Subject: Osh Uzbek newspaper stopped publishing
From: Alisher Khamidov (alisher@infotel.kg)
Date: Fri Jul 14 2000 - 10:52:11 EDT
This morning Morgan Liu posted an inquiry about the situation with the Osh
based Uzbek newspaper Mezon. He also wanted to know if anyone talked with
representatives of Osh TV and the Uzbek Cultural Centre in regards to " a
series of media restrictions in southern Kyrghyzstan."
Below I tried to respond some of the questions which were asked by Morgan:
1. The situation with the newspaper "Mezon"
The newspaper "Mezon" ( Scale-transl. from Uzbek) is a social and political
weekly. It was founded by the Ush Viloyat Uzbeklar Jamiati ( Uzbek Society
of Osh province) headed by the parliament member Davron Sobirov on 7
November 1996. The newspaper had problems with authorities before, but there
has never been an effort on the part of authorities to close the newspaper
down.
Presently, the newspaper has owed 30 thousands soms ( $700) to the Osh
Tipographia ( Printing House) and according to Umarkhon Umurzakov (member of
the advisory board of the newspaper and aide to Davron Sobirov; director of
the TV-station Mezon TV Shahobiddin Sabirov, that is the main reason the
newspaper stopped appearing since March 2000. The newspaper management and
the founding body are now in the search of funds and are planning to resume
the production as soon as financial problems are settled.
During the parliamentary elections to Kyrghyz Jogorku Kenesh in March 2000,
the "Mezon" has been the major media support for the Davron Sobirov's
campaign, the person who is believed to have been financing the whole budget
of the newspaper since its start. The sources of fuding from advertising and
subscription have been extremely low. The elections campaign period has
been very tough for Sabirov who dealt with a series of court hearings
initiated by his opponents. ( See the previous posting: "Osh based
journalist charged with incitement of ethnic hostilities"). A number of Osh
journalists believe he had major spendings then, and could also be a reason
why he is now unable to fund the newspaper.
Some issues the newspaper raised in the past.
>From the early days of its formation, the weekly has been devoted to the
extensive coverage of the news, everyday life, problems and aspirations of
people living in Osh. It was this newspaper which raised ongoing debate
between two prominent leaders of ethnic Uzbeks in Kyrghyzstan- Mamasaidov
Mukhamedjan (rector of the Kyrghyz-Uzbek University in Osh, the chairman of
the Republican Society of Kyrghyzstani Uzbeks, the member of the Kyrghyz
Parliament) and Davron Sobirov ( Chairman of the Osh province Uzbek Society,
Chairman of the Osh town's Natural Gas Supply Agency, and Kyrghyz PM). One
of the issues that separated these two people and made them rivals is one
related to the future of Uzbek schools in Kyrghyzstan. Sabirov advocates the
introduction of the Latin alphabet for Uzbek schools ( similar to the
practice launched in Uzbekistan). His belief is based on the fact that
Uzbekistan will soon stop the supply of educational materials and books in
Cyrillic to Uzbek schools in Kyrghyzstan because the Uzbekistan Ministry of
Education will soon order to stop their production. Another argument he
raises is that soon the Kyrghyz government will not be able to provide
educational materials and books in Cyrillic for Uzbek language schools.
Mamasaidov has been insisting that ethnic Uzbeks of Kyrghyzstan should
continue using the Cyrillic alphabet, because the introduction of Latin
alphabet exclusively for Uzbek schools requires additional funding from the
national budget, and it can cause other problems. He is confident that the
Kyrghyz-Uzbek University headed by him can assume the implementation of this
important task. The university has already launched the production of
educational materials, text books and other editions in Cyrillic for Uzbek
schools.
Local TV-station - Osh TV- criticized the quality and content of these
editions. Osh TV's interview with the Osh based experts found the materials
poorly organized, not satisfactory and non-applicable for the existing
curriculum of the schools.
2. Morgan has also put a "Harder question: what are ordinary Osh Uzbeks
saying about the recent series of media restrictions in the Kyrgyz Republic?
Do they care? Aside from OshTV, most get their news and opinions from
Uzbekistani TV (from nearby Andijan, Fergana, Marghilan and the Tashkent
channels broadcast from there.)
For the sake of giving a broader picture, It is important to note that for
the past few years, Osh TV has become the main source of information of
local news for inhabitants of the town of Osh, including representatives of
Kyrghyz, Russian, Uzbek and other ethnic groups living in Osh. Initially its
language of broadcasting has been predominantly Uzbek with some Russian
programming. However, for the past two years, Osh TV's efforts to give the
Kyrghyz equal air time with the Uzbek helped them to increase its audience.
Moreover, this increase is due to the fact that Kyrghyz and Uzbek (both
belong to Turkic group of languages) are slightly different and their
speakers can easily understand each other.
For many Osh Uzbeks, who predominantly watch programming coming from
Uzbekistan TV-stations, Osh TV, for the most part, is an Uzbek media outlet
of their town. Also, it is due to a fact that, in a small town of Osh, where
everybody knows each other, community members know that management and most
of the station's personnel are ethnic Uzbeks. A number of people I met told
me that the problems facing Osh TV are the problems of Osh Uzbeks in the
first place, and they will not remain impassive to the future of Osh TV.
When Osh TV organized its 8th anniversary last March, several thousands Osh
residents ( mainly ethnic Uzbeks) came to express their solidarity and
support to the station. Crowds of people gathered in front of the Uzbek
Drama Theater where the celebration events have turned into public
festivities with Uzbek dancing and singing. The Osh administration
represented by the deputy governor of Osh oblast have also joined the
celebration.
Osh TV's troubles raised the community concern among other ethnic groups
too. A lot of Kyrhgyz, Russian residents of Osh who find the local news from
Osh TV are closely watching the developments with Osh TV.
The Kyrghyzstan main stream newspaper Res Publika and Osh based newspaper
Osh Press Vesti have made a coverage of the problem facing Osh TV ( see the
previous posting on this list). The issue was raized at the recent National
Congress of NGOs in Bishkek ( 10-11 July) by the association "Journalists"
headed by Kuban Mambetaliev.
In the meantime, the Osh TV director Khaliljan Khudaiberdiev is in Bishkek,
the capital of Kyrghyzstan, trying to meet with the governmental officials
who have capacity to solve the station's problems. ( see previous posting).
Alisher Khamidov
director/Osh Media Center
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