Kyrgyzstan Uprising: Strange Days in Jalal-Abad (Pannier)

Although the drama in Kyrgyzstan has receded, we are keeping an eye on developments, as the provisional government tries to establish its authority and deal with the ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Meanwhile, Bruce Pannier reports for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:

These are strange days in Jalal-Abad. A branch of the Silk Road passed through this southern Kyrgyz city and the area has hosted travelers for thousands of years, and there is a lot of local pride.

But Jalal-Abad and its surrounding region have received much unwelcome attention since a native son -- President Kurmanbek Bakiev -- returned and made the city his base in an attempt to cling to power.

Kyrgyzstan: An Eyewitness Account of the Uprising (Judah)
Kyrgyzstan Analysis: What Brought On the Colourless Revolution? (Madlena)

The first thing anyone familiar with Jalal-Abad notices is that there are fewer people than usual on the streets. Normally, it is difficult to weave through the crowds that fill the sidewalks in the city center, and even more so to navigate through the bustle of the bazaars downtown.


But everyone here knows what happened in the northern city of Talas and the capital, Bishkek, last week, when scores of people were killed in the unrest that eventually forced President Bakiev to seek refuge in his home region. And no one wants to be outside if that sort of violence breaks out here.

On the surface it appears that life goes on in Jalal-Abad. For the last few days, more and more places of business have opened their doors to customers and slowly more people are venturing out of their homes to buy the basic necessities.

But the presence of Bakiev, who still claims to be the legitimate president, hangs over the city and is a very sensitive subject for conversation. That is because it is unclear who is on whose side.

This uncertainty was evident at a rally Bakiev held in the city center today. There were more than 4,000 people hanging around the scene, but Bakiev only drew applause from about one-third of that crowd when he made his appearance. And almost everyone was looking around to see who was cheering and who remained silent, as if to gauge which side they should be on.

No One Taking Sides - In Public

Not surprisingly, few in Jalal-Abad want to make any comment about that topic. Kyrgyzstan has an active political culture, but when asked on the street if they were pro-Bakiev or “pro-opposition,” everyone suddenly turns politically apathetic.

One young woman on one of the city’s main streets said she didn't follow politics. A young man standing next to her said the political feud didn't concern him, his family, or his friends.

Down the road in one of the bazaars, the responses were similar. A man selling jeans and shoes said he hoped the whole problem would just go away and he would be left in peace. Similar comments were made by shopkeepers, waiters, firemen, and construction workers. Hardly anyone wanted their opinions to be recorded, even though their comments were innocuous.

The acting provincial and city officials are all recent appointees of the interim self-declared government in Bishkek, so it is clear which side those officials support, at least publicly.

More curious is the position of the local police, who are returning to duty every day in growing numbers. Police cordoned off a route to allow Bakiev to get to today’s meeting in the city center. Traffic police also helped regulate the flow of vehicles to and from the April 12 rally near Bakiev’s home in the nearby village of Teyit.

The acting mayor of Jalal-Abad, Mederbek Usenov, told RFE/RL on April 12: “Kyrgyzstan is a democratic country. They have a right to hold a meeting.”

The police would not speak about whom they supported. At an intersection just off the city center where the rally was held today, police pushed away a microphone, shaking their heads to show they had no response on whether they were for Bakiev or the new government.

One senior policeman did comment briefly but again avoided speaking about the current stand-off for power. “I am simply working as usual, doing my job,” he said.

Pressed on the point about whether allowing Bakiev and his convoy to reach the city center wasn’t itself a sign of support for the ousted president, the policeman shot back: “Get out of here!”

It's fair to say most everyone in Jalal-Abad does in fact support one side or the other. But these are strange days here, and everyone seems to prefer that the people around not know if they are pro-Bakiev or pro-interim government. It is not Bakiev or the new government they are afraid of, but their fellow Jalal-Abad residents.

Kyrgyzstan: An Eyewitness Account of the Uprising (Judah)

Ben Judah writes from Bishkek for Foreign Policy:

Every man knew his place in Kurmanbek Bakiyev's Bishkek. The street sweeper never looked into the eyes of the businessman with a gold watch. If you drove a clapped-out Soviet car, you always let those in shiny SUVs overtake you. The shopkeepers turned their noses up at farmers hawking what they can and everybody pulled back when the Bakiyev clan grabbed what it wanted. Ordinary Kyrgyz were reserved and powerless, not knowing their own strength.

Kyrgyzstan LiveBlog: Latest from the Uprising
Kyrgyzstan Analysis: What Brought On the Colourless Revolution? (Madlena)

This was Bishkek early on Wednesday morning. As people worked and criss-crossed though quiet leafy avenues, nobody knew that Bakiyev's rule might be in its final hours. Nobody would have believed that, for two blood-soaked days and two nights alive with gunfire, they would see society itself eclipsed in the darkness of revolutionary anarchy.

"Freedom or Death!"



A roar of banging metal, screams and shouting is approaching. Passersby stop in their tracks. People had heard rumors of riots in the provinces but their eyes swell with shock as they see what is marching forwards. Hundreds of men are on the move. Their eyes have turned to glares. Men enter this mob as shopkeepers, drivers or factory workers -- only to lose themselves in the surge. They are moving as one body, copying each other as they pick up the rhythmic chants and grab rocks to hurl at police. A man in a gas mask is waving an AK-47. All work has stopped. Shop fronts are being boarded up.

Society is dissolving. The grief of a people who have seen their quality of life slide continuously since the fall of the Soviet Union is turning into a frenzy born of despair.

A middle-aged man grabs me. His hair is grey and his eyes are brown. He wants me to understand. "We are living like Africans now ... we are not blacks ... When this was the USSR there were factories, good factories ... there were sports centers ... good schools."

"There has been nothing since then," he continues. "Only dictators and criminals."

