Government Ousted in Kyrgyzstan

By Alok Bhatt
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia


TALAS, Kyrgyzstan –
After prolonged street demonstrations and aggressive anti-government rallying, the opposition party successfully ousted the government in the central-Asian state of Kyrgyzstan.  Following a period of extensive unrest and violence, control of the government was taken after opposition leaders were able to gain dominance over security headquarters, television and numerous government buildings.  Command of the interior ministry of Kyrgyzstan, as well as the security structure of the state, have been fully replaced.

Rozun Otonbayeva, former foreign minister of the previous regime, has been instated as a tentative head of state until a more comprehensive governmental structure can be established.  The new regime aspires to build upon the current interim government within six months.  Opposition leaders hope also to draft a new constitution and establish fair election terms within that time.  The leaders of the new regime also hope to create conditions conducive to holding such democratic processes.

Although the actual replacement of Kyrgyzstan’s infrastructure seemed to have happened abruptly, the  causes and actions culminating in such a monumental event have persisted for a number of years.  President Bakiyev, Kyrgyzstan’s head of state prior to the shift in rule, has been continually accused of cronyism and corruption by his people.  He often gave his close associates and family members top economic positions for which they were not qualified, resulting in self-serving and unhelpful financial policies.  Bakiyev’s predecessor, Aksar Akayev, was also charged of similar violations.  Coincidentally, he too was later forcefully removed from the government.

Bakiyev, however, promised numerous reformations and improvements upon then-current mechanisms throughout his five-year rule.  Rather than substantiating these promises, Bakiyev took more counterintuitive measures and even began cracking down on media outlets reporting on his exploits.  He has also used coercive means to quell rallying, such as threatening prominent opposition leaders with violence and abusing his political influence to begin criminal investigations against them.

The rising cost of energy in Kyrgyzstan, identified as the reason for Wednesday’s street protests, has also invoked the ire of the people.   However, many poor nationals joined the rioting because of Bakiyev’s general negligence in taking affirmative steps towards improving their condition.

As of Wednesday, the death toll in the rioting is determined to be forty.  Many more were maimed and injured by security forces.  Despite the tragic costs, however, the new regime of Kyrgyzstan seems to have a plan for a more transparent and fair form of rule.

For more information, please see:

Al-Jazeera – Kyrgyzstan opposition ‘seizes power’ – 08 April 2010

BBC – Q&A: Kyrgzstan unrest – 08 April 2010

Washington Post – US voices concern as protests plunge Kyrgyzstan into chaos – 07 April 2010

Author: Impunity Watch Archive