VZCZCXRO1572
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHNT #1266/01 3080942
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030942Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0534
INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2980
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 4693
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0641
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0988
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 0949
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1639
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1136
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 2808
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001266 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON SOCI PHUM UZ
 
SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: "THE MAHALLA," PILLAR OF UZBEK 
SOCIETY 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY.  Mahallas are a uniquely Uzbek 
social unit that serves as an intermediary between 
government and citizen.  In a recent meeting the 
chairman of the Charitable Fund "Mahalla" described 
the role of the mahallas in Uzbek society and the 
work of his non-governmental fund.  Both a 
charitable organization and a possible instrument of 
state control, the mahallas play a key role in 
organizing Uzbek society at the local level. 
Elections for Mahalla leadership get underway 
starting November 1.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) On October 30 the Ambassador paid a visit to 
Anvar Akhmedov, Chairman of the Republican Council 
of Aksakals and the Charitable Fund "Mahalla."  A 
mechanical engineer by training and a former deputy 
khokim (mayor) of Tashkent, Akhmedov told the 
Ambassador about the role of the mahalla -- an 
institution unique to Uzbekistan -- and the work 
carried out by the charitable fund he heads. 
 
THE MAHALLA IN UZBEK SOCIETY 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) Mahallas are social institutions that were 
first mentioned in 10th century chronicles.  The 
closest analogy in contemporary U.S. culture are 
neighborhood "block associations," but in Uzbek 
culture the mahallas have at times played a much 
more important role than their loose American 
counterpart.  The latest revival of the mahallas 
dates from Uzbek independence in 1991.  Incorporated 
into the official structure of Uzbek society by a 
1993 law on self-governance, the mahallas today 
serve as an intermediary between individual citizens 
and the instruments of governmental power.  At 
present there are 9067 mahallas in Uzbekistan, 474 
of them in the city of Tashkent. 
 
¶4. (U) Each mahalla is headed by an "aksakal" or, in 
literal translation from Uzbek, a "white beard." 
Historically the aksakal was a village elder, but 
today an aksakal can be a much younger member of the 
community, and some aksakals are women.  Under a 
2003 election law, aksakals are elected to two and a 
half year terms.  The next round of nation-wide 
mahalla elections will begin on November 1; both 
vetting of candidates and the elections themselves 
will run through December.  Being an aksakal is a 
full-time job, and aksakals therefore receive 
government salaries, as do some of their advisers. 
The mahallas receive operating funds from the local 
government. 
 
¶5. (U) The role of the mahalla in the community is 
wide-ranging.  The aksakal serves as an arbiter in 
domestic disputes and reinforces Uzbek family values 
that place preservation of the family above all 
other goals.  When a wedding or other large family 
celebration takes place, the mahalla makes 
arrangements and even provides money if a family 
does not have sufficient means.  It provides help to 
newlyweds and invalids, and it petitions the local 
municipal government on behalf of the community. 
The local government, in its turn, comes to the 
mahalla when it needs to enlist community support 
for government projects. 
 
CHARITABLE FUND "MAHALLA" 
------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) The Charitable Fund "Mahalla" is a nationwide 
organization with offices in each province and many 
regions.  Officially a non-governmental 
organization, the Fund has an annual operating 
budget of about 8-9 billion soum (USD 6-6.6 million) 
that it gathers from corporate sponsors (e.g., cell 
phone operator MTS) and from individuals who donate 
their work on two annual "khashars" (voluntary work 
 
TASHKENT 00001266  002 OF 002 
 
 
Saturdays).  The Fund reportedly receives no 
government funding. 
 
¶7. (U) The Fund provides monetary assistance to 
individual mahallas when local government funding is 
insufficient.  In particular, the Fund steps in to 
assist in the aftermath of natural disasters and to 
provide support to the neediest members of society. 
It also funds summer recreation and vacation 
programs for youth and programs that reinforce 
"Uzbek values." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Akhmedov opened the meeting by saying this 
was the first time any Ambassador posted to Tashkent 
had paid him a visit.  He clearly took great pride 
in describing the role of the mahallas and of the 
fund that he heads.  He took particular pride in the 
upcoming Mahalla elections. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Akhmedov avoided talking about the more 
intrusive and controlling aspects of the mahallas. 
For example, there have been complaints from some 
Uzbek women that mahallas force them to remain in 
abusive marriages for the sake of family 
preservation.  Also, it is clear that the mahallas 
can serve as a vehicle to collect and pass on 
information on individual citizens.  Nevertheless, 
the mahalla is a uniquely Uzbek social institution 
that anyone interested in working at the grass roots 
level in Uzbekistan needs to appreciate and 
understand. 
 
NORLAND