Government guilty for riots in Kyrgyzstan
By Aynur Jafarova
Kyrgyz ombudsman Bakytbek Amanbayev says the government's inadequate policies are the main reason behind riots in the Bakay-Ata district of the Talas region.
"Escalation of the conflict in the Boo-Terek village of the Bakay-Ata district was the result of lack of government's accurate socially adapted approaches in determining the ownership and issuance of licenses for the development of mineral deposits, in particular gold fields. Such shortcomings will always lead to spontaneous riots and illegal actions by the local population," the office of the ombudsman was quoted by Kyrgyz Telegraph Agency as saying on April 4.
On April 3, the residents of several villages of the Bakay-Ata district of the Talas region gathered outside the district administration building. They demanded the resignation of Plenipotentiary of government in the Talas region Koysun Kurmanaliyeva and Governor of the Bakay-Ata district Urmat Tynysov. They also required that no criminal case be opened over the riots.
The protesters also blocked the Talas-Taraz- Susamyr highway.
The police tried to disperse the protesters, but they pelted police with stones. Some 19 policemen were injured during the clash. The protesters also set fire to a car and smashed several others. The law enforcement officers used stun grenades to disperse the protesters.
Meanwhile, work on Shiraljin gold deposit was temporarily suspended.
On April 4, Kyrgyzstan's vice Prime Minister Abdrahman Mamataliyev and Director of State Agency for Geology and Mineral Resources Duyshenbek Zilaliyev arrived in Talas to listen to the demands of protesters. After meeting with the officials, the protesters began to disperse.
Currently, Talas-Taraz- Susamyr highway is open.