FREEFORUM

[HEARD] from riders coming down from Aksay: the Kurultai will share out the crossing contracts by herd count. The mountain clans pushed it. Our biy did not lay the whip, so it passes.

I am not happy and I am not unhappy. I am thinking.

It is true, I was in the outer camp. For the city people: the contracts are the bulk diesel, grain and medicines that come across, settled in escrow at Talasbank. For years the steppe clans held most of them, because the northern crossings are on their side. Now each clan gets a share by the herds it reports to the Chancellery.

The Boztorgoy stood aside. That is not a defeat. It is a clan saying: we will not stop you, and you will not bind us on our own land. It is an honourable thing to do.

Correct, and thank you. Also: we report the most cattle. So we still get the biggest share. The mountain people forgot to do that arithmetic before they celebrated.

Horses are counted too. I counted mine twice.

So a central committee allocates trade by quota. This is Gosplan with yurts. Abolish the quotas, let the market decide, let the best trader win.

The best trader did win. For twelve years. That is why they made the quota. Come to the steppe, you would love us for a week, then you would hate us.

liberty_lad_88 posted:

let the market decide

In the winter of 2016 the market decided whether my camp had diesel for the vaccine fridge. The market decided no. My neighbour's camp decided yes and sent a can over the ridge on a horse. That was not a market. That was a neighbour. The quota is an attempt to write the neighbour down.

Interesting to read from Bishkek. Nobody here understands this "standing aside". Is it a vote against or for?

Neither, that is the beauty of it. "I will not block you, and you will not bind me." My professor in Talas said it is like abstaining. My grandfather said it is like a horse that will not pull the cart but will not kick it either.

Herald has it now: "Kurultai Adopts Quota Roll as Steppe Clan Stands Aside." Bektur says the roll will "end arguments at the crossings before they start".

Arguments at the crossings will end when the crossings end. But fine. Less shouting at the chaikhana maybe.

The paper says it nicely: steppe clan stands aside. We stood aside. The grass is still where it was.

Update after one season of the roll: my cousin's contract got smaller. The arguments at the crossing did end. Now the arguments are at home. Progress.

The ISEZ administration welcomes orderly trade by all communities. Out of interest, which crossings do the steppe clans use most? Have a nice day.

No.