Men in their twenties without any memory of Communism nod in approval. The mob swells and men mimic each other in posture and snarl. At the front are lads that have been bussed in from the countryside. Dressed in drab, heavy clothing, their skin looks sculpted by different forces than the normal Bishkek urbanites. These are destitute peasants that have been offered drink and a free ride, some say, in exchange for violent services by a coalition of opposition factions.

Three commandeered armoured vehicles are being driven toward the seat of power, an imposing Soviet-era edifice known as the White House. Onboard, shrieking men are banging against the green armor in excitement. Traffic has vanished. The main thoroughfare belongs to the rioters. These vehicles have been ripped from Bakiyev's riot police that was sent to quell the rebels as they gathered on the outskirts of town. They mean everything to the mob. The crowd feels their armor on their skin. The tipping point has long been passed. The people have stopped being afraid of the state.

"Today is Revolution!"

Thousands are pouring in to the main square to stand in line. Some cheer but mostly they gawp. Those watching seem confused. "The Russian are behind this," one rumor goes. But "what is going on?" is the most common refrain.

"Is there going to be fighting?" A wrinkled woman clutches her handbag.

I am walking forward in this mob. When you are in a mob nothing else matters but the crowd. Life shrinks to its surge and angry electricity gets under your skin, pulling you in. The isolation of the ordinary seems so far away you can barely remember it. Everyone is a follower of its magnetic living force.

"Freedom or Death!"

Read rest of article....

Kyrgyzstan LiveBlog: Latest from the Uprising

Kyrgyzstan is six hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time:

Kyrgyzstan Analysis: What Brought On the Colourless Revolution? (Madlena)

2045 GMT

Kyrgyzstan's Acting Prosecutor-General, Baltimir Ibraev, says criminal cases against President Kurmanbek Bakiev's two sons, Marat and Maksim, and his brother, Janysh, have been launched by the interim government. Arrest warrants for the three on charges of premeditated murder and attempted murder have been issued.

An investigation has also been launched against former Bishkek Mayor Nariman Tyuleev. Ibraev said that witnesses have testified that looting and disorder in the capital were organized by Tyuleev's supporters.

The whereabouts of Marat, Maksim, and Janysh Bakiev are unknown.



1800 GMT

Interim President Roza Otunbayeva has demanded that ousted President Bakiyev formally step down: "Yesterday he issued a statement saying adamantly that he would not resign. My interim government guarantees him his personal security. We call for his resignation."

1745 GMT

Ousted President Bakiyev has withdrawn his allegation of foreign involvement in the Kyrgyz uprising, now saying, "I do not believe that Russia or the United States of America had a hand in these issues."

Yesterday Bakiyev told Russian radio that it would be "virtually impossible to conduct such a coordinated operation" without outside forces.

1430 GMT

Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the provisional government, has said that it has control over the armed forces but she also warned of continuing resistance from the followers of ousted President President Kurmanbek Bakiyev:

(Bakiyev's) forces are not preparing to surrender. You can see how many incidents of violence there are around the city orchestrated by their side, by Bakiyev's supporters. We have information that there were several bombs planted in three public places in Bishkek.

0800 GMT

CNN reporter in Bishkek says many offices and buildings still closed, but public transport is getting back to normal. The provisional government has dissolved Parliament and declared two days of mourning for those killed in the uprising.

A "high-ranking delegation" has gone to Moscow to discuss economic and humanitarian aid with the Russian Government.

0710 GMT

Speaking from Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan, President Bakiyev has told news outlets, including the BBC and Al Jazeera: "I'm still the president. They are trying to take over the government but they can't do this. Nine months ago, 80 per cent of the people voted for me and things can't change so quickly."

0555 GMT

We have published our first analysis of the events in Kyrgyzstan: Chavala Madlena assesses, "What Brought On the Colourless Revolution?"

0545 GMT

Groups organized by the provisional Otunbayeva Government spent the night fighting looters to return calm to Bishkek. Sporadic gunfire was heard but a provisional government spokesman said nobody was killed.

"It's quiet again in the capital. No one died overnight," said Interior Ministry spokesman Abdykalyk Ismailov. "There are still some groups of looters but the city is largely under control."

0213 GMT

Georgia blames Russia for the uprising in Kyrgyzstan according to Civil.ge. The website published the official stance of the government of President Mikhail Saakashvili today:

Georgia is watching development in Kyrgyzstan with "deep concern", President Saakashvili's spokesperson, Manana Manjgaladze, said on April 8.

"The Georgian President thinks, that it is only up to the Kyrgyzstan's people to decide who should be in the government of Kyrgyzstan," she said. "Despite [Moscow's] denials, according to the information available for us, it is absolutely obvious that Russia is roughly interfering with Kyrgyzstan's internal affairs and is trying to play geopolitical games at the expense of the Kyrgyz people."

"We call on all the forces, including those who are in control of the capital [Bishkek] not to allow outside forces to use you against the fundamental interests of the country," Saakashvili's spokesperson said.

0050 GMT

Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has finally commented on the situation in Kygyzstan, albeit cautiously:

1. On April 7, clashes broke out in Bishkek, the capital city of the Kyrgyz Republic, between the security forces and anti-government protesters including members of the opposition parties, and as the result of open fire by the government side, over forty individuals were killed and hundreds injured. The Government of Japan is carefully observing the development with concern.


2. The Government of Japan expects that all involved parties concerned make efforts towards resolving this matter peacefully through dialogues, and that democracy and constitutional order are restored as soon as possible.

2319 GMT

Reuters reports that a senior figure in the opposition movement has accepted Moscow's role in the ousting of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

Omurbek Tekebayev, a former Kyrgyz opposition leader who took charge of constitutional matters in the new government, said that "Russia played its role in ousting Bakiyev."

