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Years after independence, Kyrgyzstan struggles
OSH, Kyrgyzstan (CNN) -- Ten years after the Cold War ended, an actual battle has emerged in the tatters of the Soviet Union. Across a vast area in Central Asia, several former Soviet republics are emerging from winter, only to anticipate another season of violence. For the past two summers, radical Islamic insurgents -- known as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan -- have mounted deadly raids into Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The rebels' goal is to carve an Islamic state in the fertile Fergana Valley, which covers territory in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Last year, fighting was contained in sparsely populated areas of the remote, but picturesque and mineral-rich cluster of countries. But many observers fear this year it will spread to more populated areas, bringing war to cities and towns. Uzbekistan, the region's most populous country, is trying to counter rebel attacks by building a better-equipped army. But small Kyrgyzstan, mountainous, with about 4.5 million people in an area the size of South Dakota, is already spending 13 percent of its national budget on defense. That's about $30 million per year. Fighting and the threat of renewed violence make life difficult and worrisome for people living in the region. But, some are trying to bring hope -- and economic revival -- to Kyrgyzstan.
Radio Salaam
It's called Radio Salaam. While it's an important tool for information, it also seems to be lifting spirits. Several international organizations launched the radio station, based in Batken, Kyrgyzstan, in January, hoping it will contribute to the region's stability. Batken is an isolated place, resting in a valley in the south of Kyrgyzstan, near the border of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Alex Gaphurov moved to the town be one of seven DJs hired to get the station off the ground. "When I first came here, my appearance was shocking," he said. "People were pointing at me with their fingers and saying, 'Hey look, look. He has an earring.'" It's the first independent broadcast outlet in the area, offering modern music to young people who feel isolated from the rest of the world and news to a population that's used to relying on rumor. The station broadcasts in both Krygish and Russian, the two languages most commonly spoken in Kyrgyzstan. Marriane Ohlers of UNICEF, which paid for the station's modern equipment and provides the station's operating budget, said she found Gaphurov, 17, in Kyrgyzstan's second-largest city after a tryout. "He is kind of an interesting role model for the people here in Batken," she said. This hip, city kid can help young people in the Batken region feel more connected with the whole country, Ohlers said, and a little less isolated by geography and their problems. The unemployment rate for the area is about 80 percent, and there are ethnic tensions among the Kyrgyz, Tajiks and Uzbeks, who live side by side. Aid groups and the government fear various guerilla groups are recruiting the young, jobless men of the area for their armies, but they hope the station will help change the social climate in the area. "We try to suggest friendship, because friendship is better," Gaphurov said.
The bazaar of Osh
A bazaar in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, is making improvements to the region's economic situation. The open-air market provides employment and opportunity for interaction between people of different cultures. It also provides the region's people with an affordable source of goods. Osh was once a major stop of the ancient silk road trade route. It's a proud legacy for the Kyrgish people. Visions of a modern trade center are emerging as one possible way out of the country's current economic situation. With wads of bills changing hands amid the fine cloth, fresh foods and exotic spices of the bazaar, it's easy for forget that Kyrgyzstan is one of the poorest countries of Central Asia. Trade has become the source of survival for many low-income families. During the Soviet era, the central Asian republics contributed much to heavy industry. But since independence from the Soviet Union, many of the industries have closed down. Alisher Ahmadjanovich, 25, grew up in Osh. He runs Osh's media resource center where he tries to help visitors understand his country and the different ethnic groups living there. "The bazaar is the only place where you can see the various cultures here," he says. He has watched over the past 10 years as the bazaar has come to life -- out of necessity -- giving hope for renewal to Kyrgyztan.
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