Propaganda of Nationalism in Kyrgyzstan Could Lead to New Interethnic Collisions
The political situation in Kyrgyzstan could be destabilized on the eve of presidential elections scheduled for October 30.
Official representatives of the republican power do not exclude the possibility of increasing Islamist extremist religious and nationalist chauvinism that could provoke regional conflicts, in particular, in Osh and Dzhallal-Abad oblasts of Kyrgyzstan.
As mark observers, the problem of nationalism and regionalism is not new, and provoked by the parties and their representatives.
For example, after the parliamentary elections, all major political force in one form or another, used to work with the thesis of the electorate of the National Revival.
However, considering the absence of major political players from among the non-titular nation most of the slogans were directed specifically to the Kirghiz.
Part of society, basically youth, has apprehended it as the superiority of Kirghiz over other people living in republic.
Besides, a number of marginal politicians directly propagated nationalistic ideas.
As a result, in republic the quantity of the incidents connected with violence from the Kirghiz, concerning representatives of other nationalities has sharply increased, and the manifestations of nationalism are marked not only in southern Kyrgyzstan, where traditionally there is a high ethnic tension, but also in northern regions.
Emilbek Kaptagaev is the current head of the presidential administration of Kyrgyzstan plays a special role in this process.
On his initiative during the summer 2011 translation into Kirghiz language of office-work of the ministries and self-government institutions has been carried out.
Considering ethnic heterogeneity of the Kirghiz society, where virtually the only language of interethnic communication (especially between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks) for almost a century acted Russian, so a rapid change contributes to infringement of the rights of citizens of not title nation that provokes the growth of disputed potential in republic.
In particular, these innovations have led to protests against accepted in accordance with the instructions Emilbek Kaptagaev Dzhallal-Abad's administration regulations that prohibits the to consider documents in Russian and Uzbek languages.
Besides, at the initiative of Emilbek Kaptagaev as the obligatory requirement to officials now is to know the Kyrgyz language, as a result, representation of not title ethnic groups in government at all levels was sharply reduced.
Along with it, with Presidential Administration support revision of the Kirghiz history is carried out.
So, with the assistance of Emilbek Kaptagaev the project of the textbook for secondary school where the historical development of the Kirghiz state is presented from obviously nationalist positions has been prepared: southern regions are recognized a place of exclusive residing of Kirghiz while Uzbeks, Uighurs, Dungan and others are considered as immigrants that creates preconditions to growth of xenophobia among youth.
In turn, the polls indicate a strengthening of the confrontation in the north-south line.
So, in the north of republic extremely negatively perceive victory possibility on presidential election of the candidate-southerner, and the south population in overwhelming majority do not perceive as the national leader of politicians of northerners.
Further promotion of nationalism, especially its increase during the election campaign, will lead as a result to new interethnic collisions in the country, that in the context of separatist sentiment in the south could provoke disintegration of the country, and considering the lack of strong executive power and coordination of the law enforcement agencies as a result there is a real the threat of the beginning of civil war.
Official representatives of the republican power do not exclude the possibility of increasing Islamist extremist religious and nationalist chauvinism that could provoke regional conflicts, in particular, in Osh and Dzhallal-Abad oblasts of Kyrgyzstan.
As mark observers, the problem of nationalism and regionalism is not new, and provoked by the parties and their representatives.
For example, after the parliamentary elections, all major political force in one form or another, used to work with the thesis of the electorate of the National Revival.
However, considering the absence of major political players from among the non-titular nation most of the slogans were directed specifically to the Kirghiz.
Part of society, basically youth, has apprehended it as the superiority of Kirghiz over other people living in republic.
Besides, a number of marginal politicians directly propagated nationalistic ideas.
As a result, in republic the quantity of the incidents connected with violence from the Kirghiz, concerning representatives of other nationalities has sharply increased, and the manifestations of nationalism are marked not only in southern Kyrgyzstan, where traditionally there is a high ethnic tension, but also in northern regions.
Emilbek Kaptagaev is the current head of the presidential administration of Kyrgyzstan plays a special role in this process.
On his initiative during the summer 2011 translation into Kirghiz language of office-work of the ministries and self-government institutions has been carried out.
Considering ethnic heterogeneity of the Kirghiz society, where virtually the only language of interethnic communication (especially between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks) for almost a century acted Russian, so a rapid change contributes to infringement of the rights of citizens of not title nation that provokes the growth of disputed potential in republic.
In particular, these innovations have led to protests against accepted in accordance with the instructions Emilbek Kaptagaev Dzhallal-Abad's administration regulations that prohibits the to consider documents in Russian and Uzbek languages.
Besides, at the initiative of Emilbek Kaptagaev as the obligatory requirement to officials now is to know the Kyrgyz language, as a result, representation of not title ethnic groups in government at all levels was sharply reduced.
Along with it, with Presidential Administration support revision of the Kirghiz history is carried out.
So, with the assistance of Emilbek Kaptagaev the project of the textbook for secondary school where the historical development of the Kirghiz state is presented from obviously nationalist positions has been prepared: southern regions are recognized a place of exclusive residing of Kirghiz while Uzbeks, Uighurs, Dungan and others are considered as immigrants that creates preconditions to growth of xenophobia among youth.
In turn, the polls indicate a strengthening of the confrontation in the north-south line.
So, in the north of republic extremely negatively perceive victory possibility on presidential election of the candidate-southerner, and the south population in overwhelming majority do not perceive as the national leader of politicians of northerners.
Further promotion of nationalism, especially its increase during the election campaign, will lead as a result to new interethnic collisions in the country, that in the context of separatist sentiment in the south could provoke disintegration of the country, and considering the lack of strong executive power and coordination of the law enforcement agencies as a result there is a real the threat of the beginning of civil war.
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