The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Protesters force ouster of president in disputed election
Kyrgyzstan’s president announced his resignation Thursday, bowing to the demands of protesters who have taken to the streets of this Central Asian nation to contest the results of a recent parliamentary election.
Protesters in the capital of Bishkek celebrated Sooronbai Jeenbekov’s decision, but it’s not clear it will quell the unrest that has gripped the country since last week. The demonstrators quickly moved on to demanding that Parliament be dissolved and that the body’s speaker, who is next in line in the order of succession, also resign.
Jeenbekov had dismissed calls he step down just a day earlier. But in a statement released by his office Thursday, he said that he feared violence if he stayed in power, noting that protesters were facing off against police and military.
“In this case, blood will be shed, it is inevitable,” Jeenbekov’s statement said. “I don’t want to go down in history as a president who shed blood and shot at his own citizens.”
Parliament must officially approve his resignation, and Speaker Kanat Isayev, who was
appointed earlier this week, told local media that the legislature would gather Friday to consider it. Raising the possibility of further confusion and turmoil, Isayev told the Kyrgyz news outlet 24. kg that he doesn’t feel he has the right to take over the presidency since the current parliamentary term is about to end.
Jeenbekov’s announcement was hardly a surprising turn for the country of 6.5 people on the border with China: He is the third president to be chased from power by popular uprisings since 2005.
The country was most recently plunged into chaos following an Oct. 4 vote that election officials say was swept by pro- government parties.
The opposition said the election was tainted by vote- buying and other irregularities.
Protesters have taken over government buildings, looting some offices, and the Central Election Commission nullified the election. The opposition then announced plans to oust Jeenbekov and form a new government.
Jeenbekov kept a low profile in the first few days after the vote, using the infighting among protest leaders to dig in. He introduced a state of emergency in Bishkek, which was endorsed Tuesday by Parliament.