US Envoy Offers Critical Assessment of Kyrgyzstan’s Parliamentary Election

The political discourse in Kyrgyzstan is growing increasingly rancorous. Amid continuing opposition protests, the US envoy to Kyrgyzstan on March 16 sharply criticized the government's handling of recent parliamentary elections. Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev, meanwhile, accused his political opponents of deliberately trying to incite civil conflict.

Speaking at news conference, American Ambassador Stephen Young accused Kyrgyz authorities of failing to ensure free-and-fair elections. The two rounds of voting, on February 27 and March 13, handed pro-presidential forces a commanding majority in the next parliament. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Among the most glaring irregularities cited by Young was the government's manipulation of mass media coverage to favor Akayev supporters. He also criticized judicial rulings that excluding some prominent opposition figures from standing as candidates. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive].

"These negative tendencies have damaged Kyrgyzstan's reputation for promoting democracy," Young said. He went on to say that "both sides" engaged in "rampant" vote-buying, and called for a "transparent" official investigation into instances of alleged misconduct.

Opposition-led protests over the election results spread on March 16. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Protesters occupied government buildings in the Kochkor District in eastern Naryn Province and in the Bazarkorgon District of southern Jalal-Abad Province, the AKIpress news agency reported. In the Bazarkorgon incident, a district government official was reportedly being held in the building. Police later broke through a window in the building, freeing the official, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz service reported. A similar incident occurred March 14 in western Talas Province, but protesters released the regional governor after almost 48 hours in custody, while continuing with an anti-government demonstration.

Concurrent with the rallies, opposition leaders are proceeding with an effort to organize an alternate authority in Kyrgyzstan. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Meetings are planned for March 17 in Talas, and March 18 in Osh, southern Kyrgyzstan's largest city, during which opposition leaders will seek to establish shadow governing bodies. The opposition's main aim, at this stage, appears to be ensuring that Akayev adheres to existing constitutional provisions that bar him from running for re-election in October. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Young applied pressure on Akayev to leave office at the end of his current term, stating the president's "decision to step down this fall will mark a major advance in the development of Kyrgyzstan's democracy and serve as a powerful example to other states in the region."

The United States and Kyrgyzstan forged a close strategic relationship in the months following the September 11 terrorist tragedy, with US military personnel establishing an air support base outside of Bishkek. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Young's comments are indicative of a fraying in the strategic relationship.

Akayev and other Kyrgyz officials have been dismissive of international criticism over the conduct of the vote. A March 15 Foreign Ministry statement disputed the findings of a OSCE-led election monitoring mission, which, in a preliminary report, criticized media manipulation and the exclusion of potential candidates on minor procedural grounds. It also found problems with voter lists. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The Foreign Ministry insisted that government agencies and the country's judiciary "remained fair and impartial" in weighing decisions impacting the parliamentary races. It also stated that media coverage of the campaign was "relatively equal" for all candidates, while asserting that voter-list problems were not sufficiently widespread to influence the final results. The election "was held in a highly organized way, in strict compliance with national legislation in the atmosphere of openness and integrity," the statement said.

Akayev reinforced that message in a televised address later on March 15. The election results confirm that "democracy has taken deep root in Kyrgyzstan and it has become a standard of living for our people," Akayev maintained. The president also repeated allegations that opposition leaders, knowing that they are not competitive at the ballot-box, are seeking to foment unrest as a means of coming to power.

"Today some politicians who have suffered [electoral] defeat and are out of work have thrown away all masks, including the democratic mask," Akayev said. He added that opposition protest calls were "aimed at plunging us all into unlawful actions and an abyss of civil war and interethnic clashes."

Young, in his comments, seemed to acknowledge that angry rhetoric could give way to clashes when he called on officials and opposition leaders to "do nothing to raise the prospect of violence or conflict" in connection with the ongoing protests.