In Soviet times, these borders weren't a big deal. They were not
demarcated, and the maps where they were depicted were not very
accurate (well, maybe the maps were, but the depicted boundaries
definitely weren't). That is why all these new international
boundaries have to be (re)drawn and demarcated (the latter for the
first time!).

What was clear, however, was that Barak was a Kyrgyz village. The
area around the village probably belonged to one or more Uzbek
kolkhozes, which then would be the reason these lands now are in
Uzbekistan.

I remember a visit by Ruslan Aushev, the then president of
Ingushetia, to our university. When asked whether the Chechen-Ingush
boundary was in any way marked, he replied: "No. The only thing we
know is which village is in which republic. But the exact boundary
has yet to be established."

I guess that goes for a lot of intra-soviet boundaries. It is known
of every permanent dwelling in which country it is situated, but
where that boundary is (especially when in rough terrain) is
sometimes only approximately known.

Another thing: in various articles I read that the population of
Barak is about 500-600 people. 1500 Inhabitants looks like a bit too
high a number.

I think that the enclave is certainly not a relic of Soviet-era
border drawing. More than one article that I have found on the
Internet gives this particular information (i.e. that the enclave did
_not_ exist then).

Peter S.

--- In BoundaryPoint@yahoogroups.com, "Grant Hutchison"
<granthutchison@b...> wrote:

> > Barak, a relic of Soviet-era border drawing, covers 200
> > hectares and has a population of 1,500.
> Interesting. This site
>

http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/kyrgyzstan/hypermail/200104/0053.ht

> ml
> specifically states that the enclave did not exist in Soviet times.
>
> Grant