#129: Gallery of the Fallen

Today's been a terrible day. In fact, it started last night when I received a call from a friend in NY who told me about the death of Alisher Soipov. I am appalled by this merciless murder of a prominent young journalist of Kyrgyzstan.

I've known him for 4 years primarily as a very brave journalist with unbreakable desire, however utopian it seemed at times, to free Central Asia of authoritarian rule. The pen is mightier than a sword. It was probably his slogan. Pan-Turkist and pious by nature, Alisher used to be an interesting company in many of the chaihanas (teahouses) in Osh. He had the ease and natural talent in what he did. Most importantly, he had the courage.

At twenty six he was not able to see the demise of what he fought against. Alisher left a wife and a 3-month-old daughter, and a cause, which will be upheld by many other people.

This picture of Alisher in a chaihana in Osh was taken one day before the tragic evening.
"The last entry on the newspaper’s blog which he produced (at http://siyosat.uzbek.kg) was headlined “Bye, Bye, Bye”. The piece was about a poem in an Uzbekistan newspaper lauding the cotton harvest in Andijan, but the title now looks like an ominous portent." From the obituary by IWPR.

I have a poster which says "Anna Politkovskaya was killed on October 7, 2006" on a wall behind me in my office. A colleague, having heard of the news, told me today that I might have a gallery soon. A gallery of the fallen. I hope not.

Update: Journalists of Bishkek will gather tomorrow at 11am in front of the Ministry of Interior for a silence protest againsts authorities' negligence to protest journalists. Join!