Blogging the democratic revolution
Opposition protests in Kyrgyzstan (that I wrote about last week) against President Bakiev’s proposed constitution — which favors a strong president, go figure — has culminated in near-total parliamentary opposition to his choice. In fact, as RFE/RL reports, the protests have culminated in a tent town and 40,000 people on the streets around the presidential palace, with 2/3 of lawmakers breaking from Bakiev to set up a constituent assembly for the express purpose of writing a new constitution. PRAGUE, November 6, 2006 (RFE/RL) — In the latest development in Kyrgyzstan’s political crisis, two-thirds of the Kyrgyz parliament has established a…
Dropping off the map (figuratively) for awhile is Kyrgyzstan, the site of March 2005’s Tulip Revolution in which a few thousand people chased former President Akaev from office. The protestors are now back to the streets, in ever greater numbers than before, and they are demanding the reforms that were promised and since stalled by the newly elected President Bakiev. The center of the reform debate is the approval of a new constitution; either one which favors a strong executive or another which favors a strong parliament. Judging from all that I’ve read of the situation, it appears that Bakiev…
After the Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan over a year ago, the country has pretty much dropped off the radar. Beside working on reforms in the structural institutions of the country, and President Bakiyev wanting the U.S. to pay more for the Manas air base, not much is going on. Until lately. Bakiyev hasn’t proven himself to be anything like the democrat or reformer people hoped he might turn out to be. Organized crime rules the country, not the people. In place of last year’s opposition (now in power) and the clan regime of Askar Akayev (now out of power), there…
Kyrgyzstan, formerly the Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic during Soviet times, gained its independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Askar AKAYEV became President of Kyrgyzstan and the country seemed to be on the road to democracy. However, over time corruption became rampant, the country suffered from a poor economy, and there was blatant nepotism in the country. This led democracy activists to protest against his government. The Kyrgyz non-governmental organizations (NGO) and many young people began protesting the corruption, and against unfair parliamentary and presidential elections. The Kyrgyz government cracked down on…
From today’s Wall Street Journal editorial page, edifying news that Kyrgyzstan’s Tulip Revolution is still blooming one year later: ‘Island of Freedom’ By ROZA OTUNBAYEVA March 24, 2006 BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — As protesters in Belarus demand a rerun of last Sunday’s presidential poll, and the people of Ukraine enjoy their recently won freedom at parliamentary elections there this weekend, my country celebrates the anniversary of the first peaceful transfer of power in Central Asia. A year ago today, the era when not just the president of the country, but also his entire family, stood above the people came to an…
A parliamentarian was killed while touring a prison, protestors took to the streets to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Kulov, an extraordinary session of parliament was almost held to that end, and it’s coming out that the assassination might have political implications much more far ranging than at first glance. This also follows government plans to possibly illegalize protests. What’s going on in Kyrgyzstan? New Eurasia has a roundup. Saturday saw protests on the main square, Ploshchad Ala-Too, by supporters of the murdered deputy Tynchbek Akmatbaev, who called for Kulov’s resignation . Riots began earlier this week, as MosNews…
The Kyrgyz parliament voted on President Bakiyev’s picks for cabinet positions. But it looks like more than a few people were surprised when it decided to reject a nice handful of them, including acting foreign minister Roza Otunbaeva. 27 September 2005 (RFE/RL) — Kyrgyzstan’s parliament today debated President Kurmanbek Bakiev’s cabinet nominations, approving some but rejecting others. The most notable rejection was Roza Otunbaeva to be foreign minister. Otunbaeva served in that post for a time in the 1990s when Askar Akaev was president. Five other nominees were rejected, among them Ishenbai Kadyrbekov, nominated to be minister of transportation and…
With so much talk of the return of the Great Game in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan’s maneuvers between the powers and its neighbors makes for one of the best case studies. The refugees who took flight from Andijon across the border to Kyrgyzstan following Karimov’s May massacre has been one of those issues that the new government has had to deal with carefully. At once, the new government must raise standards of respect for human rights both for itself and to please the United States, and on the other hand it must not earn the scorn its neighbors and isolation from…
