Uzbek regional centre paralysed by…

Uznews.net – A cotton-harvesting campaign that started few days ago has turned the town of Gulistan, the capital of Syrdarya Region, into a ghost town whose residents seem to have gone somewhere, leaving only children and the elderly.

Traffic in Gulistan, which is not busy anyway, has disappeared altogether these days, whereas rare pedestrians or open offices can only be seen on the town’s central street.

Police blocks on roads leading to the town create an impression that it has been quarantined because of some disease. This impression is beefed up by a heavy padlock on the gates of the town market.

A local taxi driver said that the authorities shut down markets to limit people’s temptations to stay in town instead of picking cotton in the country. He did not feel uneasy when he said that all people, bar children and the elderly, had to pick cotton.

“Children are also forced to pick cotton, and if some parents do not let their children pick cotton, they will deal with school directors and chairmen of neighbourhood committees,” he said.

The campaign started in the region on 20 September, while 14-year-old children were attracted to it from 25 September.

Only primary school pupils are in school, all others are bussed to cotton fields at 0800. There are only few very young children in fields and they say that they are picking cotton voluntarily – everyone got used to it and it has become sort of entertainment for children.

The authorities provide transport and drinking water to children. “They have not organised food, so children have to take it with them. They only boil water for tea, which also has to be taken from home. Even wood to boil water children have to collect themselves,” a local resident said.

Cotton pickers have been promised money for their labour, but usually they are paid only for

A customs college student; photo: Uznews.net

the first few days. Even if they are paid, they will not earn much because the government pays only 85 sums per kilo of cotton picked. Even good adult pickers who can pick about 50 kg a day can hope only for 4,000 sums, which is just over $2.

Local residents – both adults and children – are easy about the annual cotton-harvesting campaign and regard it as something routine.

“I am 14 and almost all my friends go to school. I pick cotton because I find it interesting and I pick about 20 kg a day. I picked cotton last year too. It is much more interesting than going to school,” a boy called Vahid said.

There are also those in the fields who would have wanted to avoid picking cotton. These are students of local colleges and universities. Even students of the Tashkent State Military Customs College can be found in Syrdarya cotton fields.

“We are twice a year in cotton fields: when cotton is sown and when it is harvested. Each time in a new district, but always in Syrdarya Region,” former customs officer Rustam said.

He said his students did not show discontent with this. Many of them are from regions and they got used to pick cotton. Another reason is that military discipline does not allow them to discuss orders or refuse to fulfil them.

However, there are people who stay behind in town. In order to annoy them the authorities shut down the market, and cafes and restaurants are also closed at daytime.

“People go to cafes to meet friends, get drunk and pick fights. The clientele is motley, because there is nowhere else to go,” the taxi driver said.

Not

An empty street in Gulistan; photo: Uznews.net

only is entertainment in great shortage in Gulistan, but so are jobs to earn money for it. Industrial enterprises have been closed down, except for a plant to repair train cars. It has significantly reduced its output and personnel. The only occupation that raises stable income in this town is taxi driving. Taxi fares are low – 400 sums ($0.2) per journey to go anywhere along central streets and 1,000 sums to drive to a back street.

Drivers who drive people from Gulistan to Tashkent, which is only 75 km away, make better money. They can do two trips a day, charging 20,000 sums each way and earning 80,000 sums ($40) a day.

“There is nothing else to do, except for driving taxi. Of course, there are government jobs, but how much do these jobs pay? I do not know how one can leave on that money. We are surviving, we have not died so far,” the taxi driver said.

“Everyone to pick cotton” – this call made by Syrdarya Region Governor Abdurahim Jalolov has not been hailed with enthusiasm in the region. But it did not cause great discontent either, because working in fields is almost the only entertainment available to them – a change in their everyday dull lives.