Text of report by the Kyrgyz newspaper 'Res Publica'

[newspaper headline] Attack on disagreeable (A statement by political
parties of Kyrgyzstan)

The ruling state administration has begun openly to fight opposition,
democratic forces, political parties and their leaders with the aim to
preserve power for those who already discredited themselves in people'
eyes.

They started by closing progressive newspapers (`Svobodnyye Gory',
`Politika' and `Kriminal'), virtually smashing the office of the `Vecherniy
Bishkek' newspaper, constantly pressurizing the `Asaba' newspaper and
bringing criminal charges against a number of independent journalists.
The constitutional rights of citizens, voters and the candidates for
parliament who are out of the favour of the powers that be are being
grossly violated. A deputy of the Legislative Assembly [upper chamber of
parliament], Dooronbek Sadyrbayev, has been barred from meeting his voters
in Dzhalal-Abad Region [southwestern Kyrgyzstan]. The registration of
members of parliament, Adahan Madumarov, Dzhypar Dzheksheyev [leader of the
opposition Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan Party] and others as
candidates for a new parliament has been delayed under far-fetched
pretexts.

An official licence for the activity of the Kyrgyz human rights committee
was withdrawn for almost a year.

The forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections have stimulated a
new increased attack by the state administration on democratic
institutions. An obviously unlawful court verdict has been passed on the
`Res Publica' newspaper. A candidate for parliament, the chairman of the
(Poor and Unprotected) People's Party, Daniyar Usenov, has been arrested at
night, as they used to do during the notorious years of repressions. The
same treatment was given to an independent deputy, Ishenbay Kadyrbekov.
The "digging" for compromising material against other well-known political
leaders, in particular, Bakyt Beshimov, A.Madumarov, Feliks Kulov and
Dzhypar Dzheksheyev has sharply intensified ahead of the parliamentary
elections.

All these facts have convinced us that it is more than naive to expect any
further democratic changes. Political parties and public movements have
declared their intention to set up a SINGLE BLOC OF PROGRESSIVE FORCES OF
KYRGYZSTAN [capitalization newspaper's own] in the face of the threat of
sliding into totalitarism. The bloc's main aim will be to protect the
rights and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution and to ensure lawfulness
and democracy.

In this connection, we, the undersigned, are calling on all citizens,
voters, political parties and public movements to stand up for the
protection of democracy - to repulse antidemocratic and anticonstitutional
actions of state bodies. We demand that the practice of political
persecution of dissidents be stopped, the violations by individual
officials be made public and everything what is happening be given a
political assessment in the name of our future and for the victory of true
democratic ideals in Kyrgyzstan.

[signed] for the (Poor and Unprotected) People's Party, Tugelbay Kazakov [an
analyst of the `Asaba' opposition newspaper,
for the Kayran El [Poor Nation] Party, K.Turumbekov,
for the Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan Party, A.Kochkunov,
for the Ar-Namys [Honour] Party, Feliks Kulov,
for the Party of Kyrgyzstan's Republicans, Giyaz Tokombayev
Bishkek, 21st January 2000 [p 1]

Source: 'Res Publica', Bishkek, in Russian 25 Jan 00 p*
BBC Mon CAU 250100/** BB/MK