Subject: Re[2]: Shakhrimardan, Sokh and Vorukh
From: nickmegoran (nickmegoran@infotel.kg)
Date: Wed Jun 02 1999 - 07:54:56 EDT
BC> Thanks a lot for your feedback. I am curious to collect some information
on those
BC> three Ferghana-enclaves, as my data reveal the following explanation,
which I
BC> would like to check. In the 1920s and 30s, the conservative,
agricultural pockets
BC> of Shakrimardan, Sokh and Vorukh were among the hotbeds of the
anti-Communist
BC> Basmachi guerilla, which was particularly fierce there. After the Red Army
BC> ‘pacified’ the region, these ‘politically unreliable’ areas went under
direct
BC> military administration from Tashkent, the Soviet stronghold in Central
Asia. It
BC> is during this period that the present-day enclaves got oriented more
towards
BC> Tashkent in terms of transport and telecommunication links and economic
activity
BC> than to its immediate surrounding area. In 1936, Shakrimardan, Sokh and
Vorukh
BC> (all agricultural enclaves in a quite arid area) were integrated in the
newly
BC> created Soviet republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikikstan, for one
considered that
BC> the Uzbeks and Tajiks (sedentary farmers) would need more agricultural
area than
BC> the far less numerous Kyrgyz (mountain nomads).
Dear Bruno,
I am interested what evidence you have to support the idea that the
three enclaves were set up as they are to control political dissent,
as it sounds an interesting thesis. Were they alone in being called
'politically unreliable' areas, or were there also other parts of the
valley under the same system for a while? Are you suggesting that the
political and economic (agricultural) reasons are two separate,
competing theories, or that both may have been at work? The idea that
the enclaves became more oriented towards Tashkent as a result of
their division is entirely probable. Again, I am interested in your
sources.
In a Kyrgyz newspaper 'Osh Times' published early this year, there was a
long interview with a niece of the first leader of present Kyrgyzstan in the
1920s). The niece remembers when Ahumbabaev (the Uzbek leader) suggested
swapping Shakimardon for other territories. They had good relations, and
agreed, and apparently had a photograph taken together to commemorate their
friendship which is sitting in the Margilon museum. I don't know how
accurate this is, but she (a very old lady now) swears she remembers this
plainly. A lot of events in history which we give deep and impressive
reasons for are probably actually decided by the interaction of
personalities over a good palov or kymyz session. Of course, these have
their own political and economic backdrops, but it is interesting and
humbling to think about.
Has anyone else read this article or heard this story before, and can
they comment on this? Unfortunately I don't have it to hand at the
moment.
Nick Megoran.
Best regards,
Nickmegoran mailto:nickmegoran@infotel.kg
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a22 : Wed Jun 02 1999 - 07:55:36 EDT