Tajikistan: UN Urges Food Aid, As Anger Mounts Over Energy Crisis

[phantom power]

As the United Nations appeals for urgent food aid to stave off a humanitarian crisis in Tajikistan, critics say anger is mounting among Tajiks, who for the first time since their civil war in the 1990s may be ready to protest for major change.

It’s been the harshest winter in living memory for Tajikistan, leaving hundreds of thousands of people bitterly cold and hungry.

In some areas, temperatures have dropped below -20 and even -30 C. Rivers have frozen over, dealing a severe blow to the country’s decrepit and out-of-date hydroelectric power system, on which Tajiks are dependent.

Energy supplies have also been cut from neighboring Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The result: severe shortages of gas and electricity, with a knock-on effect on food supplies.

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/02/d4acbb85-3bcc-49ec-ba05-f7f07ab231e7.html

[Tashca]

1. Frozen rivers

I was listening to NPR the other day and heard bits and pieces. They were talking about Tajikistan and I believe three of it's neighboring countries. They said the winter was unprecedented for snow fall and cold temperatures. They did not mention this tragedy in particular. The newscast mentioned hundreds dead. To have these unusually cold temperatures freeze rivers that normally would power their out of date hydroelectric power system is probably something they obviously didn't consider. The article mentions that they have the greatest hydroelectric capacity in Central Asia......and frozen rivers.....unbelievable.

I have no clue as to the politics of this region.....but assume there is more to this story. I can't even imagine such a horrible situation and certainly hope I never find out what it is like. I hope spring comes to them swiftly. I see Saudi Arabian has pledged 10 million in aid...the U.S. 2.5 million dollars....and Japan pledged $90,000. I doubt those meager figures will go far, but I guess it's something........