Posts From Amanda Zillo
Complications Ahead for Afghanistan’s Election Reform
With the Afghan presidential election scheduled for April 2014, just three months after U.S. troops begin withdrawing from the Afghan combat mission, reforms to the previously highly flawed Afghan electoral
Ramadan shows religious freedom deficit in Central Asia
The holy month of Ramadan puts in sharp relief the challenges to religious freedom by secular governments in the former Soviet Central Asian republics. Most notably, this year in Uzbekistan,
Balochistan Talks May Release Local Resource Wealth
Over the past month, Pakistan’s long-term, slow-burning Balochistan conflict has seen both continued violence and new rhetoric about possible peace deals. The newly elected provincial chief, Abdul Malik, a Baloch
Working Class Iranians Demand Labor Reforms
Last week, several hundred unemployed, underemployed, and underpaid steelworkers demonstrated in Tehran outside of the Iranian parliament. In the wake of the election of moderate cleric Hassan Rouhani many working
5 Challenges for Russia on Sochi Winter Olympics
With the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics only half a year away, the games are facing a number of challenges from organizations within the Russian Federation, as well as from foreign
Afghanistan’s Opium has Regional Repercussions
Attempts to rid the Afghan economy of its reliance on opium production and smuggling have largely failed due to corruption and the lack of equally profitable alternatives. However, the opium
Air Base Closure Reshapes Kyrgyzstan-Russia Relations
Last week, Kyrgyzstan announced that it will not renew its agreement with the United States that allowed NATO to use the Manas Air Base as a transit center for military
Azerbaijan Opposition Seeks Western Assistance
Last week, the European Parliament condemned Azerbaijan’s continued detention of opposition member Ilgar Mammadov, while current opposition leader Rustam Ibragimbekov traveled to Washington DC to seek support from the US
Kashmir’s Silk Industry Struggles
Despite recent attempts to revive Kashmir’s silk production, the centuries old industry is slowly dying. Kashmir sericulture, or silkworm farming, is a casualty of changing regulations, regional political tensions and
Tajikistan vulnerable due to remittance dependence
Tajikistan is possibly the most remittance-reliant country in the world, thanks in large part to the more than one million Tajiks who have migrated from the poorest nation in the