Russian Emigration Up Since April Unrest

As freelancer Elmira Naskeeva discovered in the second report in this radio package, many of the would-be emigrants are Russians born and bred in Kyrgyzstan. Take Andrei and Elena, who told reporter they felt things had got out of hand in the chaos of continuing unrest, and with the spectre of ethnic trouble raised by clashes in the village of Mayevka. 

“Our citizens have suffered, not just Kyrgyz but also members of other ethnic groups,” said human rights activist Bekbolsun Borubashev. “There are forces now that are provoking ethnic strife and conflict.”

Russian immigration officers working in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek confirm that more people are applying for residence rights and passports, and they are running a publicity campaign to inform people of citizenship procedures.

“More than 200, nearer to 300 people are coming to us every day,” said immigration official Vladimir Filippov. “There were fewer visitors in March. The number has increased by 150 or 200 per cent. It’s the unstable situation, the desire to return to one’s historical homeland, reuniting with one’s family, and so on.”

In the other report in this radio programme, Rita Borbukeeva investigated an unusual row going on in the holiday region around Lake Issykkul.

When Kurmanbek Bakiev was ousted as president in early April, properties believed to belong to him or his associates became targets for the angry crowds.

At one resort complex rumoured to belong to the Bakiev family, managers hired local villagers to provide round-the clock protection against possible attack.

Now the villagers are up in arms because they feel the management has reneged on the payment they say they were promised, and the top person at the complex has left the country in a hurry.

These audio programmes, in Russian and Kyrgyz, went out on national radio stations in Kyrgyzstan, as part of IWPR project work funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.