"You've seen the level of Russia's joy when they saw Bakiyev gone," he told Reuters. "So now there is a high probability that the duration of the U.S. air base's presence in Kyrgyzstan will be shortened."

The Russian government has officially denied any responsibility in Bakiyev's ouster. Interim-president spoke to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and is soon to send a delegation to Moscow. Meanwhile, President Bakiyev claimed that he did not believe Russia was responsible for his ouster.

So far, the capital and most of the country is in the opposition's hands. They have, however, conceded that the president controlled the second and third largest city of the country, Osh and Jalalabad.

So far, the opposition has indicated that it does not intend to force the US to evacuate Manas Airport.

2225 GMT

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has released a statement on his son's LiveJournal account. Although the account is confirmed to be authentic by many sources, it cannot be ascertained without a doubt that it is indeed his. The statement is in Russian, but one of our contributers kindly translated it for us. We are posting excerpts only:

2212 GMT

It seems that Maksim Bakiyev, the son of Presdient Bakiyev has made it to the US. Radio Free Europe quoted US State Department Spokesperson Philip Crowley as saying in regards to Maksim:

"We believe he is in Washington.”

Kadyrbek Sarbaev and Maksim Bakiyev were due in Washington D.C. yesterday on a state visit. However, only Sarbaev has so far officially arrived in the US. There are no immediate sources except for the State Department confirming or denying whether he is in the US or not. The trip which was supposed to be for 'consultation' has since been canceled.

2150 GMT

Another source quoting ferghana.ru confirms that President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has indeed moved to the village of Markai, close to Jalalabad in the west of the country. He is reportedly accompanied by his brother and they are being protected by armed groups.

2100 GMT

The US State Department's daily briefing from Washington D.C. yesterday outlines the current US stance regarding the situation in Kyrgyzstan. At the same time, it might also infuriate the Kyrgyz opposition.

Protests in Kyrgyz Republic/U.S. Deeply Concerned About Reports of Civil Disturbances and Possible Loss of Life/Closely Monitoring the Situation/U.S. Deplores the Violence/Urge All Parties to Show Respect for Rule of Law/Manas Airbase is Functioning/U.S. Embassy in Bishkek is Presently Functioning Normally/Maxim Bakiyev and Foreign Minister Sarbayev Will Be Arriving in the U.S. Today for Previously Scheduled Consultations

While President Bakiyev's son Maksim Bakiyev's trip was scheduled in advance, some might take it as a sign that the US is supporting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev even though it has no link to the current uprising. It is worth noting that his house was burnt during the uprising yesterday and he remains a deeply unpopular figure within the country.

It is unclear whether Maksim Bakiyev made the trip indeed along with the Foreign Minister. Unconfirmed sources have reported that he has. There is speculation among opposition activists that he might not return to the country if he has indeed made it to the US.


2022 GMT

Earlier, it was reported that President Kurmanbek Bakiyev might be in his hometown of Osh. New reports now indicate that the president might have fled close to Jalalabad - Kyrgyzstan's third largest city. According to some sources, he is currently in the village of Markai and is preparing to defend his presidency.

This comes as other sources are making claims of the blockage of the highway between Bishkek and Osh, making movement between the two parts of the country very difficult. This could not be immediately confirmed, though.

1800 GMT

While it seems the situation in Bishkek might have finally calmed down after a night of sporadic gunfire, the world is still disunited in the face of Kyrgyzstan's uprising. The US and Russia are showing markedly different approaches to the Kyrgyz uprising. While the US seems to be more cautious, Russia looks to be slowly warming up to the opposition which is now in charge of Kyrgyzstan. Reuters reports:

A U.S. official said Obama and Medvedev considered issuing a joint statement on the crisis, since both had an interest in stability, but no such initiative was forthcoming.

Instead, a senior Russian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters afterwards: "In Kyrgyzstan, there should be only one base -- Russian." The U.S. official responded that the two leaders had not discussed the notion of closing the U.S. air base.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin effectively recognized the interim Kyrgyz government formed by opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva on Thursday, speaking to her by telephone, his spokesman said. But the U.S. official said it was unclear who was running Kyrgyzstan, although he said Washington did not see the upheaval as a Russian-sponsored or anti-American coup.

1735 GMT

Even as interim-leader Roza Otunbayeva continues to claim Bishkek is under control, reports of gunfire continue to arrive from capital. Twitterati in Kyrgyzstan or with first hand knowledge through relatives and friends continue raise concern. Here are some of the tweets from David Gullette a few minutes ago:

Deputy Nazarov said at 22:30 that in two hours the city would be quiet. It's now 23:15 and there is gunfire in the area.

We are hearing shots in central Bishkek.

Others are sounding hopeful. Mirsulzhan Namazaliev, who is co-founder of the Central Asian Free Market Institute, tweets:

Everything is being normalized, guys! Multiple police sounders in the city center of Bishkek.

Great! Everything will be fine very soon! Kyrgyz Police say: Wee repress acts of looters near the Osh Bazaar

But there is alarming news which is as yet unconfirmed that the army has been given orders to shoot anyone who is out looting.

1705 GMT

As with all news stories, there are reports that cite sources who completely miss the point. 'Managing to Miss the Point of the Day' goes to International Crisis Group's analyst Paul Quinn-Judge who is based in Tajikistan. Speaking to Foreign Policy, Quinn-Judge, a former Time Magazine reporter had this to say about the Kyrgyz people:

Quinn-Judge says the discontent with Bakiyev's government that led to today's events has been building for weeks, and was driven less by political repression than by bread and butter issues.

"A few weeks ago, the government sudden raised the prices on gas, water and electricity," he said. "This turned out to be quite literally the final straw for a population that is generally very apolitical and willing to take whatever is thrown at them by the regime."

