Kyrgyz Press Review 
July  2010 

The following are a series of synopsized articles drawn from various Russian-language publications in Kyrgyzstan, covering everything from politics to culture. This press review is meant to give a summary of current events happening in Kyrgyzstan as well as to Kyrgyz daily life and society. Weblinks to the related stories in Russian are provided when available online.

Head of Central Election Commission Says Referendum a Success

(July 1) – Speaking at a press conference on June 29, Akylbek Sariev, head of the Central Election Commission, said that 99.96% of the ballots on the constitutional referendum had been counted. According to Sariev, 90.57% voted in favor of the protocols and 8.05% against, while 1.5% of the ballots were deemed invalid.

Sariev believes that the preliminary results of the vote do not raise any doubts and that they reflect the reality of the situation in the country – in other words, people voted in favor of the referendum thanks to the stabilization and calmness in the republic.

Source: Delo

First Member of Bakiyev Family Behind Bars

Twenty-seven year old Sanjar Bakiyev was the first of the Bakiyev clan to be arrested when he was taken into custody in the Jalalabad Region on June 25. He was taken by prison convoy the same day to Bishkek, where city and police investigators will deal with the long sought-after fugitive. Sajar is the nephew of former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev and son of the late Jusup Bakiyev. He has already been charged with "accessory to murder" according to Article 30-97 of the Criminal Code (which is punishable by a sentence of anywhere from 8 years to life imprisonment). Sanjar has confirmed in his testimony that he and his cohorts actively participated in the mass unrest in Jalalabad, as well as in the most recent interethnic conflict.

Source: Delo


Uzbeks Organize Demonstration in Jalalabad

(July 6) – Uzbeks demonstrated on Jalalabad's Lenin Street to demand that their sons be returned from military service in the Kyrgyz national army.

"Our children will not serve in your army; return them before you get them killed!" the demon stators demanded. They are planning another demonstration for July 12. Despite the danger Uzbeks are facing due to the increased ethnic tensions in the region, there have still not been any reports of Uzbek soldiers who serve in the Kyrgyz army being beaten or killed.

Source: Alibi


CSTO Not Keeping Its Promises

(July 1) -- Interim President Roza Otunbayeva recently recalled in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais how the Collective Security Treaty Organization did not follow through on its promises: "At the time, when we were surrounded by killings and fires, when we really needed help, I asked for help time and time again and in spite of the reproach I was hearing from the younger generation. On July 12, I had a conversation with [Russian President Dmitry] Medvedev, and on July 14 the CSTO held a meeting but to this day, not one decision was made. The CSTO promised to provide military equipment and all the necessary ammunition, but we don't have any of this in Osh. We had some in Bishkek, but Bakiyev used it all against us," Otunbayeva said.

Source: Uchur


Former Authorities Selling Kyrgyz Water to Uzbekistan

Source: Delo 

'I Don't Promise the Unattainable'

Interim President Roza Otunbayeva officially became Kyrgyzstan's head of government on July 3. A small inauguration ceremony took place in the National Philharmonic building where Otunbayeva received her presidential order, certification, and standard (presidential flag).  Invitations to the ceremony were not distributed to the official delegations of some states, so those present for the most part consisted of regional leaders, representatives from the Kyrgyz National Assembly, political parties, and the civilian sector. Otunbayeva expressed condolences to the relatives of those who died in the June violence and promised to provide every family who was left without a roof over their heads as a result of the armed conflicts with shelter before the onset of cold weather.

Source: Delo

Experts: Not Advisable for Kyrgyzstan to Join Customs Union

On Monday, Roza Otunbayeva made her first foreign policy declaration as the legitimate head of state: "We are determined to join the Customs Union," she announced at a summit of the Eurasian Economic Community in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

However, political scientists and economists insist that joining the Customs Union (CU) may lead Kyrgyzstan to economic collapse. Other experts agree that the CU's regulations could deal another serious blow to Kyrgyzstan's economy. If Kyrgyzstan adopts these regulations, the cost of many goods could appreciably increase, especially those imported from Kazakhstan and Russia. Furthermore, this would also lead to price hikes on everything else. If Kyrgyzstan introduces these regulations from the CU, the business sector based on the re-export of Chinese consumer goods will suffer most of all, reiterated Arkady Dubnov, a prominent Russian expert on Central Asia. According to most experts, Kyrgyzstan has only one hope to avoid economic collapse – a rebirth of the real sector of its economy. Kyrgyzstan urgently needs to create a real economy and attract investment other than Chinese investment, because China’s economic plan could very well completely engulf the country.

Source: Delo

Military Service 'Buy-Out'

On July 1, Kyrgyzstan's provisional government introduced for nationwide discussion the bill "On Introducing Changes and Additions to the Law 'On Universal Conscription of Kyrygz Citizens, On Military and Alternative Service.'" The provisional government's latest bill would do away with service requirements in the so-called draft reserve system. This new concept was introduced on January 1, 2009 and essentially is an officially-sanctioned way to buy one's way out of military service: the conscript could pay 12,000 som (about US$260) to the Ministry of Defense to take a month of military courses and then receive his military service record. However, an analysis of the system showed that one month was not sufficient for professional-grade training, therefore it was decided to maintain a more prepared, professional reserve in the interests of national security. Citizens will be conscripted for one year of mandatory military service.

