Omurbek Tekebaev Criticizes Recent Changes in Kyrgyz State Structure

Usually the most sophisticated analyses of the political situation in Kyrgyzstan are provided by the leading members of the Socialist Party ‘Ata-Meken’ (Fatherland). Not long ago I posted an article from Vice- Chairman Alymbekov, in which the former Vice Speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh discusses the advantages of democracy and disadvantages of authoritarianism using an approach that borrows some of its terms from systems theory.

This time the leader of Ata-Meken, Omurbek Tekebaev, steps forward with a trenchant critic of Kyrgyz president Bakiev’s plans to reform the government and most of the state apparatus. His analysis first sheds light on trends in Kyrgyzstan’s history of independence before deconstructing the myth behind the slogan of progressiveness and reform in Bakiev’s actions. Tekebaev points out the meaning behind some special changes. He highlights the role of the new ‘Central Agency’ that will take over management of all financial resources and that will be responsible for forming the budget without being subject to any further (public) control. He also directs attention to the new ‘Development Fund’, which will be headed by former Prime Minister Igor Chudinov and supervised by former State Channel Director Melis Eshimkanov. This fund will be the new gate for all foreign money to enter into Kyrgyzstan and like the activities of the Central Agency, it will not be subject to any control. Such fact alone should make all donors stop sending (useless) development aid to Kyrgyzstan.

Tekebaev’s comment did not remain unheard in Kyrgyzstan. Though published only at www.centrasia.ru and at the website of the Social Democratic Party, the Genprokurator found out about it and now considers an investigation against this ‘last opponent’ for alleged defamation of the president. This reaction by the law enforcement agencies was answered by the head of the Human Rights organization ‘Kylym Shamy’, Aziza Abdirasulova, who issued a press release, condemning the actions of the Genprokuratura and supporting Tekebaev’s right to freedom of expression.

Tekebaev’s article starts as follows:

To download the full article as pdf follow the link: Report_OmurbekTekebaev

The Statement from ‘Kylym Shamy’ reads as follows:

Some Turkmen Students still left at Home

It seemed like the State Department managed to guarantee for some of the Turkmen students at AUCA the continuation of their studies after all. New reports had it that a group of fellows of the ACCELS program were going to be send to the American University in Bulgaria (AUBG). Many of the students who used to study at the AUCA receive grants from the American Council and they now hoped to profit from an agreement between the Turkmen Ministry of Education and this dedicated organization. Yesterday, however, the ‘Times of Central Asia’ published a short report, saying that the ACCELS’ office in Ashgabat did not receive exit permission for the group of 61 students. ToCA goes on and reports on rumors indicating that one can get his or her name deleted from the list produced by the Turkmen Ministry of Education entailing the names of those students who are restricted from leaving the country. All they have allegedly to do is to pay 2000 US$.

The whole story ones more sheds light on the poor fate of those students who were preparing themselves at the end of summer to leave for AUCA in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to resume their studies . First rumors that the Turkmen state might cause problems appeared in late July. They proved to be truth in August, when the students were stopped at the airport before entering the planes and their parents summoned to the officials. Representatives from the Ministry of Education were frank in telling the shocked parents that their sons and daughters are blacklisted and won’t leave the country under no circumstances.

Ulan Melisbek and the New Media

Ulan Melisbek was appointed head of the Kyrgyz License Service in October last year. Having returned home from abroad he was quick in familiarizing with Bakiev’s handling of power relations in post-revolutionary Kyrgyzstan. Although criticizing Bakiev for his political course on various blogs, Internet forums and the Internet News site www.gazeta.kg, he found ways to adapt to the new environment once he was back in Kyrgyzstan (from the States). He justified his change of mind by explaining that he had been cut off from objective information while abroad. When returning to his ‘rodina’ he found that Bakiev took much responsibility in changing the country’s course (to the better of course). Assuming the office at the License Service he promised to work solely for the welfare of the Kyrgyz State (and its people), not meddling in (dirty) politics.

Several months later Melisbek, this young promising guy from California, is in the middle of a scandal that threatens to force him out of his position. The scandal is not worth mentioning in regard to its roots in extensive corruption which seems to growingly subdue all of Bakiev’s state apparatus to its destructive logic. It is also absolutely not clear who actually is the guilty one in this episode and to be blamed. The whole thing is, however, new in its staging and the way it was constructed as a political question subject to public debate.

From the very beginning Ulan Melisbek caused harm to his reputation as a representative of a new, unspoiled (meaning: non-sovietized) generation by exaggeratedly adulating the powers-that-be and himself. Comments made on an interview he gave to gazeta.kg show the amount of suspicion Melisbek raised when constantly referring to himself as the savior for the still sovietized Kyrgyz bureaucracy. In a comment one reader expresses his reservations:

„… во 1-х хочу поздравить нашего патриота, молодец, если сам всего достиг! но прочитав я много чего опосаюсь: у всех горят глаза, как только приходят на новое место,как у нас в народе говорят „кыйратывием“,но такой темперамент имеет статус как быстро вспыхнуть да и так же погаснуть, слишком самоуверенно говорит наш патриот.могут и палку в колесо-как принято к сожалению. [...] но не смотря на свои высказывание все таки хочется поддержать этого молодого специалиста,все таки человек к-рый побывал в других странах имеет более обширное мировозрение,но как приподнесет себя -время покажет.“

Website of the Project ‘Preserving Kyrgyzstan’s History’ launched

Sam Tranum is assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at the American University – Central Asia in Bishkek. Organizing a seminar on Historical Journalism he managed to gather a group of students and motivated them to engage into a very fascinating project. The idea was to interview elderly people in Kyrgyzstan and collect their stories as long as they are able to tell them. The result is a collection of more than 30 interviews conducted by 17 students.

The project promises to grow even further with a website launched to present the results and to connect all those who are  interested in the preservation of stories from the (Soviet) past. A first list of publications and projects on oral history in Central Asia is presented and asks to be extended …

Here’s the link to the project’s website.

You may vote now on AKIpress

The Kyrgyz news agency Akipress opened an on-line polling station. All six candidates for the Kyrgyz presidency, including the two heavyweights Kurmanbek Bakiev and Almazbek Atambaev, are waiting for your vote. The system allows every unique IP-address to vote only one time. Since yesterday some 300 more guests have made use of this chance and in total more than 3400 visitors of Akipress have turned in their ‘vote’ by now.

A great idea and especially interesting for those who want to observe the public opinion in Kyrgyzstan (as different from the electorate’s final vote on 23rd July). So far visitors of Akipress mostly voted for Kurmanbek Bakiev providing him with 31,5% of the total vote. Closing in is Almazbek Atambaev with slightly more than 29%. The third place goes to those voters, who are against all candidates, whereas Temir Sariev, the head of the liberal Ak-Shumkar (White Falcon) party, gains some 13%. Not surprisingly, such a result shows a public preference for oppositional candidates, together gaining more than 40%. I am not quite sure now, will there be a second round, in case Bakiev doesn’t make 50% in the first round (which will be rather unlikely, giving his unlimited means to use administrative resources)?

At least this on-line election forecast (even if far from the actual results to be expected in some weeks) shows the diversity of opinions in the Kyrgyz public. I would like to ask all of you to participate and throw in your vote! Find your way to the political barometer here.