A few weeks ago when the Shanghai Cooperation Organization met in Kazakhstan, it called for the quick pullout of U.S. forces from its bases in Central Asia. The U.S. has bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, with special flight rights in Tajikistan, which are members of the SCO. Even Kyrgyzstan at the time was making statements about a timely deadline for U.S. withdrawal. It has to be remembered, however, that this was most likely due to a large amount of pressure exerted from the SCO’s larger members, China and Russia. For a little while it looked like they would succeed in…
The OSCE has been monitoring the electoral process and situation in Kyrgyzstan since the Tulip Revolution and has said that the polls have led to “tangible progress” for democracy and have made the country more stable. 18 July 2005 (RFE/RL) — An official from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said today that this month’s presidential election in Kyrgyzstan has helped stabilize the country. Alojz Peterle, special envoy for the OSCE, spoke during a visit to Bishkek. “I see that the ÄKyrgyzÅ government is determined to continue its work and that they are preparing themselves to do what…
It is going on fully four months since March’s Tulip Revolution that put Kyrgyzstan on the map for much of the west. Today, the country votes in its first presidential election since the parliamentary election revolt that led to the ousting of President Akayev. Acting-president Bakiev is seen as the frontrunner by a wide margin. Felix Kulov, who handled security in the country immedialtey after the revolution, was set to run against him but decided instead to run together with Bakiev. Should Bakiev win, he will appoint Kulov to the position of prime minister. I think it’s a basically foregone…
Kyrgyzstan will be holding its first post-revolutionary presidential elections on Sunday. I will be posting my thoughts later, but for now, here is a roundup of links to interesting reading material to prep for tomorrow’s events. – First ever televised debates held (transcript here). – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty asks, “Will the election be free and fair?“ – Bakiev out in front, and Akayev backs him. – Foreign observers and journalists allowed, except from the CIS! Bishkek, 30 June 2005 (RFE/RL) — Kyrgyzstan’s election officials have given permission to some 80 foreign groups to monitor the country’s 10 July presidential…
On July 1 I wrote about the summit between Russia and China, in which they agreed to cooperate to exert their economic and political influence in the region between them; that is, Central Asia. Here is what I said: Perhaps it isn????????t explicitly stated, but most of the concern for both countries in recent months has been in Central Asia, where we have seen an revolution in Kyrgyzstan and a massacre in Uzbekistan. This translates into increased interest by the United States in seeing liberal democracy take root, which in turn means less control by Moscow. As a huge regional…
I posted the other day an interview by RFE/RL with Kyrgyz interim president Bakiev who said he wants separation of powers and a stronger presidency. I argued, in short, for a stronger legislature. The Constitutional Council, which is supposed to debate the reforms necessary before the July 10 election, convened for the first time and thinks that a stronger legislature is absolutely pertinent. Kyrgyzstan’s new Constitutional Council today held its first meeting to discuss constitutional reforms expected to be implemented before presidential elections scheduled for 10 July. Proponents of amending the constitution say the reforms will give more authority to…
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty was able to have an exclusive interview with Kyrgyzstan’s interim president Kurmanbek Bakiev, in which he talks about constitutional reform, separation of powers, and the free media. Bishkek, 27 April 2005 (RFE/RL) — Interim President Kurmanbek Bakiev said today in an exclusive interview with RFE/RL that he supports constitutional reform in Kyrgyzstan, but added that he believes the branches of power need more authority if such reforms are to be implemented. “The power of the president elected nationwide has to be greater, because he is elected by the entire Kyrgyzstan nation,” Bakiev said. “At…
I knew that the parliament had declined new election for June 26 as set by the old parliament, but I didn’t know that they’d set a new date. In any case, it’s not the much further away from the old date. Legislators initially hesitated in accepting his offer to step down, reluctant to allow him a dignified exit. After days of debate, they deepened his disgrace by stripping him of privileges he had gained as the Central Asian nation’s first president under a 2003 law. Yesterday, legislators in the 75-seat parliament voted, 38 to 2, to ”suspend Askar Akayev’s presidential…
