24th April, 2010
ELIZABETH KENDAL
In the late 1980s, President Mikhail Gorbachev introduced social and political reform to the Union of Soviet Social Republics (USSR) through perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness). By 1990, Communism had fallen and the Cold War had ended. At that point, various megalomaniacs - that is, men who wanted to be presidents rather than prime ministers, governors or generals - set about exploiting ethnic nationalism in order to tear the centuries-old Russian Federation apart.
By the end of 1991, Kyrgyzstan was independent under the leadership of Askar Akayev, an intellectual and scientist appointed by Gorbachev. Kyrgyzstan was unique amongst its neighbours in that it was the only Central Asian former Soviet Republic not under the control of a former Soviet apparatchik (that is, not a professional functionary of the Communist Party).
Akayev introduced multi-party democracy and encouraged a degree of openness unknown to Kyrgyzstan's neighbours. In 1998, Kyrgyzstan became the first Central Asian republic to join the World Trade Organisation.
Corruption
In December 2001, America established a Transit Centre at Manas air base on the outskirts of the capital, Bishek, from where it could supply US troop in Afghanistan. After this, Akayev descended into massive corruption and nepotism as the contracts for the US base at Manas became a direct source of corruption for Akayev's family.
"The March 2005 'Tulip Revolution' that ousted Akayev was not a US-sponsored 'colour revolution'. Rather it was a people's revolt, a coup that, despite its violence and expressions of ethnic Kyrgyz nationalism, won the support of the US which claimed it was part of the domino effect of democracy."
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But corruption and openness don't mix - and so in order to allow corruption to flourish, openness and liberty had to be repressed.
Repression
US monies however, did not benefit the Kyrgyz population, and while the masses remained impoverished, the Akayev clan grew very rich and very powerful. Corruption, cronyism, nepotism advanced at the expense of the impoverished and now harshly repressed masses until human rights and democracy became little more than short-lived ideals of the past.
Revolt
The March 2005 "Tulip Revolution" that ousted Akayev was not a US-sponsored 'colour revolution'. Rather it was a people's revolt, a coup that, despite its violence and expressions of ethnic Kyrgyz nationalism, won the support of the US which claimed it was part of the domino effect of democracy.
Corruption
After the "Tulip Revolution" Washington simply rewrote its contracts for Manas with the Baikyev administration. However, President Kurmanbek Bakiev quickly became even more corrupt than the man he had deposed. Meanwhile, the masses remained impoverished with unemployment hovering around 18 per cent. History was repeating itself and for all America's human rights rhetoric, it clearly saw the transit centre at Manas as a higher priority - something not lost on the repressed and abused masses of Central Asia.
Repression
As corruption, repression and hardship escalated, the masses (especially in the more devoutly Muslim south) increasing leaned towards the 'Islam-is-the-solution' message preached by the Islamic fundamentalists of the Ferghana Valley (southern Kyrgyzstan) - specifically the jihadist Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and revolutionary Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT).
To counter their influence, the Bakiev regime further escalated repression - a strategy that only served to fuel the cycle. On 12th January, 2009, a highly repressive Religion Law was enacted.
As Forum 18 reported at the time (13th January, 2009): "Provisions that have caused concern to religiou s communities and human rights defenders include: a ban on children being involved in religious organisations; a ban on 'aggressive action aimed at proselytism'; a ban on the distribution of religious literature, print, and audio-video religious materials; and de facto compulsory re-registration of all registered religious organisations.
"The 12 January (2009) announcement on the presidential website trumpets the fact that 200 adult citizens permanently living in Kyrgyzstan will now be required before a religious community can apply for state registration, compared to 10 in the current Law. It says 10 registered religious organisations will be needed to form a 'religious association'."
While the law's primary target was the Islamic revolutionary Hizb-ut-Tahrir - which had been provoking serious unrest in the south - Protestant Christians (around 0.5 per cent) have been caught in its anti-'new', anti-'foreign', anti-'small gatherings', anti-'religious literature' , anti-'missionary' net. And because Protestant Christianity is "divisive" - winning converts amongst Muslims and Russian Orthodox - the regime exploited repression and persecution of Protestants as a convenient and easy means of appeasing aggrieved elements.