Wait? 'A population that is generally very apolitical' and 'willing to take whatever is thrown at them by the regime'? Our readers might remember Kyrgyzstan's 2005 'Tulip Revolution'. But few are talking about protests in Kyrgyzstan in 2006 and 2007 - caused by discontent with the government. The swiftness with which the government was removed from power shows anything but apathy.

It's quite simple. The Kyrgyz people have done this before. They have been voicing their concerns before with Bakiyev. He didn't listen. They acted. Alas, if only every bad president/leader/king/Imam was at the helms of 'apolitical' citizens like the ones in Kyrgyzstan...

1635 GMT

Sounds of gunfire are rocking the Kyrgyz capital again. The Associated Press reports:

Associated Press reporters in Kyrgyzstan are hearing sustained automatic weapons fire breaking out as night falls in the capital of Kyrgyzstan...

Meanwhile on Twitter, Kyrgyz twitterati also reported hearing gunshots. Many reported seeing looters on the streets. Others reported that the Kyrgyz police was taking action. Scattered reports of looting in Osh were also reported. Meanwhile, interim-leader Roza Otunbayeva used Twitter to thank the volunteer militia for helping to maintain peace in the Kyrgyz capital. She later tried to calm tensions by tweeting:

The situation in Bishkek is under control. Police and armed forces will keep the peace tonight

1330 GMT

President Bakiyev has said that he will not resign but has conceded that ministries and security forces are now under the control of the provisional government of Roza Otunbayeva.

1310 GMT

NewEurasia offers the summary that President Bakiyev has not officially resigned, although it appears that the prime minister and much of the Bakiyev Government have quit.

The site also features this incisive commentary:

Seriously, what are we going to call what just happened? The “Second Tulip Revolution” sometimes sounds very poetic, one of the few times when a Hollywood sequel was better than the original. But “uprising” just has a far more fitting connotation, doesn’t it?

For one, because a revolution has to be something a lot more deep than just shuffling a president. Maybe that’s what will happen. I’m curious about how such a disparate group of neo-liberals, ex-leftists, semi-Islamists, and sort-of-Akayevniks like the Kyrgyz opposition will actually govern the country. Perhaps by committee, hopefully with more transparency, but whatever they choose, I doubt it will be revolutionary in any real meaning of the word.

For another, because uprising really captures the spirit of what’s happened in Kyrgyzstan. There will be endless speculations about whether the Russians or the Americans somehow instigated this. But I tell you: the frustrations of the Kyrgyz people are real. Even if there was a foreign agent provateur, he didn’t have to provoke very much.

0830 GMT

A spokesman for Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin says that the leader of the proclaimed Kyrgyz Government, Roza Otunbayeva, has told Putin by telephone that she is in full control of the country.

0700 GMT

In addition to echoing the points below, made again at Otunbayeva's press conference, CNN's reporter in Bishkek says capital is now calm, with improvised rallies and speakers  in the streets.

Otubayeva told the CNN reporter at the press conference that the fate of the US airbase is "one of the less important things" on the agenda of her proclaimed government.

0655 GMT

Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva has told the Russian-language Mir TV channel, "The security service and the interior ministry, all of them are already under the management of new people." Other opposition leaders said Otunbayeva would head the interim government for the next six months.

"The interim government will remain in place for half a year, during which we will draft the constitution and create conditions for free and fair elections," Otunbayeva said.

0630 GMT

The "interim Defence Minister" says armed forces and border guards are under control of the Otubayeva movement.

0614 GMT

Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva warns at her press conference in Bishkek that President Bakiyev is trying to rally supporters and defend his position.

0550 GMT

The New York Times makes its priority clear in the opening paragraph of its report, "The bloody protests against the repressive rule of the president of Kyrgyzstan which forced him to flee the capital of Bishkek could pose a threat to a pivotal American military supply line into nearby Afghanistan."

The story makes no reference to statements of the opposition that it intends to take no action regarding the US airbase at Manas.

0445 GMT

This is perhaps the decisive moment for Kyrgyzstan's government. If the president is forced to flee the city, the country's south will also fall into the opposition's hands and then Bakiyev won't have any more chips to expend.

0413 GMT

Reports are slowly emerging that protesters have started to gather in Kyrgyzstan's second largest city Osh. EurasiaNet reporter David Trilling tweets:

Osh witness reports crowds gathering there.

Akipress reports white house [Kyrgyz Presidential Palace] on fire, 1000 gathered in front, people have free access.

Vesti.kz: [President] Bakiyev flew from Kazakhstan to Osh.

Osh mayor says Bakiyev is in his "southern residence" (not far from UN office in Osh). http://bit.ly/bSb8ON

diplomatic sources say bakiyev flew to osh and may have moved to hometown of Jalalabad

0405 GMT

Two new stories have emerged. Opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva, now in charge in Bishkek is going to be holding a press conference in an hour (1100 AM Kyrgyz Time). As all eyes are turned towards her, new reports have emerged of what the protesters demanded. Several sources on Twitter who are in Kyrgyzstan right now are claiming that the protesters did not demand that the US pull its troops out of Manas Airport.

This story was repeatedly reported by several Western media outlets. According to these outlets, the protesters demanded an end to corruption, lowering of utilities' prices and the evacuation of US Forces from Manas. TIME even published a story claiming Russia might have instigated the uprising to force the US out of Kyrgyzstan. This story is, however, now being hotly contested by Kyrgyz opposition twitterers. It is worth noting that Otubayeva earlier hinted that the US can keep its base in Manas for the time being and no violence was directed at US forces there.

0326 GMT

International reaction to the Kyrgyz uprising has been one of concern over violence and there have been calls for calm.

Russia's president was the first to speak. Most important task at the moment is to prevent new losses of human lives in Kyrgyzstan, which is swept by disturbances, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday. His Press Secretary Natalia Timakova echoed his sentiment:

This situation is Kyrgyzstan’s internal affair but the form in which the protests erupted testifies to the utmost degree of discontent that the actions of the authorities produced among the rank-and-file people....Kyrgyzstan has always been and will remain a strategic partner for Russia and that’s why we’ll continue watching the course of developments there closely.

