Tulip Revolution

TheTulip Revolution, also known as theFirst Kyrgyz Revolution, led to then-PresidentAskar Akayev's fall from power. The revolution began afterparliamentary electionson 27 February and 13 March 2005. The revolutionaries allegedcorruptionandauthoritarianismby Akayev, his family and supporters. Akayev fled toKazakhstanand then toRussia. On 4 April 2005, at the Kyrgyz embassy inMoscow, Akayev signed his resignation statement in the presence of a Kyrgyz parliamentary delegation. The resignation was ratified by the Kyrgyz interim parliament on 11 April 2005.
In the early stages of the revolution, the media variously referred to the unrest as the "Pink,""Lemon","Silk", or "Daffodil" revolution. It was Akayev himself who coined the term, "TulipRevolution". In a speech of the time, he warned that no such"Color Revolution"should happen inKyrgyzstan.Using a color or floral term evoked similarity with the non-violentRose RevolutioninGeorgia, theOrange RevolutioninUkraine(2004), the CzechoslovakVelvet Revolution(1989) and the PortugueseCarnation Revolution(1974).
Givi Targamadze, a former member of theLiberty InstituteofGeorgiaand the chair ofGeorgianParliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, consulted Ukrainian opposition leaders on the technique ofnonviolent struggle. He later advised leaders of the Kyrgyz opposition during the Tulip Revolution.
Pro-Akayev candidates performed well at the February 27, 2005parliamentary election. However, the result was criticized by foreign observers.TheOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe(OSCE) was critical of the Kyrgyzstan government. Protests began, especially in the western and southern cities includingJalal-Abad,Osh, andUzgen. On March 3, 2005, a bomb exploded in opposition leaderRoza Otunbayeva's apartment. The Akayev government denied responsibility.
On March 10, 2005, thePeople's Movement of Kyrgyzstanleader,Kurmanbek Bakiyev, joined protesters outside the parliament building inBishkek. Bakiyev and 22 opposition parliamentarians issued a symbolic vote of "no confidence" in the  Akayev administration. On March 19, 2005, three thousand people inBishkekand fifty thousand inJalal-Abadjoined public protests. On March 20, when protesters occupied government buildings, the Kyrgyz government deployed interior ministry troops inJalal-AbadandOsh. On March 20, 2005, protesters took control of all the large cities in the southern part of the nation and demanded Akayev's resignation. The "KelKel" ("renaissance and shining of the good") youth movement was active in the protests. On March 22, 2005, Akayev refused to negotiate with protesters. Ten of seventy-one parliamentarians sided with the protesters.
Although the opposition claimed significant gains in control of the country, it suffered internal division and lacked an obvious leader. This is in contrast to theUkrainianandGeorgianrevolutionary forces which demonstrated united fronts against the state.
Roza Otunbayevawas a potential leader of the Kyrgyz opposition. In 1981, she was theCommunist Party of Kyrgyzstan's second secretary of the Lenin "raikom" (district council). Leading up to 2005, Otunbayeva's political beliefs had slowlywesternised. Following the 2005 revolution, Otunbayeva served in the interim government as acting foreign minister and ambassador to theUnited Statesand theUnited Kingdom.
Kurmanbek Bakiyevwas another potential leader. In 2002, Bakiyev had resigned from his position of prime minister of Kyrgyzstan after police shot and killed five peaceful demonstrators in the southern town ofAsky.
Anvar Artykovwas a previous governor ofOsh. He had the support of the "kurultai", a traditionalMongolandTurkicopposition council. Artykov said, "We will keep this authority (parallel administration) until all of our demands and problems are resolved. We are an interim power. We can talk about the fulfillment of our tasks when the current government has been replaced by a government that is trusted by the nation."
The opposition was at its most united at theJalal-Abadprotest on March 21, 2005. Otunbayeva said, "Policemen, including high-ranking officers, took off their uniforms, changed into civilian clothes and joined our ranks. So we have substantial support."
On March 22, 2005, the opposition leaders met inBishkekand formed an interim government. The Kyrgyzstan Supreme Court ruled that that previous parliament was the legitimate and rightful ruling body but then on March 24, 2005, it recognised the interim government. Bakiyev was appointed acting prime minister and new elections were planned for July, 2005.
According toThe Wall Street Journal, the US government via theState Department,USAID,Radio LibertyandFreedom Houseprovided aid to opposition protesters by funding the only opposing print-media outlet in the country. When a Kyrgyzstan utility cut off electricity to the outlet, the U.S. embassy provided emergency generators. Other opposition groups and an opposition TV station received funding from the US government and US-based NGOs.
After protests on March 19 and 20, 2005, Akayev ordered the Central Election Committee and the Kyrgyzstan Supreme Court to investigate claims of election fraud put forward by the opposition. Akayev asked these bodies to "pay particular attention to those districts where election results provoked extreme public reaction ... and tell people openly who is right and who is wrong."
On March 22, Akayev dismissed Bakirdin Subanbekov, the minister for the interior and Myktybek Abdyldayev, the general prosecutor. On March 23, 2005, Akayev deployed riot police and thirty people were arrested. The Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry representative stated, "The people ofUzbekistan, which is a close neighbour ofKyrgyzstan, are concerned about the events happening in Kyrgyzstan, especially in its southern regions".
On March 24, 2005, Akayev fled with his family. He went first toKazakhstanand then toRussiawhere theRussian President,Vladimir Putinoffered him exile. On April 3, 2005, Akayev gave his resignation. It was accepted by the interim administration on April 11, 2005.
When Akayev fled, Prime MinisterNikolai Tanayevresigned. The opposition took control of key state services such as the television broadcaster. Police melted away or joined the protesters. Imprisoned opposition leaders, includingFelix Kulov, were released. The Kyrgyzstan Supreme Court declared the election results invalid.
