Text of report by Kyrgyz radio on 14th December

The [Kyrgyz] Central Electoral Commission has made a request to
law-enforcement agencies, the State Commission on religious affairs,
regional state administrations, the mayor of Bishkek, regional and Bishkek
councils to adopt measures to ban the possible use of mosques, churches and
others places of pilgrimage for electioneering, and other measures related
to elections [parliamentary elections to be held on 20th February 2000],
the Central Electoral Commission's press service said. The important
feature of a secular state stipulated in paragraph 4, article 8 of the
Kyrgyz constitution is that religious organizations must not pursue
political aims and tasks. In line with paragraph 6 of article 30 on the
Kyrgyz election code, members of religious unions have no right to take
part in electioneering during elections [Monitor's notice: the clause in
question says exactly as follows: members of electoral commissions,
official persons and employees of bodies of state power and local
self-governments, members of charity organizations, religious groupings
[Russian: obyedineniye], judges and also employees of law-enforcement
agencies and servicemen have no right to electioneer in holding elections
if they are carrying out their official or service duties. For other
details see: `Erkin Too', in Kyrgyz 9th June 99 "Code of the Kyrgyz
Republic on elections in the Kyrgyz Republic" pp17-32].

Source: Kyrgyz Radio first programme, Bishkek, in Russian 1400 gmt 14 Dec 99
BBC Mon CAU 141299/** KG/MK