I don’t really like making a post to just one article at a time so I’m going to just put everything for Central Asia I’ve read today here. Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov has suggested that his country may hold presidential elections in 2009. Let’s all take a deep breath so that our laughs can be longer. Nathan notes conflicting accounts of one of Niyazov’s quotes appearing in different stories. Which mean exactly the opposite if ???????succession??????? and ???????continuity??????? are used in their normal senses. I won????????t hold my breath either way because for all we know he could decide tomorrow…
The new unicameral parliament in effect since the dissolution of the upper house has renounced the election date set by the previous parliament for June 26. A new date hasn’t been announced as the legislature is busy discussing what to do now that Akayev has resigned. Kyrgyzstan????????s unicameral parliament has repealed a resolution adopted by the former bicameral legislature that set June 26 as the date for the country????????s special presidential election. A new election date will be set only after legislators review the issue of former President Askar Akayev????????s resignation. Parliament on April 7 postponed debate on Akayev????????s resignation…
Combined with the old parliament resigning, this piece of good news certainly lends the last bit of credibility the new interim government needs. Akayev has finally resigned. MOSCOW (Reuters) – Kyrgyzstan’s deposed president Askar Akayev tendered his resignation Sunday at his country’s embassy in Moscow in the presence of members of the Central Asian state’s parliament. Akayev fled into exile in Russia last week after ruling his impoverished country for 14 years. Many Kyrgyz see his formal resignation as key to ensuring full legitimacy for new elections provisionally scheduled for June. Akayev signed documents on four points, he said. “One…
I was just going through Google news last night and read an article on The Tufts Daily, an editorial piece regarding the Tulip Revolution. A lot of it had to do with post-revolution relations with Russia and how Kyrgyzstan should move away from its influence. Well, besides being physically impossible to move, I dropped a comment on there that I’ll report here for analytical sakes given then I rarely do that. Kremlin foreign policy post-Orange Revolution has been to work with both governments and opposition parties to ensure steady political and economic relations with Russia despite a change of governance.…
The other day, both parliaments were rivalling for power. That got put an end to, with the upper house dissolving. Bishkek, 29 March 2005 (RFE/RL) — The upper chamber of Kyrgyzstan’s old parliament today followed the outgoing lower chamber in suspending its activities and giving way to the newly elected single-chamber parliament. Muratbek Mukashev, the upper chamber’s speaker, read a statement signed by 32 lawmakers from the 45-seat chamber, saying it would end its work “for the sake of stability and to avoid conflict situations.” Ishenbai Kadyrbekov, speaker of the outgoing lower chamber, said before his chamber disbanded yesterday that…
Laurence over at Registan notes that both the new and old legislatures are claiming legitimacy. In the parliament building, members of the newly restored legislature – lawmakers who served before disputed February and March elections that led to the protests that brought down the government – met in one room, while politicians elected in the recent voting gathered in another. The Supreme Court has invalidated the recent elections, which the opposition said was marred by fraud. But the winners challenged the authority of the restored parliament. ééOur opinion is that we should be the legitimate lawmakers, because the people have…
Will is discussing the marketing of the revolution over at his blog. I noted in his comments that the revolution in Kyrgyzstan has had many names thus far — tulip, pink, lemon — and that using up so many good names on one revolution will make it harder to name the ones that follow. He notes that the other revolutions have taken up multiple names, a true travesty! So what do we do? Turn to PAC-MAN for ideas. Check out this both humorous and thoughtful piece.
I love it when I’m emailed so I don’t have to look! Nathan brings to us an exclusive ground report straight from Bishkek. This person was there from beginning to end and writes an account of the whole thing. Oh, and one more thing. . . This is the second picture of this girl. She’s just everywhere! UPDATE: Nathan lets me know that this is a REAL babe of politics. You????????re seeing a lot of this woman because she????????s a former parliamentary deputy and a journalist. Her name is Oksana Malevannaya. And while her hair does leave something to be…
It’s been a big day in Kyrgyzstan. While the protests have been steadily growing over the past month or so, today was clearly a marker event. Even from the beginning of this website, I have always referred visitors to Nathan’s Registan.net, where he keeps up on all issues Central Asia. He has always been the guy to go to for everything you needed to know about the Tulip Revolution. I certainly wouldn’t know much about Central Asia if it weren’t for him and the news/analysis he brings to the table. I am certainly not as knowledgeable as him, but I…