Kurmanbek Bakiyevwas made acting prime minister and acting president by the interim administration. He named an interim cabinet. Mobs were looting stores and automatic teller machines in Bishkek and buildings were set on fire. Three people had died in the unrest. Bakiyev appointedFelix Kulovacting minister for the interior. Kulov appeared on television and appealed for calm. On March 26, 2005, armed supporters of Akayev made an abortive attempt to enterBishkekunderKenesh DushebaevandTemirbek Akmataliev. On March 29, Akmataliev announced he would participate in upcoming elections. By March 28, 2005, a gradual political stabilisation had occurred.
The interim administration announced presidential elections for July 10, 2005. However, media entities accused Bakiyev of lack of transparency, failure to restore order and discrimination against Russian minorities.The appointment ofAdakhan Madumarovto the fourth deputy prime minister position was unpopular because it was seen, since he was a presidential candidate, as a conflict of interest.Bakiyev was also criticised for re-employing some of Akeyev's cabinet in the interim government.
On May 13, 2005, Bakiyev and Kulov united to contest the July 10, 2005 presidential election. The agreement was that if Bakiyev retained the presidency, Kulov would be made prime minister. The alliance lasted until January 2007. It united the northern and southern parts of the nation; made the election of other candidates more difficult; and helped to stabiliseUzbekistan.
The interim government was faced with the challenge of peasantland rightsclaims in Bishkek. Police had been unable to stop forced seizures of land by armed peasants. In a related matter,Usan Kudaibergenov, a leader of Bishkek civilian patrols, was murdered.
On March 24, 2005, Akayev's diaries were produced as evidence of corruption. A commission of citizens, public servants, bankers and non-government organisation representatives was empanelled to investigate corruption by the Akayev administration. On April 21, 2005, the commission published the details of forty-two enterprises controlled by the Akayev family during Akayev's presidency.The interim government also alleged that through violence and arrests, Akayev had disrupted peaceful political protest against his administration.It was alleged that on March 24, 2005, Akeyev's men, dressed in civilian clothing, had assaulted protesters.
On May 13, 2005, theAndijan massacreoccurred inAndijan,Uzbekistan, when government security agents fired shots into gathered protesters. Up to six thousand Uzbek refugees entered Kyrgyzstan. Refugees were unable to return to Uzbekistan due to harsh Uzbek government actions.Initially, Bakiyev supported the Uzbek government's stance despite calls for compassion fromhuman rightsactivists. Later, with assistance from the international community, the Kyrgyz interim administration gave legal status toAndijanrefugees. InternationalNGOswere able to provide shelter, food, water, and other necessities to the refugees. On June 9, 2005, however, fourUzbekistanrefugees were returned to their homeland. Kulov said these four were accused or guilty of rape or murder and therefore deported.
Akayev took legal action against the chair of the Bakiyev anti-corruption commission. He also sued a Kyrgyz newspaper journalist for defamation, on the grounds that the accusations of corruption made against him were inaccurate.Bermet Akayeva, Akayev's daughter, took legal action against the Kyrgyzstan Central Election Commission for defamation and for preventing her election to parliament. Some of Akayev's personal possessions which had been seized in the revolution were returned to him.
On June 10, 2005, the parliamentarianJyrgalbek Surabaldiyevwas shot dead inBishkek. He may have been involved with the attacks on anti-Akayev protesters on March 24, 2005. On June 11, 2005, two government security guards were beaten and coerced to give information about Bakiyev's and Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov's travel itineraries. On June 13, 2005, six people were injured in violence between protesters and parliamentary security agents inOsh. In this incident, security agents had opened fire on protesters congregating outside the Alay Hotel. The parliamentarianBayaman Erkinbayevwas implicated in the violence and accused of taking illegal ownership of state property.
On June 17, 2005, protesters gathered in Bishkek in support ofUrmat Baryktabasov, an old ally of Akayev. He had previously expressed an intent to be a presidential candidate, but was denied the right to register because of his dual citizenship (KyrgyzstanandKazakhstan). Since Baryktabasov was not well known, the uprising was unusual when he might have addressed the issue by legal means. Some protesters admitted they had been paid to attend.
On July 10, 2005, the promised elections took place. Bakiyev won ninety percent of the vote and the following day was made president. Kulov was appointed prime minister. He won 88.7 percent of the vote while his opponent won 4 percent. The conduct of the election was praised by Western observers but some irregularities were also noted.
In the months after the election,Bayaman ErkinbayevandRaatbek Sanatbayevwere killed.Tynychbek Akmatbayevdied during a prison riot orchestrated by theChechnyenthief in law,Aziz Batukayev. Ryspek was shot dead leaving a mosque in May 2006.
The OSCE sent sixty observers to monitor the electionrunoffs. In its initial assessment the organisation found that the second round of voting showed "some technical improvements over the first round". It also emphasised "significant shortcomings".
Election observers from theCommonwealth of Independent States(CIS) disagreed. They hailed the runoff elections as well-organized, free, and fair. CIS observers also praised local authorities for showing restraint and competence in dealing with political unrest in several regions. This contradiction in the findings between OSCE and CIS observation teams formed the latest in a series of such contradictory findings (seeCIS election observation missions). Russia supported the CIS reports and rebuked the OSCE for its findings.
The New York Timesreported that American funding and support, from governmental and non-governmental sources, helped to pave the way for anti-Akayev demonstrations by providing the means for printing literature.
Kofi Annansaid, "The secretary general is opposed to the use of violence and intimidation to resolve electoral and political disputes." TheUnited Nationswebsite said, Annan "calls on all parties to apply restraint".