Kyrgyz TV warns of "dirty tricks" campaign in presidential poll

The election campaign headquarters of Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev, who is standing for re-election in the 29th October elections, has issued a statement accusing a number of opposition candidates of inciting unrest by calling on their supporters to go to polling stations on polling day and demand to see the protocols on the voting results. Reporting the statement on 21st October, Kyrgyz TV said that the Central Electoral Commission had described the summons by three of the incumbent president's rivals as direct pressure on the precinct electoral commissions and thus against the law. Kyrgyz TV added that voters should be wary of a "dirty tricks" campaign in the run-up to polling day. The following is the text of the report:

[Announcer] So there is just one week to go before the presidential election. The voters are expected to make their final choice, the Central Electoral Commission will end its preparation work and candidates will hold their last meetings with the voters. All this will end exactly 24 hours before the election. In general, everything is as it is in an ordinary state which has chosen a democratic system. Here one would want all these actions to be held in an atmosphere of truly democratic goodwill and tolerance. This is what one would want. However, this week has already showed that this seemingly may not be the case. So, let us start from the beginning.

On Tuesday [17th October], the republican election headquarters of presidential candidate [and incumbent president] Askar Akayev circulated a statement expressing dissatisfaction with the actions of other candidates, in particular, Almaz Atambayev [leader of the Social Democratic Party and of the Forum industrial group], Omurbek Tekebayev [leader of the Ata-Meken (Fatherland) Socialist Party] and Melis Eshimkanov [editor of the opposition Kyrgyz-language `Asaba' newspaper and leader of the People's Party]. Their persistent attacks on the Lingustic Commission [of the Central Electoral Commission] are becoming not just anticonstitutional but also directed against the people. The native Kyrgyz language has again become the subject of political speculation. Again, they defame the constitutional request for the presidential candidates on the knowledge of the state language, the statement said.

Apart from that, the statement expresses dissatisfaction with the position by the Central Electoral Commission, which has failed to react at all to allegations that signatures on candidates' lists of signatures were groundlessnessly declared invalid. As far as we know, the examination of signatures was carried out very liberally and selectively, Akayev's election headquarters thinks. That is why we demand that the Central Electoral Commission should carry out a repeat and thorough examination of all the lists of signatures for all candidates so that nobody should have any doubt on this score. Otherwise, we will be forced to clarify this issue in court.

However, the most dangerous thing is that there is a direct summons to destabilize the situation on polling day in the statements of these candidates: a call for voters to gather at polling stations and demand that protocols on the results of the voting be shown. This not only just contradicts the electoral code, but is also fraught with mass unrest and clashes at polling stations, the Yugoslavization of the elections.

The Central Electoral Commission, which has again officially confirmed that the establishment of the Linguistic Commission and its work are in accordance with the constitution, has reacted quickly to this. As far as the authenticity of signatures on the candidates' lists of signatures is concerned, it is very likely that the Central Electoral Commission will be inclined to re-examine the signatures, moreover, not selectively but all of them without exception with the participation of handwriting experts, the candidates themselves and representatives of public. Apart from that, the Central Electoral Commission has assessed reports it received that some of the candidates have called for people to go to the polling stations on polling day and to demand copies of protocols on the results of the voting. The Central Electoral Commission describes such summons as direct pressure upon the precinct electoral commissions, which is forbidden by law and which may lead to a crisis and to unrest.

Interestingly enough, the outgoing week has not only given the election campaign various political statements but has also shown the first signs of possible unrest. Literally yesterday a report came in that some people were presenting some certificates or other and were collecting money from the population at bazaars and trade outlets in the republic, allegedly for the election fund of the candidate Askar Akayev. We got in touch with his election headquarters. People there categorically denied that members of the staff could be carrying out such actions. They assess such actions as discrediting the incumbent president and asked that the law-enforcement agencies be informed of any such instances. Thus, we voters, again may become the victims of so-called election dirty tricks. The forthcoming week, the last one before polling day, may well abound in such sorts of deeds. So we all should be not just cautious in order not to be hooked by a cunning candidate, but also politically aware so as not to give way to short-term emotions but to follow our own intellect.

Source: Kyrgyz Television first channel, Bishkek, in Russian 1530 gmt 21 Oct 00

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Posted October 24, 2000 © Eurasianet
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