Last week, something amazing happened in Kyrgyzstan.
A protest march last Tuesday, began in the streets of Bishkek, against the President of Kyrgyzstan, Mr. Bakiyev who ran Kyrgyzstan with pocket-lining corruption, suppression of human rights, no freedom of speech, and muzzled the press.
Then late Tuesday afternoon, the security forces began shooting. But, by Wednesday they seemed to change their minds and on Wednesday afternoon tens of thousands of protesters across the other cities of Kyrgyzstan, began to storm the government buildings, took over the TV and radio, and even executed some of the politicians in the streets.
All in all so far 78 people have been killed, and about 1600 injured.
Mr. Bakiyev naturally took off and is in hiding in his home village of Teyit, near Jalal-Abad. Protected by his younger brother Zhanybek who ran the secret police. The brother has promised to shoot anyone who comes near them, “First”. The former president’s Bishkek home has now been looted, and he now fears for his life.
The former Foreign Minister, Roza Otunbayeva, who has been chosen as the interim leader of an interim government which has now dissolved the Kyrgyz Parliament and announced that it intends to run the country for the next six months, as it removes every ounce of Mr Bakiyev’s corrupt administration from Kyrgyzstan.
Ms. Otunbayeva said that Mr. Bakiyev must leave the country. However Mr. Bakiyev has refused to resign and leave until he knows his family will be safe. Ms. Otunbayeva said that was not going to happen. Plans have now been drawn up to, go and get Mr. Bakiyev.
Ms. Otunbayeva gave a speech on state television and described the events in Kyrgyzstan as a “revolution” or a “people’s revolt” to establish “justice and democracy.”
Alisher Erkinbayev, a 40-year-old engineer in Bishkek, said it best , “Why in the 21st century should we agree to live under medieval laws?”
Wow!
Imagine that!
