Kyrgyzstan President Roza Otunbayeva Wins US Women Of Courage Award

By ETHAN Markoff

KYRGYZSTAN NEWS - Kyrgyzstan's President Roza Otunbayeva, Central Asia's first female leader is going to win the prestigious US state department Women of Courage award. She came to power after thrown the authoritarian rule in the country after a massive revolt.

However, some critics strongly condemned the award given to her as she was the leader when the gory conflicts between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, resulting massive loss of lives. It was reported that about 400 people were killed and thousands of homes destroyed in the clashes.

The International human right activists blamed the Kyrgyz authorities to ignore the rising sentimentalism amongst ethnic Kyrgyz against Uzbeks and letting them to marginalized the ethnic minorities.

The award is to be given to Mrs. Otunbayeva for her courage, leading from the front in absolute adverse circumstances where a country leads by a male dominated Muslim majority.

Her contribution is to change an authoritarian state into the region’s first parliamentary democracy where large year the country had witnessed its first ever largely free and fair parliamentary elections.

The ceremony will be hosted by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The US state department has chosen Mrs. Otunbatyeva for one of 10 recipients of its annual awards.

US President Barack Obama congratulate the Kyrgyz leader for her achievement and also sent his gratitude for a continuous support of US military, which has been present in Kyrgyz soil. US military has set its post at the Manas transit centre in Bishkek and nearby in Afghanistan Nato troops are continuous serving in the region.

Uzbek human rights activist Mutabar Tadjibayeva - a recipient of the US award two years ago - says she will hand back her prize in protest.

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March 08, 2011 | 0 comments

Kyrgyzstan Political Wrangling Is Over, Setting Up A New Coalition

By ETHAN Markoff

CENTRAL ASIA NEWS - Ending weeks long political turmoil, Kyrgyzstan has finally settled with a new parliamentary coalition, after a failed election to choose an outright winner.

The parliamentary election was held in October where five political parties won seats. In the new coalition government, three our of five parties have agreed to share power.

The parliament has already voted for its speaker, but the choice of prime minister is still pending.

It is said that the country is Central Asia's first parliamentary democracy.

It is believed by the majority people that the leader of Social Democrats Almazbek Atambayev to become prime minister. There are other two parties in the coalition - Respublika and Ata Zhurt.

It is believed that in new government prime minister holds more power than the president.

The speaker of the parliament is already chosen, which will be positioned by Akhmatbek Keldibekov of the nationalist Ata Zhurt party.

Ata Zhurt and the Social Democrats are less likable parties in the coalition government. There are many former ministers from the old regime who are from Ata Zhurt.

In April the former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev was defeated badly and the comeback of Ata Zhurt is believed to be a remarkable one.

The Social Democrats reformed the constitution by stripping the power of president. However, it is said by the analysts that the new government will have to face plenty of challenges in future.

In recent months the country has witnessed violence and political wranglings, resulting a bad economy and security. In the south of the country, the inter-ethnic fighting last June remains tense.

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December 17, 2010 | 0 comments