Source: Delo

Gunfire on Kyrgyz-Kazakh Border

(July 15) -- Reports of gunfire on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border have not yet been confirmed by Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

 According to the news agency Interfax-Kazakhstan, an exchange of fire took place between Kyrgyz citizens and a detachment of Kazakhstan’s Border Patrol Service at 5pm on July 13 at the border post "Sata."

According to Amangelda Abylkanov, deputy chairman of Kazakhstan's Border Patrol Service, four armed Kyrgyz citizens resisted attempts to have their documents checked after they crossed over the border. Exchange of gunfire then ensued between the Kazakh Border Patrol agents and the Kyrgyz citizens, which ended in two of the Kyrgyz citizens sustaining fatal wounds and another being placed under arrest. One of the Kazakh Border Patrol agents was also wounded.

Source: Uchur


Uzbeks Held in Kyrgyzstan Suffering Rights Violations

(July 20) -- Human Rights Watch has released information saying that the human rights of ethnic Uzbeks being held in Kyrgyzstan after ethnic conflicts in the south are not being respected.

However, Melis Turganbayev, deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, says that reports of beatings and violation of rights in the south of Kyrgyzstan are largely considered to be false, and international human rights organizations have not yet been to Osh or Jalalabad.

Turganbayev added that all those being detained under suspicion of organizing the recent turmoil will be prosecuted, regardless of nationality. The detainees are currently being allowed visits from relatives and, in the event that any rights violations occur, appropriate measures will be taken.

Source: Forum


International Community Slates $1.1 Billion for Kyrgyzstan

Source: Vecherny Bishkek


5 Tons of Educational Supplies Delivered to Bishkek Schools

CIS member countries delivered about five tons of aid, including 500 volumes of the educational series "Lives of Remarkable People," to Bishkek to assist in helping the country’s educational establishments. The Ministry of Education and Science held a ceremony for the signing of an agreement on handing over the donated supplies and a certificate commemorating the donation.

The humanitarian aid was allocated for technologically equipping schools and providing them with literature. The donations also went to schools for children with visual, physical, or mental impairments in Bishkek, Osh, Jalalabad, and other regions.

Source: Vecherny Bishkek


Turgunaliyev's 'Lustration' Bill

Topchubek Turgunaliyev, the former director of the Federal Environmental and Forestry Preservation Agency and current member of the provisional government, has developed a bill "On Lustration" and submitted it to fellow members of the provisional government, political parties, and non-governmental organizations for their review.

Lustration is a technical term referring to methods used to "purify" society and is usually used in religious senses.

At a July 28 press conference in Bishkek, Turgunaliyev proclaimed, "I am fighting against the mafia and some of those in power are fighting against me." According to the politician, the April revolution has not yet met its goals or fulfilled all of its tasks completely, but there is a real chance that "the government will be rid of all of Bakiyev's and Akayev's henchmen."  He added, "Those who were Bakiyev supporters have come to power, while hundreds of leaders of the revolution are left without work."

Source: Vecherny Bishkek


June Rioters Steadily Being Apprehended

(July 28) – At the IKTs press center in Osh, Kyrgyzstan's provisional government held a press conference with the head of the Osh Region's and the City of Osh's interagency investigative-operational brigade, the Osh Regional deputy prosecutor Shakir uulu Atai, and the City of Osh's deputy prosecutor Marat Busurmankulov.

Busurmankulov reported that 59 people had currently already been detained and will be prosecuted for crimes committed during the June conflicts. Over 1400 criminal cases have been opened in the city: 107 for mass rioting, 17 for kidnapping, 469 for arson, 31 for opposing authorities, 629 for theft, and 169 for auto theft. "The city's prosecuting authorities are applying all their strength and effort to apprehend the actual culprits of the mass disturbances," Busurmankulov reported.

Source: Vecherny Bishkek


Severelektro Cuts Power to Delinquent Customers

The Severelektro power company has made up a list of companies that are most in debt to it. Some of the biggest debts are held by Teplokommunenergo (11 million som, or about US$236,000), the National Cardiology Center (139,083 som, or about US$3000), and the National Surgical Center (237,074 som, or about US$5000).

The debt from the city of Bishkek's local budget is 443,000 som (US$9500), from the Chuiskaya Region – 23,247,000 som (US$4.9 million), and from the Talasskaya Region – 3,332,000 som (US$71,500).

"Millions in debt are putting a strain on the power companies and are bringing unpleasant surprises for customers. As a result, Severelektro was forced to turn off power to the biggest serial debtors," explained a company spokesman.

Source: Vecherny Bishkek

The Foreign Press on Kyrgyzstan

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