KULOB, January 3, Asia-Plus Children in boarding school for orphans in Muminobod District of Khatlon have got six computers as the New Year’s presents.  These six computers are a part of 1000 computers handed over to the Muminobod education department due to funds provided from the president’s reserve fund, according to the source in the Muminobod education department.  Officers from the Khatlon police directorate and the humanitarian association “Dehbaland” have also handed over the New Year’s presents for 138 children attending this boarding school.

            Meantime, 216 schoolchildren from the villages of Sarsibuloq and Khojai Noor in the Boghcha Jamoat of Muminobod District have also received desired present – new school to accommodate 216 pupils built in the



Village

of

Sarsibuloq


.  Local authorities have allocated 175,000 Somonis for the construction of this school, according to the source.        

DUSHANBE, January 3, Asia-Plus Compared to early December gasoline prices in Tajikistan have decreased by 18.78 percent, according to information from the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET).

            The MET source has told Asia-Plus that the price of one liter of 96-octane gasoline in Dushanbe has decreased from 2.80 Somonis in early December to 2.40 Somonis, with similar price decrease in other parts of the country.  The price of one liter of 95-octane gasoline has reduced from 2.70 Somonis to 2.20 Somonis, and the price of one liter of 80-octane gasoline from 2.50 Somonis to 1.80 Somonis.  

The MET experts consider that the gasoline supplies situation should improve because ban imposed by



Kazakhstan


, which accounts for 40.7 percent of


Tajikistan


’s fuel imports, on fuel exports was lifted on December 31.     

DUSHANBE, January 3, Asia-Plus Prices of some basic food products have increased in Tajikistan by the New Year’s holiday.

             Odina Odinayev, head of the department for monitoring prices within the Ministry of Economy and Trade, has told Asia-Plus that during the New Year’s holidays, prices of some food products such as sausages, noodles, potatoes, rice, onions, apples, pears, grapes, and pomegranates increased by 16.66 percent compared to the same period of 2004.  At the same time, prices of dairy products, mandarins and lemons decreased by 9.8 percent. 

            Prices of other products set by sellers on the Dushanbe markets have remained the same, according to him.  At the same time, the prices of dairy products and other food products will have increased by Id-i Qurbon, which is marked this year on January 10, Odinayev added.

            According to local experts estimates, prices of basic food products are supposed to decrease only during the second half of January. 

KULOB, January 3, Asia-Plus – Dead body of a man was found in the area patrolled by Frontier Post # 8 of Unit 2133 of



Tajikistan


’s Border Protection Committee (BPC) late Friday [December 30].

   According to information from the Kulob police directorate, the body was identified as Gholibjon Nazriyev, resident of the Village of Chubek in the border area of Hamadoni District of Khatlon Province.  The source has told Asia-Plus that Gholibjon already had conviction and the law enforcement officers do not rule out the possibility that he had contacts with drug traffickers.  

An operational group comprising representatives from the local police and military prosecutor’s office has been set up to investigate into the matter.

DUSHANBE


, January 3, Asia-Plus – On January 2, the United States began a $3 million airlift of winter supplies and equipment to assist the Tajik Border Guards.  Food, winter clothing, medical supplies, tents, and other needed supplies will be delivered over the new few weeks. 

According to information from the U.S. Embassy in


Dushanbe


, the first shipments, flown in by U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft from


Afghanistan


, consist of 100,000 halal ready-to-eat meals for the border guards.  At the request of the Tajik government, the winter supplies and equipment will be delivered directly to the frontier posts to immediately assist units this winter. 

U.S. Charge de Affairs Thomas Armbruster and Head of the Tajik Border Guard International Relations Department, Erkin Tojibaev, helped unload the first shipment at


Dushanbe


International


Airport


on January 2.  Charge Armbruster noted that


Tajikistan


recently supplied


Pakistan


with emergency food assistance, following the devastating earthquake, and the international community responded to assist the people of


New Orleans


to rebuild and recover from the destructive hurricane Katrina.  This airlift is in the same spirit of friends helping friends in need. 

Increased attention to the challenges for the Tajik Border Guards is an ongoing effort of the


United States


,


Tajikistan


, and the community of nations, to better secure borders, stop the trafficking of people, drugs, and weapons, encourage regional trade and ensure global security.  The ability to rapidly shift assistance to areas needed has been a hallmark of U.S.-Tajik cooperation on border security and is a sign of the confidence the


United States


has in Tajik border force.