UN, EU say unrest in Kyrgyzstan must not derail referendum, elections, as death toll rises

UN calls for Kyrgyz democracy despite unrest

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — The United Nations is urging Kyrgyzstan not to allow deadly ethnic unrest to derail a key referendum and subsequent parliamentary elections.

The impoverished Central Asian nation has suffered days of widespread violence attributed to rival ethnicities attacking each other in the wake of a bloody uprising that toppled President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The Health Ministry on Tuesday said the death toll from the clashes, which has prompted the exodus of tens of thousands of ethnic Uzbeks, has reached 171, with nearly 1,800 injured. Observers believe the real figures to be much higher.

U.N. representative Miroslav Jenca said in Bishkek on Tuesday that a June 27 referendum on a new constitution — and parliamentary elections in October — must go ahead despite the troubles.