Kyrgyzstan's authorities urge civilians to assist in Osh

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12/6 Tass 66


BISHKEK, June 12 (Itar-Tass) -- Kyrgyzstan's interim government has
urged the nation, especially former military and police, veterans of wars
to form up volunteer detachments and send them over to Osh to stabilise
the situation there, a source in the information and coordinating
department of the interim government said on Saturday.
The leaders of the country call on the volunteers, regardless their
social status or ethnicity, to assist the interim government in the
settlement of the situation in Osh and the Osh Region, where clashed
between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz started the night from June 10 to June
11. Over the disorders, 49 died and over 600 were wounded. Dozens
administrative buildings and houses were burnt down. Eyewitnesses say,
that despite the emergency and the curfew, the disorders, fires and firing
still go on in Osh.
The military and the police cannot cope with the task they have and
would need extra volunteer forces, Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Prime Minister
supervising judicial system and law enforcement authorities, Azimbek
Beknazarov, said in an interview to Kyrgyzstan's 24 information agency.
The first group of 300 volunteers formed up last night will fly to Osh on
Saturday, he said. The group is formed of former police mostly. Despite
the undertaken measures, the situation in Osh remains very complicated, he
admitted.
"The firing can be heard in all parts of the city, houses are on fire,
people are scared, and we must restore order not to allow more victims,"
Beknazarov said.

-0-kar/kud