Kyrgyzstan Draws Breath After Political Stand-Off

A looming political crisis in Kyrgyzstan was defused this week as demonstrators calling for the prime minister’s resignation halted their protest in the capital Bishkek.

Counter-demonstrations across the country voiced support for Prime Minister Felix Kulov and warned that the campaign to unseat him represented a bid by the Kyrgyz mafia to assert political control of the country.

Relatives and allies of the parliamentarian Tynychbek Akmatbaev, killed while visiting a prison, had held a demonstration outside the legislature since October 22 at which they called on Kulov to resign.

Akmatbaev was shot dead two days earlier while inspecting a prison in his capacity as chairman of parliament's defence and legal affairs committee. His bodyguard and a parliamentary advisor were also killed, and the head of Kyrgyzstan's penal authority, Ikmatulla Polotov has since died of his injuries.

The case escalated as Akmatbaev's brother Ryspek accused Prime Minister Kulov of complicity in the politician's death – an allegation the premier dismisses out of hand. In turn, many observers said the demonstration – at about 1,000 people, not big by Kyrgyz standards – represented a major challenge to the administration of Kurmanbek Bakiev.

When parliament met on October 25, speaker Omurbek Tekebaev incurred the wrath of the protesters by ruling that there was no question of even discussing the prime minister's resignation.

It proved impossible to convene parliament again for lack of a quorum. The following day, it was decided that members should return to their constituencies.

“We are truly scared by these people who have a criminal look about them and who haven’t let us work properly for five days now," one deputy told IWPR on condition of anonymity. "It's humiliating, but our lives are too dear to us. We cannot express ourselves openly and say what we think, because we're uncertain how they will react if someone expresses an opinion that differs from their own and their leader’s.”

Opponents of Ryspek Akmatbaev say he is a "criminal authority", the equivalent of a mafia boss. ""The people like me… why shouldn't I be their authority?" he said recently. Coincidentally, Akmatbaev was in court on October 28 along with eight other defendants, charged with crimes including murder, attempted murder, and "banditry" or organised crime. He had managed to secure bail despite the serious nature of the charges.

The anti-Kulov protest led by Akmatbaev ended a day earlier when – after several days of apparent indecision - President Bakiev stepped into the mounting crisis. He met a delegation of protesters, who announced afterwards that they would halt their action until an official investigation into the prison deaths is completed.

“We are stopping the protest today. Our further actions will depend on the outcome of the investigation,” said Erkinbek Ashirbaev, one of the protest organisers.

The delegation who met Bakiev included Erkindik party leader Topchubek Turgunaliev, father-in-law of the late Tynychbek Akmatbaev.

“As a human rights activist and party leader, and as a relative of Akmatbaev, I was very satisfied with the meeting with the head of state,” Turgunaliev said afterwards.

Bakiev may have been prompted to act by remarks made by the deputy chief of mission at the US embassy, Donald Lu, who told an October 26 meeting of foreign donors and investors attended by the Kyrgyz president that there was “nothing more destructive for the trust of investors and donors than a realisation that the government is closing its eyes to the activity of organised crime.”

The diplomat said it was scandalous that a well-known underworld boss was openly intimidating government and parliament.

Although the stand-off between the anti-Kulov protesters and parliament was resolved after Bakiev's intervention, people turned out for rallies across Kyrgyzstan the following day, with the fairly unambigous slogan “Civil Solidarity Against the Criminal World”.

The largest rally was in Bishkek where up to 1,000 people gathered on the central Alatoo Square. As well as attacking Ryspek Akmatbaev, speakers condemned President Bakiev's failure to speak out and defend his prime minister.

“The people of Kyrgyzstan demand the imposition of order and an uncompromising battle with the criminal world, which will ensure [our] safety,” the crowd was told by Edil Baisalov, head of the NGO Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society, one of the main groups behind the campaign.

Baisalov warned that it would be a mistake to think the crisis had been resolved, "It cannot be said to be over. Organised crime feels confident, it has been recognised as an official political force, it has been legitimised.

“Whereas in the past we only heard rumours, and suspected and guessed that there was a link between government and organised crime, now we can be sure of it. Criminal authorities have high-ranking patrons.”

Shaken Umuralieva, a member of Kulov's Arnamys party, told IWPR, “I am angry that… neither the president nor his entourage are taking any actions to protect their colleague [Kulov]. My view is that this shows the government is unfit to rule."

Human rights activist Aziza Abdrasulova was similarly concerned about President Bakiev's stance. “What's at stake now is who will control the country. Will it be official representatives acting within the law, or are we ordinary citizens to live by the code of criminal groups?

"If we create just one precedent where a criminal organisation dictates how we live, it will be a tragedy. Now it's up to Bakiev - he must restore the rule of law.”

Jypar Jeksheev, the leader of Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan party, concludes sadly," Unfortunately, Kyrgyzstan is a unique country where it is unclear where politics ends and the criminal world begins.”

At the first hearing, the trial of Ryspek Akmatbaev and his alleged associates was adjourned to November 9.

Leila Saralaeva is an IWPR contributor in Kyrgyzstan.