Suchergebnisse

Following a definition of civil society & a list of functions it can perform, the historical background of the civil societies now developing in Central Asian states is sketched. Statistical data are quoted to illustrate the current situation in Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Tadzhikistan, Turkmenistan, & Uzbekistan with regard to the number & vitality of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Some of the related issues addressed are (1) the legal-constitutional foundation on which NGOs are allowed to form & function in these countries, (2) the democratic infrastructure & financial resources ensuring the effectiveness of NGOs, (3) national & regional differences in the viability of NGOs, (4) some major projects launched by NGOs in these Central Asian states, (5) the role of international bodies in the promotion of democratic transformations conducive to the formation & functioning of NGOs in this region, (6) the distinction between effective & ineffective NGOs, (7) the structural & ideological obstacles to cooperation of NGOs with the state bureaucracy, (8) the limited political influence of NGOs in these states, & (9) the negative social factors (Islamic-nomadic lifestyle, the legacy of Soviet-style state paternalism, tribal loyalties, collective attitudes) impeding the effectiveness of NGOs & their acceptance by the society at large. It is concluded that the civil society in Central Asia is still in an embryonic state. Bureaucratic obstacles, inadequate legal framework, limited sphere of political influence, authorities' lack of tolerance of critical attitudes toward the government, & historical-cultural barriers make the formation & functioning of NGOs difficult. Lack of a democratic tradition in the populace & unwillingness of the government to open a dialogue with other democratic actors stifle the NGOs, which after all could serve as effective channels of social conflicts, preventing more disruptive & violent forms of social unrest & protest. Z. Dubiel

Since the beginning of the 1990s, increasing regional differentiation can be observed in Kazakhstan. Various lopsided economic situations result over & over again in resentments on behalf of the more poorly positioned areas & in the autonomy & secession attempts on the part of the better positioned regions. The growing dominance of the titular nation promotes separatist efforts by the ethnic minorities. At the same time, the geographic distribution of the ethnicities supports centrifugal tendencies. Sub-ethnic lines of division eclipse & deepen regional lines of conflict. To what extent, however, these discrepancies in fact endanger the central Asian republic in its actual unity & entirety shall be analyzed in the following article. C. Houle