Where do I get my news? Apart from the NYTimes, BBC, blogs, etc. – I also get it from a basketball BBS that I’ve been a member of since 1997. Case in point, the recent revolution in Kyrgyzstan has been covered by the media and blogs well, but I’m also reading posts from a BBS member who’s currently hunkered down in Bishek. Real life, real moments, a side of the events that I can’t get elsewhere.
The Internet is an amazing thing, full of awesome nooks and crannies with goodies. For all the transformative powers of Twitter and Facebook, this is a reminder to me that the Internet is like the real world in some ways.. not everything is accessed via freeways and runways, sometimes you have to walk on dirt paths and bike through side roads to get a whole other experience.
we are holded up a bit further from the city center but still close enough to hear the fighting/looting/etc that is going on. we are staying with some us embassy friends at their apartment and we are all taking turns manning the ‘panic button’ which will call in troops if an embassy apartment gets attacked. troops is a bit of a loose term as the embassy here only has four marines - typically this is a very safe post. that is why all of this revolution has caught us with our pants down around our ankles.
information is hard to come by. or i should say that reliable information is hard to come by. our landlady’s cousin is a major opposition leader and word is that she is going to be named the provisional president of the new government. such a small country… only 5 million people it seems like everyone knows someone. the problem with that is that we don’t know what to believe. word currently is that tonight is going to be even worse than last night. no violence against the government but wide spread looting. calls have gone out on the radio and tv all day asking for volunteers to come and protect the remaining non-looted stores and government buildings. so this could lead to more fighting. also - the disposed president is in the south of the country supposedly arming his supporters and marching to bishkek. mind you it is a 10 day march on foot over three mountain passes! got to love central asia…
still getting mixed news on what is going on here (it is night now). police stations being stormed (people trying to get guns) and the major department store tsum supposedly is being looted right now. my friend nelson and i helped another friend make it into the apartment compound where my family is now staying. once we went outside (to let him in the gate with his car) we found was being guarded by seven guys with guns… and vodka. our friends had to drive around block a couple of times due to crowds in the streets. tense moments. still hearing random gun fire and getting reports of 'rich’ homes being looted and people being murdered. everything is hearsay at this point.
we are hunkered down and safe… although it doesn’t feel safe because of the uncertainty. safety in numbers.
thanks for the encouraging words. we are staying safe. inside. in the dark. and unlike all the people on the street… very, very sober.