#165: Ear and Finger

Crime has become a big issue in Kyrgyzstan. It is not just petty crime, but more like Italian mafia-style crime. It is everywhere, in business, in politics. Two South Korean businessman, involving in installing proper public transportation (buses), were beaten up and were told to leave the country. After the Soviet Union, our public transportation collapsed and was replaced by marshrutkas (Russian for vans), a horrible post-Soviet imitation of public transportation.

However, another a much bigger event, but less covered in the media, although widely talked about, is the delivery of an amputated ear and a finger to a very high government official. None of the Kyrgyz media named the official, but everyone is saying it is the President's Chief of Staff, Meder Sadyrkulov. There are all the reasons to believe it is true. According to the rumors, the ear and the finger removed from a bum, whose body was found outside Bishkek, were brought as a New Year present to Mr. Sadyrkulov's house.The incident signals disturbingly unhealthy and abnormal processes in the Kyrgyz politics (which then affects how business is done), especially when the gift was sent from within the President's closest entourage. Internal struggle within the President's team over influence was expected after everything came under President's control. Such methods of political intimidation have never been used in Kyrgyzstan before. A very unhealthy sign.