Will We See Putin's Hand Here? Kyrgyzstan

[Annie]

Looks like more problems, seems the people want a say:

So many links!
http://www.registan.net/?p=4669

Protests are still going on across southern Kyrgyzstan, roads are blocked, the opposition is calling for an early presidential election, Roza Otunbayeva’s home has been attacked, and parliament is convening an extraordinary session. Time for a news roundup.

First, Ben Paarmann writes about the decentralization of democratic movements in Kyrgyzstan:

The elections that occurred within this landlocked, mountainous Central Asian country could nevertheless trigger hope. And it is this hope that feeds the activism of hundreds of people. People who have not written off democratic reform yet could become an increasingly crucial component in this October’s presidential election. The outside world would do good to keep its focus on Kyrgyzstan for the remaining eight months until the country will stand again at a crossroads. It might still happen that the ‘Sinking Island of Democracy’ can keep itself afloat.


IWPR has apost-election roundup. It surprised me a bit to read that even before the runoff vote, 15% of seats in the new parliament are held by ethnic minorities.

Interfax reports that opposition groups are calling for an early presidential election (via Gateway Pundit). [Also see this post from RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service]

“Five opposition coalitions have urged the parliament to help stabilize the situation,” Fatherland opposition coalition leader Roza Otunbayeva and vice chairman of the Popular Movement of Kyrgyzstan Ishenkul Boldzhurova said at a news conference on Monday.

“The authorities are losing control of the situation. Current developments in southern Kyrgyzstan, where a rally has been going on since March 4, suggest that not only the opposition, but also the people want change in the authorities,” said Otunbayeva.

The parliament is meeting for an emergency session on March 10, reports Interfax:

The Kyrgyz parliament is preparing to gather for an emergency session on March 10, Zeina Kurmanov, leader of the Right Coalition centrist faction, said on Monday.

“The signatures have already been collected. To hold an emergency parliamentary session, one-third of the deputies must support the motion. The emergency session will be held on March 10,” he said.

“Judging from the situation, the government is incapable of solving the problems facing the country,” said Kurmanov.

Protests are currently being held in Dzhalal-Abad in southern Kyrgyzstan and in Naryn in the north. Over 1,500 people are reported to have joined the rally in Dzhalal-Abad and about 1,000 are taking part in Naryn. Some of the protesters are blocking the Bishkek-Torugart highway leading to China.

Kurmanov said the protests were provoked by “flagrant violations of the election law in the first round of the parliamentary elections.”

RFE/RL reports on the protesters in Naryn province who have blocked a highway demanding that Ishenbai Kadyrbekov be allowed to run in the second round of the parliamentary election.

It should not come as a surprise that the government is calling on people to not rock the boat.

The government will not put up with forces that are rocking the boat. It will abide by the law closely and toughly, said Nikolai Tanayev, Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister.

Public rallies are on in Jalal-Abad, regional center in the country’s south, to support dropouts of the parliamentary poll initial round. The government has chosen to wait and see, says the Premier.

“We are in a dialogue with the candidates whose supporters are seizing governing agencies’ premises. The squatters may sit it out for a day or two, even three days. We’ll keep on even for a month-but we shall not tolerate whatever chance for their moves to bring irreversible fruit,” Mr. Tanayev said while commenting Jalal-Abad administrative premises seized by public protesters.

“We are recording all developments. We calculate the damages down to the last tyiyn [the smallest Kyrgyz coin]. That concerns economic and moral damages alike. The culprits will certainly answer,” warned the Premier.

I have my doubts that Tanayev will be sending out billing statements…

Zaman Online has more official remarks from the Kyrgyz ambassador to Turkey regarding the election. I catch a little bit of the “we must destroy democracy in order to save it” sentiment in there.

Where the heck is Kyrgyzstan and what is it about?

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/kg.html

A hint:

KYRGYZSTAN: Election protests continue
07 Mar 2005 2125 GMT

Source: IRIN

JALAL-ABAD, 7 March (IRIN) - Angry protests continued in the southern Kyrgyz city of Jalal-Abad on Monday, as thousands of people - supporters of opposition candidates who ran for parliament from the area - called for the resignation of Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev and a re-run to last week's parliamentary elections.

Daily life has been at a standstill in the provincial capital for four days after protesters wearing rose coloured bows and scarves occupied three storeys of the region's main administration building. On windows left open, demands written on the same colour cloth calling for the country's leadership to resign fluttered in the breeze, as did demands for a free and fair run-off election on 13 March. Orozaly Karasartov, a spokesman for the provincial governor, told IRIN that almost all officials in the building had left their offices.

While pink was the colour of the People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan (PMK), uniting nine opposition parties and groups in the former Soviet republic, protesters were not rallying in favour of a particular candidate who failed, but rather against vote-fixing and election irregularities, movement activists told IRIN.

The protests were yet another sign of increased tension spreading in the mountainous Central Asian state over the 27 February polls. Government-backed candidates generally fared well in the polls, which outside observers, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation for Europe (OSCE), believe fell short of international standards...

A bigger hint:

http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=10757275

Russian air base in Kyrgyzstan to be strengthened

YEKATERINBURG/MOSCOW. March 7 (Interfax) - Russia's Kant airforce base in Kyrgyzstan, which is part of the Collective Rapid Deployment Force in Central Asia, will be supplied with an additional number of combat planes.

"There are plans to supply more combat planes to the base and this task will be fulfilled," said Russia's 5th Air and Air Defense Army commander Yevgeny Yuryev.

Yuryev said the runway will be enlarged and extended and the old equipment will be replaced.

"In the future, following reconstruction, the base will receive a large amount of modern military equipment," the general said.

Russian air force headquarters reported that the air group based in Kant will be involved in all exercises to be held in Central Asia.

The Kant air base was opened in Kyrgyzstan on October 23, 2003.