According to unofficial data, over a thousand of Tajikistanis had arrived in Kyrgyzstan via Batken region before the pandemic every day both via the checkpoint and via uncontrolled locations in villages. They came to earn money, for treatment and recreation. However, bilateral relations stopped after the armed conflicts in spring of 2021.
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The armed conflict on the border of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan at the end of April 2021 had its impact on the daily life of the citizens of both states. First, it affected those who crossed the border for work, study, as well as business owners who had business and logistic relations with the neighbouring state.
A resident of Batken region, Daniyar Saidimarov, is a taxi driver and 90 per cent of his clients are the citizens of Tajikistan. According to him, he used to drive passengers from the city of Osh to the border of Tajikistan from autumn till summer. Also, this is the time when Tajik migrants return from Russia and from early spring to summer go to Russia. Air tickets in Kyrgyzstan were cheaper and the Tajikistanis preferred to travel by air from the neighbouring country. He could earn 6-7 thousand som (70.95-82.77 dollars) per one trip to Osh.
“Moreover, the merchants from Tajikistan used to go to the cities of Osh, Bishkek, Kara-Suu and then to China or Dubai on a regular basis. In summer, they used to go to Issyk-Kul. We had nearly 60 drivers in average who drove passengers from Tajikistan,” Saidimarov said.
But since April, after the borders were closed, their work stopped. According to him, now all border villages of Kyrgyzstan have vigilante groups that do not let people and vehicles to cross the border. Therefore, there are no clients and the former taxi driver now drives a truck.
“It is all different now. Recently, one driver brought a passenger to the Tajikistan border, but our vigilante group stopped him and sent them back to Osh. Now we don’t know what will happen next. It would be good if they solve the border issue soon so we don’t have any conflicts in future,” Saidimarov said.
Supplies of Tajikistan products stopped
Akylbek Dilshatov is running a small store in the border village of Kara-Bak in Batken region. He used to buy products from Tajikistan – fruits, vegetables, sour cream, kefir, sausage goods and pastry items. A large fair with participation of merchants from the neighbouring country was held once a week. But now the border is closed and all supplies stopped.
“Last year, the borders were partially closed because of the coronavirus, and wholesalers from Tajikistan came to us rarely. After the border conflicts, goods from Tajikistan were not delivered anymore. Neighbours from Tajikistan offer to buy goods in their territory at night, but it is dangerous and illegal,” Dilshatov said.
Maksatbek Baimurzaev is the store owner in the town of Batken. According to him, 30-40 per cent of goods were supplied from Tajikistan, and the goods from Kyrgyzstan were supplied to Tajikistan as well. But after the conflict, commercial relations with the neighbours stopped.
“The goods from Tajikistan were much cheaper than ours. Now we sell only domestic products. Unfortunately, prices are high and buyers are outraged. But we can do nothing about it because we buy goods at high prices,” Baimurzaev said.
According to him, previously, he could earn one thousand som (11.8 dollars) in average per day, now he earns 600-700 som (7-8 dollars) at most.
“Of course, we cannot demand to open the border. But it would be great if they demarcate the borders soon and shoot-ups end. The states need to solve this issue and reach common ground. All we need is peace and tranquillity. When it is peace in the country, life becomes much better,” the storeowner said.
According to the Batken-based journalist, Zhenish Aidarov, Tajikistanis used to come to Kyrgyzstan for seasonal work. In the off-season, they used to earn 400-500 som (4.7-5.9 dollars) a day, and in season, when they collected apricot, tobacco, hay, their daily income was up to 700-800 som (8.2-9.5 dollars).
Many citizens of Tajikistan used to go to Bishkek via Batken for treatment as the capital of Kyrgyzstan, in their opinion, was the best way to treat cardiovascular diseases and injuries. In summer, residents of nearest villages of Tajikistan arrived at mountain villages of Kyrgyzstan for vacation. But this year it is rather quiet here.
“I valued customers from Tajikistan…”
Trade relations between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were not only in the border areas, but in large cities. Damira Artykova opened a small sewing room in Bishkek in 2017. She has 20 employees and about 10 seamstresses at home. She sews women’s T-shirts, dresses and blouses and produces nearly 400 items of each kind of apparel every month.
According to her, for years of work she earned regular customers who make regular orders. Among them are buyers from Russia and Tajikistan. The latter buy products for resale in Russia. Although, there have not been many Tajikistan-based wholesalers lately, the woman valued her clients and tried to keep to schedule.
“We sent the last batch of dresses to Tajikistan, Khudzhand, by car in early April. Since then, we don’t have new orders from the Tajik party. Now I don’t think we’ll have new orders. Even if they want to buy goods from us, I don’t know how to send the goods to them. I’ve heard that some restrictions have been imposed on border crossing for ordinary people. However, we have sent the batches of clothes to taxi drivers, paid them a little and it was beneficial both for us and for buyers,” said Artykova.
She added that before the events of 28-29 April on the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border, she was contacted by some buyers from Dordoi market and was asked to sell the apparel to them. But the woman did not want to breach her contract with Tajikistan-based buyers. She seems to accept the offer of local customers because otherwise her small factory would get fewer orders.
To Kyrgyzstan for study
Another reason for migration of Tajikistanis to Kyrgyzstan is study. The future journalist, the graduate of the American University in Central Asia (AUCA), Bebakho Ashur, moved from Tajikistan to Bishkek in 2016 to get education. According to the girl, there was no educational institutions in her motherland whose language of instruction was English, therefore, she decided to study in Kyrgyzstan.
The alumna also added that the girl could make many friends and feel the kindness of the Kyrgyzstani for years spent in Bishkek. All the time she lived in the capital she felt herself at home because in terms of culture, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan resemble each other. However, after final examinations, Bebakho is intending to go back to Dushanbe and find a job there.
“Now I am waiting when the situation on the border of our countries gets more quiet not to have problems when crossing the border. I was really hurt by the news that such awful events took place at the border of our two countries because of a land plot! If we look back, into the history, our countries have always helped each other. Let’s take the civil war in Tajikistan, for example. Kyrgyzstan helped us then. I hope everything would be settled peacefully soon,” Ashur said.
She added that the AUCA organised the departure of Tajik students to their motherland during the escalation of the border conflict, but the girl decided to wait out the events in Kyrgyzstan.
“My Kyrgyz friends were supporting me. Some offered assistance in crossing the border. My father’s friend lives in Bishkek and he said that I could rely on him,” Ashur said.
Another graduate of the AUCA, Tajikistani Sheroz Mirpochoev, accepted the assistance of the university in border crossing. The young man added that two minibuses were organised.
“There were 16 of us. Since there were vacant seats in the bus, our university made a decision to help Tajikistan students from other universities. Everything was free of charge. The university submitted the names of those who were going to the border checkpoint and they were let in without hindrance. I decided to go back to my home country as I graduated from the university this year,” Mirpochoev said.
This article was prepared as part of the Giving Voice, Driving Change – from the Borderland to the Steppes Project.