DanChurchAid
Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan
Massive demonstrations in Kyrgyzstan
The demonstrations in Kyrgyzstan are organised by the opposition in reaction to the growing dissatisfaction with President Bakiev’s regime.
The major issues provoking the demonstrators are the all-encompassing corruption, the autocratic rule including constitutional changes, frequent change of prime ministers and building up of a clan system.
In addition, the population has lost confidence in the president, because his family has copied the habit of former President Askar Akajev of collecting huge wealth at the expense of the state.
Disagreements within the opposition
That is why one opposition group, lead by Felix Kulov, former prime minister under Bakiev, demands immediate resignation of the President.
The two other opposition groups insist first of all on resumption of the preparation of a constitution which can support development of a democratic state based on rule of law.
It is characteristic that the opposition is split. They are united only in their discontent with Bakiev. But they disagree on the right way forward.
Kulov’s group demands immediate resignation of Bakiev, whereas the rest of the opposition wants constitutional changes. They think that changes which reduce the power of the president and increase the power of the parliament are needed right now. They also think that in the long run such changes will force the president to use more democratic methods.
South-north conflict
Another dimension is the hostage taking of the south-north problem. Government and opposition are accusing each other of fanning the flames of the latent conflict between the southern and northern parts of the country.
Southern Kyrgyzstan is hardest hit by the economic problems in the country, and approx. 600,000 ethnic Uzbeks are also living here. The Uzbeks do not understand the Kyrgyz language. The adult, ethnic Uzbeks speak Russian, but the younger generations do not.
Therefore a growing part of the Uzbek population cannot follow the processes in society. And they inhabit some of the poorest areas of the country with high degree of unemployment and ensuing frustrations.
President Bakiev is from southern Kyrgyzstan – most opposition leaders are from the north. The former president, Akajev, was also from northern Kyrgyzstan. Consequently, Bakiev indicates that the northern Kyrgyz want to seize power in the country again; this may lead to lack of investments and development in the southern part of the country which may thus be kept in hopeless poverty.
By Maria Nedergaard Gostichtcheva, mng.russia@dca.dk , DanChurchAid Representative in Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan
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