Round table summary

The Institute for Public Policy held meeting of experts of the institute to discuss current political situation on April 20, 2007. The discussion was initiated in light of April 19 events, when authorities dispersed opposition rally that started on April 11, 2007 at the central square in Bishkek.

Round table participants stressed first of all that the April 19 event brought victory to neither side. According to the experts, such a confrontation weakened not only the opposition but also the authorities. “Events in Kyrgyzstan are in a new, unpredictable phase of development that can have serious consequences,” participants said.

Firstly, the April rally seriously discredited the opposition (opposition meaning one element of democracy, as a phenomenon, but not a particular group of people.) Experts said that most opposition leaders, who were for system changes, became hostages of the tactics chosen by the United Front leaders. “The rally was aimed at the quick achievement of announced goals, but there were no real preconditions for them and that is why the tactic was initially futile,” experts said. Statements of the “For reforms!” movement leaders saying that they suspend the rally and at the same time the silence of the United Front leaders, shows that there is a division in the processes between “reformists” and “front” members, experts said. According to them, all opposition forces will need time and they have to search for new formats for their activity to restore their positions.

Secondly, actions of the authorities prior to, during and after the rally demonstrated that they do not realize and undertake the necessary reforms. “The behavior of the authorities is penetrated by a desire to win, save itself or fight back, but not by understanding the need for real reforms for the country’s development and securing consent from among the population,” they said. According to participants, if the authorities continue conducting reforms only under pressure and threat, political tensions will only increase.

Round table participants said that activities of the authorities immediately after April 19 demonstrate their desire to “kill” opposition in moral and informational terms. One can observe that the role of law enforcement structures in politics is strengthening, and it is expected that along with information and legal accusations, authorities might start a “shadow” attack against the opposition activists. According to participants, such methods will not solve the problems of authority, but rather on the contrary, augment antagonism in society and lay the foundation for new tensions.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the April confrontation led to the regional division problem strengthening. It is evident, that both authority and opposition used regionalism as the main resource to mobilize support among the population, thus infecting politicians of various levels, and also ordinary people with a “spirit of revanchism”. Experts said that all political groups need to realize that in certain conditions regional division can occur in hours, and not only along a “north-south” divide. Both “south” and “north” can in their turns be divided into several other fragments.

Round table participants believe that every increase in regional tension creates and encourages the prerequisites for dictatorship, or the fragmentation of the country and society. “The role of local “batyrs” (heroes) strengthens with the background of a common disappointment in authority and opposition leaders, and already this year can be seen as a real threat to the country’s unity,” experts said.

Solutions to the problem of regional division first of all depend on the authority’s policy; the main player in the political field, experts said. According to experts, one of the solutions to the problem could be change of form of authority organization, giving it “corporate” structure. “Today it is almost impossible to conduct presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan because the country would divide into two parts,” experts said and “that is why it is necessary to find optimal ways out of the crisis.”

They said that the press plays an important role in the “promotion” of the regionalism, without even realizing it. “The very media creates symbols of regionalism and promotes odious figures. It is necessary to save the media from divisive tendencies, to agree and observe certain ethical norms in informing the population,” experts said.

In conclusion, participants expressed the hope that the authorities will not celebrate a “victory”, but will make real steps to reform the political system and preserve unity in society, and opposition leaders in their turn will continue to promote the creation of an effective and democratic state.