Central Asian Countries Range from Denial to the Draconian in Dealing with Pandemic

Paul Goble

            Staunton, April 13 – Two of the five Central Asian countries – Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – have not taken many steps to contain the coronavirus and in both the pandemic isn’t be discussed openly; but in the other three – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – the authorities have imposed draconian, Chinese-style restrictions, Arkady Dubnov says.

            In Kazakhstan, with a population of 18.6 million, there were 802 cases registered and nine deaths from the pandemic as of April 10. A quarter of the cases were in the capitals, Nur-Sultan and Alma-Ata. The government acted quickly and imposed tight controls. It even welcomed a group of Chinese advisors on the issue (newtimes.ru/articles/detail/193111?fcc).

            All indications are that quarantines, social distance and isolation at home measures are being obeyed, the Moscow commentator says.

            In Uzbekistan, with its 34 million people, there were 624 cases and three deaths registered as of April 10.  Tashkent imposed a quarantine early on. It closed schools and recreational facilities. And it stopped all forms of public transportation. Moreover, although Uzbeks tend to conform, the government set steep fines for anyone who violated these orders.

                On April 1, the authorities prohibited anyone in Tashkent, Nukus, and oblast centers over the age of 65 from leaving home except to go to drug or food stores. Five days later, it extended that to all the residents regardless of age.

            Part of Uzbekistan’s medical effort has been supported by a 20 million US dollar grant from Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov who returned to the republic so that he could provide additional help if needed.

            A major problem is bringing the enormous number of Uzbeks who are living and working abroad home.  In the past month, 6,000 have been returned by charter flight; and 9,000 by train. But that is only a tiny fraction of the more than a million who are now working in the Russian Federation. All the returnees are subject to quarantine.

            One government rule has sparked real dissent. Tashkent said that Uzbeks could no longer walk their dogs more than once a day. But Uzbeks have gone ahead anyway and indicated they plan to continue to do so. Dubnov suggests that the strictness of this measure has been reduced by the impossibility of actually enforcing it.

            And in Kyrgzystan, with its 6.5 million people, there were by April 10, 339 confirmed infections and five deaths.  The government acted as quickly and in the same way as Kazakhstan’s, but officials in the capital and in regional centers objected to many of the arrangements and so not all of them have been put in place.

            The authorities require that those who want to move about the republic get special passes. Almost 20,000 Kyrgyz have applied for these in the capital, but so far only 990 – about five percent – have received them.  In Osh, the authorities are more permissible: some 12,000 passes have been issued there already.