The new power in Kyrgyzstan
On March 24 2005, there was a revolution in the Kyrgyz Republic.
In light of the growing complaints of citizens, of the opposition and others in all spheres of the life, about the state of the economy, unemployment, poverty, and corruption, the early end of President A. Akaev’s regime was predictable. But nobody expected that it would happen so quickly and with the results that we have seen. Although President Akaev had publicly promised to resign at the end of his term this year, in accordance with the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, nobody was sure that he would do so.
Despite the fact that the President Akaev called for true elections, many of us believed that he himself violated the pre-election process. During the registration process at the constituency in which the President’s daughter, Bermet Akaeva, was standing as a candidate for election, the candidacy of one of the leaders of the opposition, who was standing against her, was invalidated. In the case of he President’s son, Aidar Akaev, he won on the first round, but through using all the possible administrative resources of the State.
The numerous violations of the election process, the blatant rendering of State administrative assistance to pro-governmental candidates and their denial to opposition candidates gave rise to mass protests. These demonstrations developed into a huge protest in the capital city – Bishkek and culminated with the opposition taking power. It has not yet been possible to discover what kind of counter-measures to revolution had been prepared by the former President ; but it is clear that they didn’t work, perhaps because he had no time to implement them.
As the demonstration continued, the President of Kyrgyz Republic left for Russia; the Russian President announced that Russia had no objection to his coming there. Next, President A.Akaev sent an electronic message from Russia to the Kyrgyz people saying that he had left the country in order to avoid bloodshed. He did not then resign, which meant that legally he was still the President of the country.
On the second day after the fall of Akaev’s regime, mobs attacked many big shops, including the shop “Narodnyi”, which people understood to belong to the President. People were rioting in the streets, which demonstrates the level of poverty and discontent among the people.
The former Vice-President, F.Kulov, who was in opposition to President Akaev, was released from prison. Under his leadership of all the power structures they managed to end the rioting. Then he resigned saying that he was still subject to the jurisdiction of the Court. However, a few days later, the Supreme Court of the Republic confirmed him in office.
The new elected Parliament confirmed Bakiev - another opposition leader and former Prime Minister - as Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic. He started to form the new Government.
The outgoing President of the Republic issued his official written statement of resignation from the office of President and addressed the peoples of Kyrgyzstan by television, intimating his resignation officially to the Head of Kyrgyz delegation and the Speaker of the new Parliament Tekebaev when they went to Moscow to negotiate with the former President. The former President considered the Parliament to be the only legitimate power in the Republic. Parliament then began considering Akaev’s resignation statement to decide whether or not to accept it.
When he came to power 15 years ago, President A. Akaev had promised the quick development of the economy to bring prosperity to the republic. But instead of that we have a 70% level of poverty in the Republic, a very high percentage of unemployment and corruption at all levels of the power. The people have no faith in the independence of the Courts.
Mr. Bakiev who has come into power in the wake of the demonstrations is also promising development of the economy, support for industry, including small and medium businesses, leading to the prosperity of the country.
(Signed: Chinara Kasmambetova: John Smith Fellow, 2000.)
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Chinara Kasmambetova