US National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer urged calm:

We are concerned about reports of violence and looting and call on all parties to refrain from violence and exercise restraint... So far the situation there has not affected any of the US personnel assigned either at the embassy or at Manas.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle expressed his concern on Wednesday toward the violence in Kyrgyzstan.

I am very concerned about the clashes between protesters and government in Kyrgyzstan... I call upon both sides to exercise restraint. Instead of violent actions, peaceful dialogues, are the only correct way to calm down the situation on the ground.

0310 GMT

News has emerged from Kyrgyzstan that the official death toll from the violent protests yesterday in Bishkek is 65. The number was confirmed by the Health Ministry, which had earlier claimed the toll to be 40. Opposition groups, however, claim that the number is as high as 100.

Yesterday's protests were extremely violent as both the government and the opposition used firearms. Scenes of protesters using AK-47s to push back security forces and government snipers shooting at people were shown across several TV stations.

The new report emerges as several outlets such as TIME are hinting that Russia might have had a hand in the new Kyrgyz uprising. This seems to entirely miss  the point that the Kyrgyz president had already faced similar protests in 2006 and 2007 and that the election that brought him to power was marred by fraud. The reports also miss the fact that the current protests were sparked by a hike in utility bills.

0245 GMT

Reports have now emerged that Kyrgyz opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva intends to stay in power and lead an interim government for six months which will write up a new constitution for the county. This could not be confirmed immediately by all sources. In the morning after protesters ousted the government in Bishkek and took over government buildings, the city is still reeling from the looting done the day before. Bishkek Municipality workers are out cleaning the streets. (See pictures below)

However, no reports of new violence from the capital have emerged. Some Kyrgyz netizens reported that the situation was relatively calm and that some people had even gone to work. The opposition earlier declared that they have appointed new ministers of interior and defense and were working to restore calm in the capital.

0216 GMT

Russia Today reports that the Parliament has been occupied by protesters as well. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's house and his relatives' houses have been burnt down. The station also confirms that the president has reportedly fled the country. They also confirm that opposition leader Roza Otunbayeva is in charge and has dissolved the parliament and taken over the presidential palace. Russia Today also confirms that protests are ongoing in at least four cities.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSfnax1yWMQ[/youtube]

0211 GMT

Morning after the uprising, and Kyrgyz capital Bishkek shows signs of wide-spread looting:







Check the live journal for more pictures.

0144 GMT

The leader of the Kyrgyz uprising has a Twitter account and has been tweeting for the past 24 hours. Her first tweet in English is from 17 hours ago:

We want #freekg #kyrgyzstan ! Bakiev and his cowards are no match against the will of the #kyrgyz people!

Bakiyev, stop shooting at your own people! You will never be forgiven!

She then reverts to tweeting in Russian. A simple translation of her tweets from five hours ago are as follows:

We call on the workers of  KТР, Channel 5 and НТС and other mass-media to show the REAL situation in Kyrgyzstan!

Authority is in the hands of the national government. People have been appointed to key positions. We are working to restore calm.

In the city [Bishkek] national combatants, veterans and others are patroling. Civilians are organized.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs is working to restore calm.

0125 GMT

The BBC reports that Kyrgyzstan's new government's stance on the US base in Manas Airport in the country is unchanged. The report also quotes the opposition's main leader and self-proclaimed interim-leader Roza Otunbayeva claiming that they have appointed a new Interior and a new Defense Minister and they would be dealing with the unrest from now on.

The former Interior Minister was killed yesterday by angry protesters.

0108 GMT

New reports have emerged that Kyrgyz Prime Minister Daniar Usenov has tendered the government's resignation and that Baikyev's government's no longer legitimate. This comes amid mixed reports that the President may have fled the country entirely or is in the southwestern city of Osh, his power base. Amid news of wide-spread looting in the city, some observers claim that if Bakiyev manages to keep control of Osh and southern Kyrgyzstan and the opposition remains in the north only, it could mean instability for the country.

EurasiaNet reports:

Although political support for Bakiyev has evaporated in northern Kyrgyzstan, leaders of the provisional government now worry that Bakiyev might try to rally support in the South, his home region. While it seems doubtful that the military and Interior Ministry forces will now follow his orders, as long as Bakiyev remains on Kyrgyz territory he could make trouble for the provisional government. His presence in Osh could exacerbate long-standing North-South tension in Kyrgyzstan, something that could lead to a prolonged period of political confrontation in the country.

0054 GMT

New reports emerging from the country illustrate the extent of people's anger. Protesters have reportedly stormed government institutions all over the capital and have even freed political prisoners in some cases. Opposition leaders claim they are in complete control of the capital and protesters are reportedly mobilizing to take control of other cities in Kyrgyzstan as the day starts.

Reports have also emerged that President Bakiyev has left the city of Osh and is not in Kyrgyzstan anymore. Opposition leaders have reportedly set up a new government in the capital, headed by former Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva and are in the process of appointing new ministers.

2353 GMT

New reports by CNN and New York Times suggest that the opposition is in complete control of the capital and were in the process of forming a new government under former Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva. Various news sources reported that Otunbayeva claims to be the interim leader of Kyrgyzstan. So far, the wherabouts of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev are unknown. Sources claim he may have left the capital for the southwestern city of Osh, others claim he may have left the country entirely.

The New York Times reports:

The United States Embassy in Bishkek issued a statement saying that it was “deeply concerned about reports of civil disturbances.” By late evening in Bishkek, it appeared that the opposition had succeeded in taking over the national television channels. In a speech to the nation, an opposition leader, Omurbek Tekebaev, a former speaker of Parliament, demanded that Mr. Bakiyev and the rest of his government resign.