The last straw
"On 6th April, 2010, anger and despair spilled into the streets. The protests escalated rapidly until the security forces, under the control of President Bakiev's brother, Zhanybek Ba kiev, opened fired on the protesters, killing more than 80 and wounding hundreds more."
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In late 2009, confident that there was no organised opposition, Bakiev increased taxes and the cost of utilities. The first price hike came on 1st January, 2010, the second would hit six months later. Thus in the middle winter, as temperatures dipped to minus 20 degrees Celsius, Kyrgyz citizens found their heating costs rising by at least 500 per cent; electricity by 170 per cent, hot water by 100 per cent. Many people found themselves forced to choose between spending 80 percent of their salary of utilities, or turning off the gas, electricity and hot water.
Revolt
On 6th April, 2010, anger and despair spilled into the streets. The protests escalated rapidly until the security forces, under the control of President Bakiev's brother, Zhanybek Ba kiev, opened fired on the protesters, killing more than 80 and wounding hundreds more. Ultimately however, Bakiev was ousted, retreating south to his home base of Jalal-Abad.
According to Stefan J Bos, in Kyrgyzstan for BosNewsLife: throughout the crisis churches have been active caring for the injured, visiting hospitals, holding prayer vigils, assisting with efforts to clean up the streets and repair damage to public facilities.
After fleeing south, Bakiev discovered he had little support left there either. While Bakiev has since found refuge in Belarus, there are calls for him to be extradited to Kyrgyzstan to stand trial for his crimes.
THE FUTURE
Religious liberty
The new inclusive interim administration led by Rosa Otunbayev will hold democratic elections and a referendum on an amended constitution later this year. This provides a wonderful opportunity for religious liberty to be re stored.
Forum 18 published a report on 16th April, 2010, entitled: KYRGYZSTAN: Restore religious freedom at least to the level we had before Bakiev, by Mushfig Bayram, in which various religious organisations, civil society and human rights groups express both their hopes and anxieties about the future.
Most importantly, Kanybek Imanaliyev, Head of the Press Service of the Interim Government led by Roza Otunbaeva, told Forum 18 on 15th April: "We want to establish freedom of speech and freedom of religion. We will reform the Constitution, the laws as necessary and the Religion Law."
While expressing great hopes, many human rights advocates and religious leaders are adopting a "wait and see" approach, unsure about what the new administration will be able to achieve in a short time. Furthermore, they doubt that the distinction between "traditional" and "non-traditional" faiths will be able to be addressed without controversy, as this mindset is well entrenched across the whole region.
Threats arise
After the March 2005 so-called "Tulip Revolution", large numbers of poor southerners answered the call of Kyrgyz nationalists to exploit the chaos and seize land in Bishek. Similarly, on 19th April, 2010, a violent mob of around 1,000 ethnic Kyrgyz - all well organised outsiders - rampaged through the village of Mayevka on the outskirts of Bishek. Five were killed as the mob burned homes and seized land belonging to ethnic Russians and Turks. Local Kyrgyz reportedly intervened at great risk to defend their besieged neighbours.
"Most Kyrgyz citizens want to see their country emerge as a free and democratic state. However, with so many forces working against this outcome, Kyrgyzstan will need plenty of international support."
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Eurasianet reports that as a result of the pogrom some non-Kyrgyz residents are considering leaving the country. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has demanded that the new administration in Kyrgyzstan take measures to protect Russian lives and properties in Kyrgyzstan.
And of course in the midst of all this, Islamic forces will doubtless be viewing Kyrgyzstan's present vulnerability as their great opportunity. The March 2005 "Tulip Revolution" inspired Uzbekistan's Islamists to attempt a "people's revolution" of their own in Andijan in the Ferghana Valley in May 2005. There is considerable anxiety that Uzbek Islamists will again be closely watching events in Kyrgyzstan with a view to engineering regime change in Uzbekistan.
Most Kyrgyz citizens want to see their country emerge as a free and democratic state. However, with so many forces working against this outcome, Kyrgyzstan will need plenty of international support.
This article was first published on Assist News Service. It is an edited extract from Elizabeth Kendal's blog: Religious Liberty Monitoring. For full article with multiple links see:
http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com/2010/04/watching-kyrgyzstan.html
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