Protests in Karakalpakstan over the weekend led Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to announce that the republic’s autonomous standing would stay unchanged. Mirziyoyev’s announcement got here after protests escalated over the weekend in and round Karakalpakstan’s capital, Nukus, following the discharge of a draft constitutional referendum that will have prolonged presidential phrases and revoked the republic’s autonomy.
In accordance with official experiences, demonstrators tried to grab authorities buildings. “There have been victims among the many civilians and legislation enforcement officers,” Mirziyoyev mentioned in a written assertion through which he additionally declared a monthlong state of emergency in Karakalpakstan, which lies in northwestern Uzbekistan.
Neighboring Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, Karakalpakstan has a inhabitants of just below 2 million — or slightly over 5% of Uzbekistan’s greater than 36 million folks — however spans practically 40% of the nation’s territory. With a strip of coast alongside the evaporating Aral Sea, Karakalpakstan consists principally of desert and, due to this fact, lacks wealthy soil. The republic’s unemployment price is excessive, and Karakalpakstan is economically depending on the remainder of Uzbekistan.
Legacy of autonomy
The Karakalpak folks — whose title interprets to “Black Hat,” which lots of them put on — are an ethnic minority who converse a language associated to however distinct from Uzbek. The Karakalpak language, just like the Kazakh language spoken throughout the border, belongs to the Kipchak department of the Turkic household, whereas Uzbek belongs to the Karluk department, which is shared with the Uyghurs in western China.
Having settled within the area across the Amu Darya river in Central Asia in the course of the 18th century, Karakalpaks got here below Soviet Russian rule in 1920. In 1925, Karakalpakstan was established as an autonomous province of the Kazakh Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
The area got here below the administration of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1930, and in 1932 the Karakalpakstan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was fashioned. It was made a part of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1936, however retained its self-determination, turning into the one autonomous republic in Soviet Central Asia. Karakalpakstan declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and rejoined Uzbekistan in 1992, on the situation that it retain its autonomy.
Destiny in referendums
In 1993, Karakalpakstan signed a 20-year reunification settlement with the central authorities in Tashkent, which assured the republic’s constitutional proper to withdraw through referendum from Uzbekistan. In accordance with the settlement, after 20 years, the events would both lengthen the settlement or Karakalpaks would maintain a referendum on leaving Uzbekistan. However there was no vote in 2013.
Uzbekistan’s authorities declared a monthlong state of emergency in Karakalpakstan
There have been independence actions, together with the Free Karakalpakstan Nationwide Revival Social gathering and Alga Karakalpakstan, however these have had minimal affect.
The draft textual content of the referendum introduced in June made no point out of Karakalpakstan’s “sovereign” standing or proper to secede and if handed would even have eradicated the republic’s constitutionally ingrained proper to self-determination. The proposed amendments have been a part of a package deal of constitutional modifications that Mirziyoyev has proposed that will additionally improve presidential phrases to seven years from the present 5 and reset the time period rely for Mirziyoyev.
The president was first elected in 2016 after which once more in 2021. The referendum would allow him to serve 14 extra years — Mirziyoyev would in any other case be termed out in 2026.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Off to sea! Environmental reporting on the Aral Sea
Fifteen Kazakh and Uzbek journalists and bloggers not too long ago visited the Aral Sea which lies between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The aim was to analysis the environmental points going through the world. The journeys have been organized by the Worldwide Heart for Journalism MediaNet (primarily based in Kazakhstan) in cooperation with DW Akademie and funded by the German Federal International Workplace (Auswärtiges Amt).
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
A disappearing lake
The mission goals at growing consciousness and visibility of ecological points and supporting environmental reporting within the area. Individuals will put together multimedia tales that might be distributed through conventional and social media. The experiences will present how native folks dwell and battle as water ranges fall. The lake is the primary supply of native revenue.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Spreading the information
The journalists visited native cities and villages, a nationwide park, fish farms, native small and center companies and the delta of the river Syr Darya. “We have to inform concerning the Aral to not entice international funding however so the inhabitants of Pre-Aral and the entire area study classes from this ecologic disaster,” mentioned Ogulbibi Amanniyazova, a Kazakh participant.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Placing into observe
Uzbek journalists additionally visited the plateau Ustyurt, a dry lake referred to as Barsa-Kelmes, a “cemetery” of ships and spoke to locals about their each day challenges. Each Kazakh and Uzbek members obtained coaching in environmental and multimedia reporting earlier within the 12 months.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
One of many final fishermen
The Aral Sea was as soon as the fourth largest lake on the earth. It has largely dried out as a result of diversion of water from its supplying rivers for agricultural irrigation. The waters nonetheless left within the sea are virtually “useless.” The shrinkage of the lake precipitated immense social, financial in addition to ecological penalties for the entire area. Kuntugan Turganbaev nonetheless fishes the lake.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Fish tales
Not that way back, the Aral Sea was fish heaven for its inhabitants. How do the fishermen of Aral exist at this time across the practically vanished sea? What has occurred to the biodiversity of the area? Individuals of the media excursions will present the story by the eyes of former and present fishermen like these staff on the Kamistibas fish farm.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
“I am lastly right here!”
“I’ve been writing on environmental points for the final 30 years. However I didn’t dare to cowl the Aral story with out visiting it. Lastly it occurred,” mentioned Natalia Shulepina from Uzbekistan.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Making the disappearing seen
The multimedia tales will characteristic the cultural and sightseeing spots across the area which have been revealed by the shrinkage of the ocean.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Studying to outlive
Many native inhabitants have left their villages and houses for good due to the diminishing sea. Others stayed and have discovered to outlive in these dry, sandy and salty lands.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Farmers adapting
The shrinkage of the ocean has precipitated radical modifications in South and North Pre-Aral areas. Drought, water scarcity and land degradation have negatively impacted native agriculture and animal farming. Nonetheless, the native inhabitants tries to adapt to those drastic modifications by introducing new abilities and practices.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
Risks within the sand
The members will even report concerning the penalties of chemical air pollution within the sea. Sandstorms now unfold sand tainted with chemical contaminants. This has triggered a well being disaster. To mitigate the dangers, state and worldwide organizations have began a mission to plant saksaul, one of many uncommon vegetation that may develop in sand.
-
Kazakh and Uzbek journalists go to the diminishing Aral Sea
For the brand new generations
“New generations have been raised with out even figuring out concerning the historical past of the Aral Sea. You will need to cowl these ecologic points so that folks learn to deal with nature,” mentioned Nursulu Murzakhmetova, a journalist from Kazakhstan.
Writer: Igor Brattsev, Amalia Oganjanyan