This is a translated excerpt of Amantur’s post from the Kyrgyz-language NewEurasia

Kyrgyz people have lots of traditions and each of them reflects somehow the life of every citizen. For instance, in childhood everyone celebrates ”beshik-toi” (upon birth), “sunnot-toi”, and then there are so many other occasions and parties to attend. Among these there is an awful tradition called “ala-kachuu”, meaning bride kidnapping.

I don’t know if you can call it a tradition. But the fact is that this phenomenon does exist. I cannot tell whether it is good or not, but I will tell you a story about one girl. Probably, this story will change your attitude towards this problem. Anyways, let me start.

There was a girl living in the village near mountains. From her childhood she was very active and one of the best pupils in high school. Time passed by and she was almost graduating from school. She got the highest score on the test and got a chance to enter the university. Suddenly when she decides which university to enter, her neighbor kidnaps her as a bride.

The girl resists and doesn’t want to marry him, and asks her parents to take her home. Her parents are afraid that their daughter is close to get married by force and decide to send her to study in the town.

She enters one of the best universities in town. Then after a while some people come from village and say that her father is sick and she has to go back to village. She believes them, comes back to village and the same neighbor kidnaps her again. She is forced to stay at his house and not allowed to go out for two or three days. The girl is so desperate that she commits a suicide by taking lots of medicine.

Now, you tell me who is guilty and who is not…