Winter in Tajikistan

In my previous post I promised to write about the miserable conditions afflicting ordinary people in Tajikistan.

I filmed a report in November that looked at the possibility of another winter in which frequent powercuts would cripple the country. The authorities promised 'no cuts' for residents in Dushanbe. But earlier this week, power rationing in the Tajik capital was sure enough imposed - just eleven hours of electricity per day. And if you think that's bad some regions of the country have no power at all. Much of the reason behind the cuts are to do with poor infrastructure and a reliance on giant hydro-electric projects which the Tajiks can't afford, and which won't solve all their problems.

A mountainous country, Tajikistan benefits from having hydro-electric power resources. But they have been forced to over-rely due to bad relations with their neighbours. Uzbekistan stopped transporting Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan in December over a pay dispute. And the end result? Tajiks shiver.

Further down the line, Uzbek farmers will suffer because they won't have any water to grow their crops this summer. Why? Becuase the Tajiks are draining their reservoirs, vital sources of regional water supplies, in their efforts to keep warm.