The Human Rights Situation in Central Asia: A Survey

One hundred years ago, as a result of the Anglo-Russian rivalry known as "The Great Game" a gigantic strategic barrier was established from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea, i.e., from Manchuria to Mongolia to Xingjian to Afghanistan to Russian Central Asia. This region includes both dependent and independent countries, multiethnic nation states, and empires, and a mixture of beliefs (Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity and Shamanism) and peoples (Iranians, Turks, Huns, Mongols and others). The diversity is such that the region came to be known as a new centre of gravity in the world, a whirlpool in which met political currents following from China, Russia, India and the Middle East.1This centre of gravity as part of the legendary silk route from China to Byzantium (Istanbul) and on to Rome is known as Central Asia or (Turkistan) the land of Turks.