Mr. Tekebaev was arrested earlier in the day along with some other opposition leaders, but was later released.

CNN adds:

Bishkek resident Munarbek Kuldanbaev told CNN that opposition leaders went on the state television network and called for calm, but clashes between opposition supporters and police continued into Wednesday night. Another Bishkek resident, who asked to remain anonymous because of security concerns, said there was machine-gun fire around the city and blood stained the streets in front of the presidential palace.

In Washington, a senior Pentagon official told CNN that the turmoil has interrupted flights into and out of Kyrgyzstan's Manas Air Base, an important link in the supply line for U.S. and NATO forces in nearby Afghanistan. It was unclear when those flights would resume, the official said, but the U.S. military has contingency plans to deal with the situation.

Roza Otunbayeva is one of they key leaders of the Tulip Revolution, which ousted then-president Askar Akayev in 2005, as well as a member of the Kyrgyz parliament. She is a former Kyrgyz Ambassador to Malaysia and later the United Kingdom and also the first ambassador the to United States and Canada and served as the deputy head of the United Nations special mission to Georgia from 2002 to 2004.

Russian officials have called for calm in the republic and asked the government and the opposition to settle their differences peacefully. As a new day begins in Kyrgyzstan, it looks unlikely that the violence will stop.

Background:

This is the second time Kyrgyzstan will see an uprising sweep away the government. In 2005, protesters stormed the capital and other large cities, forcing President-turned-dictator Askar Akayev from power in what observer dubbed 'the Tulip Revolution'. After elections were held in July of 2005, Kurmanbek Bakiyev was elected to lead the country amid allegations of wide-spread fraud.

However, Bakiyev ousted other leaders of the revolution quickly, starting with Prime Minister Felix Kulov, solidified his hold on power and based on accounts by the opposition and independent observers started to enrich himself and his family. He has faced protests twice before in 2006 and 2007 when opposition demanded that he follow through with promises of reform, restricting the power of the president and clamp down on corruption and crime.

He was elected to a second term in 2009 amidst more allegations of fraud. Among his key decisions was to declare that Kyrgyzstan would evict the US and international forces from Manas Airport, which they use to supply NATO and ISAF troops in Afghanistan.

Bakiyev also restricted media freedoms..

2330 GMT

Latest update: Protesters seem to be in control of Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.

Raw video footage from Bishkek showing protesters clashing with security forces. Images could be disturbing to some viewers:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igghSmJZrm0[/youtube]

Footage from protests in the rally in the city of Naryn:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNuoFpFf72E[/youtube]

2313 GMT

Scope: Currently protesters have shown up in the capital Bishkek where they seem to be mostly in control. Protests in Talas, west of the capital seem to be steady as well and have now spread to the city of Naryn.

Protesters' Demands: End to corruption, lowering the cost of utilities and removal of US forces from Manas Airport. Different sources have quoted different demands, but everyone seems to agree on these three.

State of Affairs: Government forces attempting to control Bishkek and stop violence from spreading to countries two largest cities besides the capital, Osh and Dzhalalabad.

Government: President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is reportedly in Osh in southwestern Kyrgyzstan. The capital so far neither in control of the government nor the protesters.

Casualties: The Health Ministry claims 40 people have been killed by security forces, while opposition leaders claim the number to be over 100. Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongatiyev has been beaten to death by the protesters, according to the AP.

2150 GMT

Protesters furious over Kyrgyz government's ineptitude have seized several key government institutions and the headquarters of one of the country's state TV stations. Opposition leaders claim that at least 100 protesters have been killed in the clashes with security forces, while the Health Ministry of Kyrgyzstan claims the number to be less than half that. Protesters were demanding an end to corruption, media reforms and an end to US presence in Manas Airport, which as well as being the country's main airport is also the site of the Transit Center at Manas, a US Air Force base supporting US and international troops in Afghanistan.

Protests started in the northern city of Talas, west of the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek, on Tuesday over a 200% hike in electricity bills and quickly spread to the capital where protesters first took over the  State-run TV, then the office of the country's main intelligence agency. They later put the Attorney General's Office on fire and attempted to seize the government headquarters.

The violence in the Kyrgyz capital continued late into the night and early morning hours. Fore now, it seems the government of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is fighting hard to keep control of the capital. Tanks were seen guarding the presidential palace. More updates with background information in a few minutes.

Afghanistan: Death And The Prices We Pay for Intervention

Stephen Walt ,  writing on Foreign Policy about the recent Wikileaks release on the killing of civilians in Iraq in 2007 by US forces, touches on the idea that massacres like the one in the Wikileaks video are to be expected as part of the price of our interventionist policies:

Notice that I am not suggesting that the personnel involved failed to observe the proper "rules of engagement," or did not genuinely think that the individuals they were attacking were in fact armed. Rather, what bothers me is that they were clearly trying to operate within the rules, and still made a tragic error. It reminds us that this sort of mistake is inevitable in this sort of war, especially when we rely on overwhelming firepower to wage it. When we intervene in other countries, this is what we should expect.

Afghanistan: The Humanity Missing From Our Debate

It's an excellent point, but unfortunately it's too easily dismissed with the old "war is hell" cliche, as in this piece from Bouhammer:

Soldiers cannot get wrapped around every single life they are forced to take by virtue of being in combat. Soldiers (and I use soldiers generally describing all service-members), use dark humor and take it all in stride when they have to take lives. They can’t be effective by getting wrapped around the axle over taking human lives. So what you hear in this video is soldiers being soldiers. Nobody likes killing innocents, especially children and that is evident when the soldiers on the ground immediately start calling for a MEDEVAC to come get the wounded children.

Clearly not everyone sees killing people as an unacceptable price of war, particularly when it's soldiers doing it. Bouhammer simply took Walt's adviceand expected the horrible deaths as a natural result of the policy.

