Subject: Another reponse to "Recent developments in the valley"
From: nickmegoran (nickmegoran@infotel.kg)
Date: Fri Nov 05 1999 - 12:41:24 EST
Recently Mr Alisher Hamidov submitted a statement regarding the issue of
the border between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, which was responded to
by Mr Richard Tracy. Alisher Hamidov's submission was fairly
pessimistic, Richard Tracy's more optimistic.I wish to make a few
comments as a contribution to this important discussion.
The relationship between these two states and questions regarding the
border between them have become very topical this year. It is hard to
separate rumour from truth and I have no wish to attempt to give a
detailed description of what has happened this year and the reasons
why, but to state it briefly it can be said that a tighter border
control and customs regime has come into operation in the Ferghana
Valley. The stages of this process have often been sudden and
unpredictable, which have added to confusion and concern. However it
is possible to summarize some of the effects for the issue of development,
which this list is concerned with:
1) Trade has been disrupted, influencing inflation
2) Movement across borders has been made slower and at times
impossible.
3) As governments undertake the process of demarcation (putting
visible signs on the ground to show where a border actually runs)
the question of land ownership has been raised. Partially as a result
of loan treaties from the Soviet times significant areas of land are
being used by people from 'across the borders'. When this becomes
disputed it not only hampers development, but raises the potential of
serious conflict. For example, last week a dispute between citizens of the
two states in a border village almost ended in violence.
An overall result of all this is increased fear, suspicion and
insecurity, especially on the part of ethnic minorities in the valley
who travel regularly across borders for education, business,
relaxation or to see family and friends. Feeling a little unwelcome
on both sides of the border, not belonging entirely anywhere, is rather
disconcerting. That is where the talk of a visa regime arises from.
Looking at political relations and developments between the Central
Asian states over the past months it is cannot simply be dismissed as
groundless speculation. Richard Tracy was right to point out that
border difficulties affect all people who criss-cross the boundary in
the course of daily life not only minorities, but minorities do have
other concerns which are complicated at times like this.
These processes are not smooth or even. For example, in some places
barbed wire fences and military installations have been installed, in
others not. Sometimes people are allowed to pass freely without any
inspection, at times they are strip searched. Sometimes border
guards are friendly and authorities eager to help, othertimes not.
That is what makes generalising hard. Using anecdotal evidence, one
can easily fall into the danger of 'exceptionalism'- discounting a
general trend because of one or two incidents to the contrary you have
seen yourself or heard from elsewhere (no inspections in one place,
some co-operation here or there). However the trend is clear:
international borders have appeared in 1991 where there were none
before, and these are slowly being 'filled out', becoming realities
'on the ground' rather than just lines on a map. No one can predict
how this situation will change, as there are so many political and
economic and random factors at play. One thing is clear though: the
issue of borders has affected a lot of people's daily lives in many
ways this year and has played a significant role in political
relations, and its potential effects in the future should not be
underestimated.
Nick Megoran,
Osh State University
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