystems of Kopetdag, Koytendag and Badhyz, are biodiversity hot spots. The mountain ecosystems have naturally isolated refuges for the most ancient biological and cultural/historical relics. Turkmenistan has 3,140 higher plants and 3,924 lower plants and about 13,000 animal species, including 683 vertebrates, about ⅔’s of which reside in the mountainous regions. Agriculturally speaking there are 172 species of wild relatives of vegetative cultures, including 40 breeds of fruit crops and leguminous plants. Despite the country’s conservative efforts many species of flora and fauna have disappeared. 

 

 

Unit, Biosafety. “Main Details.” Www.cbd.int, www.cbd.int/countries/profile/?country=tm. Accessed 11 Nov. 2023.

“Turkmenistan – World Directory of Minorities & Indigenous Peoples.” Minority Rights Group, 19 June 2015, minorityrights.org/country/turkmenistan/.

 

Socio-Economic Development in Central Asia is in Danger

The impact of global warming and climate change has left a substantial negative impact on countries and regions all around the world. But Central Asia’s socioeconomic development is also in danger of being impacted. Central Asia has shown the effects of these changes through melting glaciers and water scarcity, and many species are migrating due to climate concerns. The World Bank predicted that the average temperature would rise 5-6 degrees above the typical temperature through these changes. These changes have caused Central Asian glaciers to decrease by 0.2-1% yearly. Many smaller glaciers have already disappeared due to the temperature rise. Not only is the land being affected, but those who live within Central Asia will be affected as water scarcity is a significant issue that is on the rise. The Asian Development Bank has predicted that there will be a 10-15% drop in water volumes in the most crucial water sources in Central Asia, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya basins. This prediction is only until 2050. The water volume is predicted to decrease to around 30 or even 40% in the years after that. Many issues have caused this, and it’s predominately due to how the countries control the water that they have. While residents have access to clean drinking water and sanitation services, the sewer systems and drainage systems are not managed and are in poor condition. Even as we urbanize different parts of the world, keep in mind the additional resources we have to keep in mind while building new infrastructure. Central Asia lacks this and needs to repair as the years continue. This shows that even though the economy may be thriving, urbanization is hurting and causing the land to die, and resources vital to our survival aren’t thought about first.

Ualikhanova, Aruzhan. “World Bank Predicts Climate-Related Impact on Socio-Economic Development of Central Asia .” The Astana Times, 28 July 2023, astanatimes.com/2023/07/world-bank-predicts-climate-related-impact-on-socio-economic-development-of-central-asia/.