Protesters in Kyrgyzstan seize regional government headquarters in south

Kyrgyz protesters seize regional gov’t offices

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Opponents of Kyrgyzstan’s interim rulers stormed several regional government headquarters Thursday, threatening the delicate peace that has reigned since the violent overthrow of the president last month.

Provisional authorities are struggling to restore control over the entire country, particularly the former southern stronghold of deposed President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who was ousted April 7 amid violent clashes between government troops and demonstrators that left at least 85 people dead.

If the protests once again spread to the capital, Bishkek, it could threaten the stability of the Central Asian nation, which is of strategic concern to Washington and Moscow — both have military bases in Kyrgyzstan.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in front of the governor’s office in the city of Osh to demand the return of former Gov. Mamasadyk Bakirov, a Bakiyev loyalist who lost his post after the revolt.

Eyewitnesses said that after several minor scuffles broke out between interim government supporters and opponents, a crowd of around 500 people barged into the building and installed Bakirov in the governor’s office.

“I represent the legitimate government in Osh, and I was appointed governor on legal grounds, so my return to the workplace is legitimate,” Bakirov told reporters.

Witnesses said police watched the events from around the perimeter of the building.

Acting Osh Gov. Sooronbai Jeenbekov said no attempt was made to impede the crowd in order to avoid violence.

“We are continuing to negotiate with them and explain to them the illegality of their actions,” Jeenbekov was quoted as saying by interim government spokesman Farid Niyazov.

Jeenbekov said the situation would soon be under control.

Reacting to the unrest in the south, interim Prime Minister Roza Otunbayeva appointed acting Defense Minister Ismail Isakov as special government representative for the affected regions. Isakov was due to arrive in Osh by helicopter late Thursday.

“There is a danger for the country, but we are doing everything we can to prevent any attempts by Bakiyev’s forces to destabilize the situation in Kyrgyzstan,” Otunbayeva said.

Around 500 people, mainly young men, surrounded the government headquarters in the southern region of Jalal-Abad, a city about 45 miles (70 kilometers) from Osh, and assaulted acting Gov. Bektur Asanov as he emerged from the building.

Eyewitnesses said they saw Asanov being dragged away by unidentified men, but his press secretary later said Asanov had returned to his home in the nearby town of Suzak.

Police attempted to keep the crowd from storming the building, but stood back as hundreds pushed past the lightly guarded perimeter and took it over, holding up pro-Bakiyev slogans and a portrait of the deposed president.

Interim authorities have dismissed recent rallies in support of Bakiyev and his deposed allies in his native Jalal-Abad as an attempt by supporters of the ousted government to sow instability.

Bakiyev supporters said they have also seized government offices in the remote southern Batken region.

There is little immediate sign that similar scenes will be repeated in the capital, where anti-Bakiyev feelings have been running high since the April disturbances.

Hundreds turned out Wednesday at a peaceful rally in front of the parliament building, however, to demand the return to power of the recently ousted mayor, a Bakiyev loyalist sought by the interim authorities for complicity in inciting riots in the wake of last month’s protests. Authorities say similar rallies are expected in the coming days.

Bakiyev fled Kyrgyzstan for Belarus last month. Interim authorities are seeking his extradition, but their efforts appear unlikely to succeed since Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has personally guaranteed Bakiyev refuge.

Associated Press writer Leila Saralayeva in Bishkek contributed to this report.