PRESS RELEASE

03.23.09
Ravshan Djeyenbekov
cell: 617 230 7427
ravshan@sloan.mit.edu

Kyrgyz United Opposition begins demonstrations against President Bakiev

The first term of the President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev is coming to an end. During his 4 years Pesident Bakiyev managed to increase budget of the country twofold, signed a loan with the Russian Federation for more than $2 billion and closed the U.S. military base in Manas. He and his allies consider all of those results as great achievements of his Presidency.

At the same time, a major part of the population and opposition of Kyrgyzstan consider his policies as failed ones. Almost all international humanitarian and financial organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Transparency International, Amnesty International, US State Department, International Monetary Fund, World Bank etc are in agreement with them. In the reports for 2008, those institutions pointed out a significant decay of the basic principles of democracy such as respect for human rights, freedom of speech, and media. Kyrgyzstan has become one of the most corrupt and poor countries in the world because of ineffective governance.

The state institutions of Kyrgyzstan were kept under control by the family of President Bakiyev and serve as the main instruments for the suppression of dissent. Institution of fair elections was consciously destroyed by the ruling regime. Political competition was suppressed, as well as access to the media for the leaders of the opposition. People lost their trust in authorities entirely, and Bakiyev in particular.

In this connection, The United Opposition will start peaceful protest actions on March 27^th, 2009 all around the country. The goal of the Opposition is “Presidential election, without Bakiev”. As a sign of solidarity, the Ata-Meken party and the Kyrgyz diaspora in the United States will organize a meeting near the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Washington, D.C. ( 2360 Massachusetts Ave, NW) at noon on March 27^th, 2009. Please come and join us.