Kyrgyzstan Protests Turning Violent

[Harovan]

For a Pole certainly. I had a classmate, who's name was Przybylski, or Przybylla (or similar, it's a while ago), and the z had some strange accent on it, too, IIRC. I'm certain you can say this ten time in a row. I can't even once. We called him Pshibi, that was difficult enough.

[RGBVideo]

It's not hard for a Finn, either... [kir-gits-stan]. What's so hard about it?

I don't know almost anything about Kyrgyzstan, btw. IIRC it's a sparsely lived piece of desert between Kazakhstan and China with 2 to 3 million citizens... unless this is further proof of somesort of concentrated Chinese aggression (compare to situations in Nepal, Taiwan), I don't really care.

[dannubis]

watch out, the yellow boogy man is coming to take you away haha hihi hoho ...

[Harovan]

I once had a free email address at netmail.kg. That was funny. I don't even know if it still works.

[RGBVideo]

watch out, the yellow boogy man is coming to take you away haha hihi hoho ...

Directed to me?
It's teh conspiracy, let me tell you...

IMO we ('we' as in people in all peaceful democratic countries all over the world) of China with it's gender gap, it's dictatorship, it's miserable supply of natural resources but monstrous and constantly growing demand, and it's huge military with nuke-capacity... it's not paranoia if they're really out to get us.

[DanS]

Looks like it might be turning out for the best.

Still uncertain, though. Russia is right that this needs to get on a constitutional footing quickly.

Kyrgyz regime on brink of collapse as protesters seize control

BISHKEK : Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev was reported to have fled the country after thousands of opposition protesters stormed the seat of power in a potent demonstration of street force.

Russia's Interfax news agency, citing unnamed sources, reported that Akayev was flying by helicopter with his family to neighbouring Kazakhstan.

His whereabouts had been unknown since demonstrators, armed with rocks and clubs, stormed the Soviet-era structure housing the government and presidency in the capital Bishkek and took over the main television station.

They also freed Felix Kulov, a key opposition leader who had been in prison since 2000.

Kulov immediately went on television urging Akayev to "meet with opposition leaders in order to peacefully and constitutionally transfer power."

Thursday's developments were a dramatic escalation of mounting protests over a disputed March 13 parliamentary election that had until now largely been in the volatile south of the country.

Kulov, a former vice president and leader of the Ar-Namys (Dignity) party, had been jailed on corruption charges many believe were politically motivated.

Earlier thousands of protesters, many throwing rocks or waving clubs, swept past overwhelmed riot police and into the compound of White House, as the seat of government and presidency in central Bishkek is known.

Once inside they threw portraits of Akayev out of the windows and waved the flag of Kyrgyzstan.

Thirty people were reported injured, medical officials told AFP.

A short while later, the two main opposition leaders, Kurmanbek Bakiyev and Rosa Otunbayeva, entered the building.

Addressing a crowd on the steps, Bakiyev said, "If the generals and police come over to our side, we will solve this problem peacefully."

The Interfax news agency in Moscow reported that the country's defence and security ministers were blockaded inside.

If Akayev quits, ending 15 years of leadership, it would set an unexpected precedent in a turbulent region with a centuries-old tradition of autocratic rule, an explosive mix of ethnic groups and strong Islamist influences.

Kyrgyzstan borders Afghanistan, which lies on one of the world's main drugs trafficking routes and itself has a history of inter-ethnic conflict.

The ITAR-TASS news agency in Moscow reported that Akayev was in talks with an envoy from the European security body OSCE.

In Moscow, the foreign ministry said the events were "a cause for serious concern" and appealed for a return "onto a lawful path."

In the past three years Russia has witnessed peaceful revolutions both in Georgia and Ukraine, like Kyrgyzstan also part of the former Soviet Union.

Authorities had warned they could use force if the protests degenerated but it was not long before demonstrators threw rocks at riot police. At least five police officers were injured.

At one point in the chaos dozens of mounted police charged the protesters, but could not prevent them running inside the tall wrought-iron railings.

Police swiftly abandoned their posts and were reported to be retreating to the defence ministry under a hail of rocks.

The dramatic developments were mirrored in the southwestern city of Batken, where a witness reported that hundreds of opposition supporters broke through police lines and took over a government building.

It was the third regional capital in the nation's impoverished south where government buildings have been overrun in protests over the election 11 days ago, when the opposition's presence in the 75-member parliament was all but wiped out.

Kyrgyzstan's disjointed opposition has up to now mostly staged protests in the south, notably the cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad, where demonstrators have seized government buildings, airports and police stations.

The opposition claims Akayev's government rigged the poll in order to pack parliament with supporters ahead of presidential elections in October.

- AFP

[DanS]

This has been dubbed the Tulip Revolution, but I don't think they were throwing tulips at police.

[Solver]

The regime's collapsed. President Akaev and family fled to Kazakhstan, the parliament has been dismissed, new leadership forming up.