Kyrgyzstan announces three-day mourning for victims in clashes.

BISHKEK, June 16 (Itar-Tass) -- Kyrgyzstan is observing a day of
mourning for the victims of the recent mass-scale riots in the republic's
southern regions.
Kyrgyzstan's President of the transition period Rosa Otunbayeva is
reported to have signed an order on a tree-days' mourning on Wednesday.
According to the order, on June 16, 17 and 18 "all state flags on
administration buildings will be lowered," the press service said. "All
television and radio leisure programmes are called off."
The mass clashes started in the southern city of Osh overnight to June
11. Next day, the disorders in the Jalal-Abad Region began. Kyrgyzstan's
authorities announced emergency and introduced curfew. After talks on the
armistice with respected leaders of the Uzbek and Kyrgyz communities the
situation became relatively calm.
However, until now, snipers are active in some districts of Osh, the
republic's interior ministry said. Some of them were detained. Kyrgyzstan'
s leaders accuse brothers and relatives of the former president, Kurmanbek
Bakiyev, of the disorders and claim they have financed and armed the
participants. Kyrgyzstani First Deputy Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev
said that Bakiyev's allies must have spared ten million dollars for these
purposes. Kyrgyzstan's well-known politician was detained for the
organisation of the tragic events, though the investigation does not
reveal his name. In the meanwhile, the former president categorically
waived his involvement in the organisation of the events in the south and
claimed the interim government responsible for the current situation.
In order to stabilise the situation, the country leaders have
forwarded additional military contingents, police, interior forces and
detachments of volunteers formed from volunteer police and veterans of
secret services and interior forces. The military and the police have a
right to use arms in case of a threat to their lives and to the lives of
civilians. The interim government has made a decision to legalise
volunteer police and will finance it. Kyrgyzstan has announced partial
mobilisation, and officers from southern regions are the first to join new
units.
Kyrgyzstan's authorities fear the disorders may reach the northern
parts of the country, like the Chuya Region and Bishkek. Security is
improved in the capital, the entrance to the city is controlled by block
stations where any suspicious vehicle may be inspected.
According to the latest information, the death toll over the conflict
is 180, and over 1,800 addressed for medical assistance. The leaders of
the country confirm that realistically there may be more victims.
-0-kar/usn