DanChurchAid
Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan
Paranoia in the east
The political power game is taking place on many levels in Kyrgyzstan at the moment and DanChurchAid’s partners are preparing themselves for being caught in the struggle.
The NGOs in the country have played a major role in the many protests over the past months where thousands of people gathered against corruption and abuse of power – demonstrations which have fallen on barren ground.
All power lies with the president
According to the constitution, all power lies with the president and it looks like a change towards more democratic principles is a distant prospect.
In March last year when the Kyrgyz voted out their president for 14 years, Askar Akayev, expectations were high for the new president.
His name is Kurmanbek Bakiev and before the election in June 2005 he promised to root out corruption, to protect human rights, and to begin a restructuring of power.
However, what is happening is just about the opposite. The ombudsman in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek has made an announcement that has shocked the NGOs in the country.
He has suggested that foreign NGOs’ presence and activities, including their representation offices, should be banned, as should their financial support to local humanitarian organisations.
He stresses that the work of local NGOs is still allowed. However, their work is considerably affected by the ban on foreign support.
Russian irony
“The ombudsman’s announcement stands in sharp contrast to his earlier statements. The irony is that the wording of his proposal is directly copied from the first version of the Russian NGO legislation (which wasn’t accepted, ed.). This first version also outlawed foreign NGOs completely as well as banning their support to local organisations,” says Maria Nedergaard Gostichtcheva who is the regional representative for DanChurchAid in St Petersburg.
Already in January, the Minister of Justice in Kyrgyzstan announced that all foreign support to NGOs should be “investigated” to check if their activities were in the interest of the country. The civil society protested loudly and the suggestion was withdrawn.
This time the proposal is coming from the ombudsman, someone who’s role it is to protect the citizens and the most vulnerable in society.
The humanitarian organisation, Centre Interbilim, which works together with DanChurchAid, will send an open letter of protest to the ombudsman and to president Bakiev. According to the law, it’s the prosecution authority that can institute an investigation of the NGOs, not politicians or civil servants.
No understanding of the role
“Presumably, neither the ombudsman, nor the politicians or the population quite understand what the role of an ombudsman is. He might possibly be using his position to further his own political career. Under the former regime it was popular to be friends with international and local NGOs and to be the protector of human rights. This would win over people who were sick of their regime. It also won the sympathy of foreign donors. Now he tries to follow the new trend; to play on patriotism, a bit of religion and undemocratic methods,” says Maria Nedergaard Gostichtcheva.
She thinks that the ombudsman as well as other authorities are under strong pressure from those neighbouring countries that are controlled by undemocratic leaders such as Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Belarus.
“The orange revolutions (in Kyrgyzstan it was the Tulip Revolution) have created extensive paranoia in these countries, and there is an on-going struggle with Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan when they try to break free from their undemocratic and corrupt leaders,” says Maria Nedergaard Gostichtcheva.
“The bigger countries and the hawks in their governments won’t allow the smaller neighbouring countries to develop into democratic ‘islands’”.
The government cannot solve the many political and social problems. She is afraid that the government in its powerlessness will resort to more and more restrictive methods such as using the police and the army.
Big problems in the long term
In the short term, the crisis won’t have consequences for DanChurchAid’s work in Kyrgyzstan with homeless people and street children.
“However, in the long term it can bring problems with registration and carrying out our work in Kyrgyzstan. It all depends on how the leaders interpret the ombudsman’s proposal. But in contrast to Russia, I don’t think that Kyrgyzstan can afford to throw out the international donors. That would be an economic disaster,” she points out.
Necessary to have a community founded on the rule of law
Jørgen Thomsen, Programme Coordinator, Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at DanChurchAid, emphasises the importance of supporting the dawning civil society in Kyrgyzstan.
“It demands over the coming years a massive and continuous focus on civil society in the whole of the Commonwealth of Independent States, CIS.
This should come from us as well as from the member states and the EU.
The support should be increased and, for example, the civil society be included in formulating and monitoring the EU’s work with the CIS countries.”
Jørgen Thomsen’s point is that things should link up.
“The economic interests that the EU has in the CIS will only take place if the countries in the CIS change into communities founded on the rule of law, with democracy and actual citizen participation.
Based on an article written by journalist Peter Kargaard, published on www.noedhjaelp.dk , 16 March 2006. Translated and edited by Heidi Rasmussen.
Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan
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