Protesters Overrun Kyrgyzstan City-Gov't Loses Control of Region [View All]

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Protesters overrun Kyrgyzstan city

Want leader out; government loses control of region

By Kadyr Toktogulov, Associated Press  |  March 22, 2005

OSH, Kyrgyzstan -- Thousands of protesters, some armed with clubs and Molotov cocktails, overran Kyrgyzstan's second-largest city yesterday, prompting police to flee as the government lost control of the impoverished southern region of the former Soviet republic.

Demonstrators burned and stomped on portraits of President Askar Akayev and seized control of the airport. The army did not intervene despite the chaos. No casualties were reported.

The opposition occupied government buildings in five cities and towns across southern Kyrgyzstan, Interior Ministry spokesman Nurdin Jangarayev said. The capital, Bishkek, cut off from the south in winter by an impassable mountain range, remained calm, but the opposition vowed to press on until Akayev resigns.''Power in Osh has been taken over by people!" opposition member Anvar Artykov told the crowd. ''I congratulate you . . . and urge you to maintain order."

The protests, involving more than 17,000 people in the affected cities, won the first concession from Akayev -- an investigation into allegations of widespread vote-rigging in two rounds of parliamentary elections since Feb. 27. The allegations, backed by European observers, have led to demands for Akayev's resignation and to weeks of violent protests.

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