.Popular Kyrgyz politician detained for organizing mass disorders.

14/6 Tass 45

BISHKEK, June 14 (Itar-Tass) -- A popular politician has been detained
in Kyrgyzstan over suspicion in organizing mass inter-ethnic clashes in
the republic's southern regions, the interim government said in its
statement on Sunday.
Criminal proceedings were initiated against the detained over
organizing mass disorders and attempted coup, the document said. According
to Kubatbek Baibolov, the commandant of the Jalal-Abad region, the man is
well-known in the republic but his name is not made public "in the
interests of the investigation."
"He is currently bearing testimony and has already named persons
implicated in disorders in the Jalal-Abad region who had previously
declared their intention to take part in the parliamentary elections
scheduled for the autumn," the document said.
According to the Jalal-Abad commandant's press service, the situation
in the region is under control of the interim government.
According to latest reports, the situation in the regional centres of
Osh and Jalal-Abad has somewhat stabilized. No shootings are heard in the
cities, although last night minor shooting were reported in Jalal-Abad.
The death toll in the clashes had gone up to 114. Some 1,400 sought
medical assistance.
Massive disorders and clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyzs flared
up in the country's second largest city of Osh overnight to June 11. The
following day the riots spread to the neighbouring Jalal-Abad region. The
state of emergency and curfew were imposed in the conflict-gripped areas.
On Saturday, interim president Roza Otunbayeva admitted that the republic
was unable to settle the situation and asked Russia for military help. She
held responsible deposed president Kurmanbek Bakiyev's brothers and
relatives for being behind this next round of violence. According to
Otunbayeva, they sponsored the organization of clashes and provided arms.
The former president however said he had nothing to do with the violence
in the republic's southern regions.
The Kyrgyz authorities have sent extra army and police units to Osh
and Jalal-Abad. The interim government has also legalized voluntary public
order squads and undertook to finance them. Kyrgyzstan's provisional
government has ordered a partial mobilization of reservists. All units of
the national Armed Forces were ordered to assume wartime posture.
-0-ras/usn


Delete & Prev | Delete & Next