But there is a bit more to the price of war than just the loss of lives. So let's get a little cold-hearted for a moment and just accept that we need to murder these people as part of our strategy. Even if we're OK with that, the price of this strategy is still astronomically expensive.

Let's start just with the cost of transporting supplies to our troops. Not the supplies themselves, just the cost of transporting them. Tom Engelhardt explains:

Believe it or not, according to the Washington Post, the Defense Department has awarded a contract worth up to $360 million to the son of an Afghan cabinet minister to transport U.S. military supplies through some of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan – and his company has no trucks. (He hires subcontractors who evidently pay off the Taliban as part of a large-scale protection racket that allows the supplies through unharmed.) This contract is, in turn, part of a $2.1 billion Host Nation Trucking contract whose recipients may be deeply involved in extortion and smuggling rackets, and over which the Pentagon reportedly exercises little oversight.

That'sthe US taxpayer, paying $2 billion just for trucks run by corrupt warlords and Taliban interlopers who will use them to smuggle  God knows what, possibly drugs or guns used to kill our soldiers. Lovely. But we have to pay that, because in order for our war strategy to work we've got to have soldiers in "some of the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan".

That's just for the trucks. How do we get the supplies on to those trucks? Well, they come through an airbase in Kyrgyzstan. The price for that is the usual support for a police state dictator and paying rent with US taxpayers' money. And that price is about to go up:

The news of ongoing unrest in the central Asian republic has been received with concern by Washington. The U.S. embassy in Bishkek said it was "deeply concerned" about "civil disturbances" in the country, in a statement released on Wednesday.

Saying that the situation in Kyrgyzstan was "still very fluid", John Kerry, the chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, expressed "regret for the loss of life" in the country and called on all sides to be "calm and refrain from violence". He called upon Kyrgyz parties to address the "underlying political, economic and social issues" in a "transparent process that brings stability and fundamental rights to all."

The U.S. State Department said that transport operations at the Manas military installation outside Bishkek have been "functioning normally." The U.S. military has used the base over the past several years as a staging post for its operations in Afghanistan. Despite the call for the base’s closure by opposition leaders reportedly in charge now, it remains to be seen whether the new government will take practical steps toward that end.

There are worries in the U.S. that the new opposition-led government may increase the rent for Manas base by renegotiating the terms of its agreement with the U.S., according to Foreign Policy’s Cable blog. Such a renegotiation, Cable said, may offer Russia an opportunity to influence an agreement over the base.

So our pet dictator was ousted in a violent uprising (I won't get into the awful stuff he did to deserve that here), and now the new opposition government is going to be raising the rent, if not evicting us completely. This also apparently gives Russia, who we desperately need in other matters like the Iranian nuclear file, a bargaining chip to play against the US.

But the cost goes beyond rent or trucks or anything you can put a dollar sign on. We're also actively working to subvert European democracies as part of the cost of our war:

A newly leaked CIA report prepared earlier this month analyzes how the U.S. Government can best manipulate public opinion in Germany and France -- in order to ensure that those countries continue to fight in Afghanistan. The Report celebrates the fact that the governments of those two nations continue to fight the war in defiance of overwhelming public opinion which opposes it -- so much for all the recent veneration of "consent of the governed" -- and it notes that this is possible due to lack of interest among their citizenry: "Public Apathy Enables Leaders to Ignore Voters," proclaims the title of one section.

We're paying the CIA to figure out how to screw over the voters of France and Germany, and I wouldn't be surprised if the same chicanery was happening in American politics. We're way past blowing taxpayer funds and into the territory of destroying our own national values. And for what? Who actually stands to benefit from all of these prices that we're paying?

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has slammed Western backers for the second time in a week, accusing the United States of interference, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

In a private meeting with up to 70 Afghan lawmakers Saturday, Karzai also warned that the Taliban insurgency could become a legitimate resistance movement if foreign meddling in Afghan affairs continues, the Journal said, citing participants in the talks.

During the talks, Karzai, whose government is supported by billions of dollars of Western aid and 126,000 foreign troops fighting the Taliban, said he would be compelled to join the insurgency himself if the parliament does not back his bid to take over Afghanistan's electoral watchdog

That's right, we're paying a couple billion to Taliban warlords over here, propping up a police state over there, subverting democracies all over the place, and all for a corrupt mountebank like Karzai who wants to join the Taliban. And remember, I'm just picking examples out of thin air here; the cost of trucks, the Kyrgyz airbase, the CIA memos. These aren't even the total cost of the war which will wind up costing in the trillions.

Let's go back to Walt's piece:

It reminds us that this sort of mistake is inevitable in this sort of war, especially when we rely on overwhelming firepower to wage it. When we intervene in other countries, this is what we should expect.

See, Americans do expect these costs. They understand the cliches that "war is hell" and, indeed, expensive. But Americans do question why they're paying these costs only to prop up criminals like Karzai. Why are we paying billions to Taliban smugglers and police states and anti-democratic intelligence operations just to build a country for a guy who wants to join the Taliban? And he's the best thing we've got over there, we've been there for over 9 years, there is no one else.

Americans aren't opposing the cost of this war because they magically turned into pacifist hippies, they oppose the cost because we're paying for nothing over there. The best case scenario for the current price we're paying is we shell out trillions in deficit money, leave our soldiers to keep dying and killing innocent civilians for the next few years, subvert democracies worldwide, and destroy our own national values. All so Karzai will maybe not join the Taliban. Whatever goals we have in Afghanistan are simply not worth the price we're paying.

Josh Mull also writes for The Seminal and Rethink Afghanistan.

