100's People Killed in Kyrgyzstan Protests

[Ed Jewett]

Black Tuesday in Talas. What will happen next?

7 04 2010 Black Tuesday in Talas. What will happen next?

Ferghana.Ru


The photo of Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiev (taken by Reuters correspondent in Talas). This person sparks anger of opposition leaders and their supporters
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April 6, 2010 is listed in the history of independent Kyrgyzstan as the day of desperate protest actions against current regime. The opposition between people and officials, initiated in the western city of Talas, turned into clashes with police and task forces. The government responded immediately, detaining the opposition leaders, directly and indirectly involved in the Talas events, throughout the republic. The civil disturbance may reach all other regions of the republic and Bishkek.
All previous news about the Talas events are available here (in Russian).
By the late evening of April 6 the opposition members, edged out by rubber bullets and tear gas, took over the local authorities building in Talas (Kyrgyzstan) again while the task forces were edged to the local internal affairs department (IAD) building. During the combat assault the task forces freed the oblast governor and arrested few opposition members.
The Ferghana.Ru correspondents report that the protesters set fire at the first floor. One of the law enforcement officers was severely injured during the fire. The opposition members did not let firemen in and extinguished fire. So far it is not clear whether medical assistance was provided to the injured person, considering the fact that entire city of Talas has only one ambulance car.
In the evening many residents of Talas left the central square, promising to come back in the morning.
However, there was still the number of inadequate people remaining, many of which were drunk. They were aggressive and forcing the cars drivers to pull over.
The few protesters assaulted two special operations soldiers and took away helmets and nightsticks. They were going to stay at the main square overnight although it was not safe.
The opposition leaders warned people it was against the law to attack the building of IAD and law enforcement bodies had the legal right to open fire.
By the end of Tuesday the stable situation was also undermined in other regions of the republic. The opposition leaders are being detained throughout the republic: Omurbek Tekebaev (one of the charismatic and popular leaders and the Chairman of the Ata-Meken party), Anvar Artykov (the former Governor of Osh Oblast), Emil Kaptagaev (the deputy head of United People’s Movement (UPM), Bolot Sherniyazov (former parliamentary deputy), Duishenkul Chotonov (Bakiev’s teammate in the tulip revolution), Turat Madalbekov (the member of the Ata-Meken party political council).
According to preliminary information, the opposition leaders were detained as witnesses on the Talas case.
In the morning of April 7 there were 400 people in the square of Talas. The sources indicate there were not soldiers or policemen. The building of the local authorities is destroyed.
It has to be mentioned that on April 7 the opposition leaders were going to organize the assembly around the country because the government did not satisfy their requirements, listed on March 17 and including the tariff cut, the return of earlier sold strategic state assets, the release of imprisoned opposition leaders, termination of politically motivated trials and displacement of president’s relatives from the official positions.
UN Secretary General Pan Gi Mun, currently visiting Kazakhstan, expressed his concern about the events in Kyrgyzstan and urged both sides to involve in constructive dialogue, says UN news center.
Entire Kyrgyz internet zone is either blocked or poorly functions, not letting the users visit KG zone websites.
In the opinion of Ferghana.Ru experts the sad conclusion of black Tuesday in Talas is that both government and its opponents in Kyrgyzstan dramatically got involved in “battle” opposition, not trying to find possible compromise. If in near future almost unmanaged process of street fights is not put into political discussion, Kyrgyzstan may expect “hot” summer.