Kyrgyzstan Analysis: What Brought On the Colourless Revolution? (Madlena)

Chavala Madlena writes for EA:

As the dust settled on Day 2 of the Kyrgyz "Tulip Revolution: 2.0", an eyewitness said: "We would not rush to name this victory: people are killed and injured, the aggressive and drunk people are walking around the cities, private houses and shops are being looted. The opposition forces seized the power and immediately started portfolio distribution. President Bakiyev disappeared. The south of the republic is waiting for continuation. Nothing is over yet."

Kyrgyzstan LiveBlog: Latest from the Uprising

With 75 people dead and more than 500 injured so far, it is difficult to believe that the Bakiyev Presidency was swept in during a relatively peaceful 'Tulip Revolution" just five years ago. However, ordinary Kyrgyz living with astronomical price increases in utilities and goods, fraudulent elections, and endemic corruption, five years is a long time.

Kurmanbek Bakiyev was swept in during a wave of protests that broke out in response to fraudulent elections in March 2005 under then-President Askar Akayev. This was quickly labelled the 'Tulip Revolution", a romanticised term insipired by the Orange Revolution in Ukraine and the Rose Revolution in Georgia.


Akayev was former Politburo appointee and the poster-child for Central Asian nepotism. Bakiev soon secured 88% of the vote (though the standards for the initial July 2005 elections fell short of international standards) and was seen as a liberalising, unifying force, coming from the south of the country.

The "Tulip Revolution" soon proved as quixotic as it sounded, and the weak US response to an increasingly undemocratic Kyrgyzstan was accompanied by a growing dependence on the Manas airbase for the war in Afghanistan. Bakiev's Presidency was distinguished by increased powers for the executive, murders of several journalists and opposition politicians, and severe economic problems.

Much of the English-language reportage on the events in Kyrgyzstan has mainly focused on the old narrative of the tussle between Russia and the US for this "strategic" ex-Soviet Republic. But pointing to the Kremlin as the force behind this regime change ignores the other socio-economic and geopolitical factors at play in Bakiyev's disasterous turn as president.

Yet an American military presence in Russia's backyard has been a bone of diplomatic contention. Russia has been putting pressure on successive Kyrgyz governments since the Americans arrived in December 2001, establishing Manas as a back-up to the Karshi-Khanabad base in Uzbekistan at the start of the war in Afghanistan.

After a violent uprising in the Uzbek town of Andijan was put down by force in May 2005, Islam Karimov, the authoritarian president, expelled the Americans. Undersecretary of State R. Nicholas Burns had dared to suggest an international probe into the massacre of civilians who had been protesting poverty, repression, and corruption.

"We always think ahead. We'll be fine," said Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld . However, the US loss of the Karshi-Khanabad airbase ( "Stronghold Freedom") left Manas as the only location in Central Asia for support of operations in Afghanistan.

Over the past year, Bakiyev has been hedging his bets that US negotiations with Uzbekistan to re-instate a military base would collapse. This proved to be a correct assumption, and the Obama Administration not only agreed to the increase in rent from $17.4 to $60 million per year, but continued to turn a blind eye to the corruption running amok. Kevin Gash, former US Agency for International Development officer in Kabul and now resident in Bishkek, also emphasises the "lukewarm response" after the 2008 Kyrgyz presidential elections were labelled fraudulent by European observers.

Still, although the Kyrgyz legislature passed a bill to close the base in February 2009, the decision was reversed by June, and President Obama was sending letters of praise to Bakiyev. Manas has now become a symbol of corruption and broken promises and, from an American perspective, more precarious than ever.

So what about the Russians? The sudden duties Moscow slapped on oil imports, now up to $193.5 per ton for gasoline and diesel fuel, and the subsequent sky-rocketing of prices arguably pushed Bakiyev's government to the brink.

This is not the first time Bakiyev has faced protests; in 2006 and 2007 he faced opposition-led demonstrations against his constitutional changes. However, the recent price hikes in oil duties were another stick against him, wielded after Bakiyev failed to take the carrot of a $1.7 billion package to rescue a hydroelectric station in the south of the country, offered in return for an expulsion of the US.

Bakiyev may have thought he bought himself some time with the electorate and opposition by playing off the US and Russia against each other, however, the gains never translated into investment or infrastructure. The old Soviet system of blat (corruption) and nepotism reared its head when it was discovered that Bakiyev's son was given supply contracts with the Manas base last year.

Still, each of the expat Kyrgyz and Bishkek residents I have spoken to today say that there was little talk of Manas these last few days (except to speculate whether or not Bakiyev was hiding on it).

Unlike 2005, this uprising was not a bubbling up of demands for democratic freedoms. This was first and foremost a backlash against the economic situation and corruption.

What is confirmed now is that Kyrgyzstan has its first female President, Roza Otunbayeva. Her party, the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan, are demanding constitutional reform, a change in the tax system, an independent media and judiciary, and foreign investment, especially in agriculture.

The record of Otunbayeva, a former Foreign Minister, is mostly as a diplomat in the UK and US. Her newly formed cabinet is made up of key figures from other opposition parties, notably Almazbek Atambaev, Temir Sariev, Azimbek Beknazarov and Omurbek Tekebaev (an ardent opponent of former President Akayev).

Those with access to Internet continue to tweet and blog about continued looting, and rumours abound about the whereabouts of Bakiev. Otunbayeva has been stressing the need for calm and giving assurances, via her Twitter account as well as local media, that the interim government will be restoring order,

Neither Bakiyev or US Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Tatiana C. Gfoeller have Twitter accounts although the US Embassy in Bishkek does have a website. The homepage was not updated on Thursday, but a press release on Wednesday stated, "The embassy strongly endorses the April 6 statement of the Secretary General of the UN calling for restraint and immediate dialogue aimed at lowering tensions."

This was ollowed by the second important matter: "Milly and Macy's Parade Book Launch in Kyrgyz".

The business of the American Embassy in Bishkek may take a considerably more sober tone in days to come.