Safe streets
Following the events of the Easter Revolution, and the eventual resignation of President Bakiev, it might have been assumed that things would settle down and we could all get on with rebuilding our lives, our businesses and society.
However, feelings ran deep and there were many who were dissatisfied with this, that or the other. People had grievances they wanted to air and demands they wanted to present. It is not surprising that different groups will try to present their demands to the new authorities, and so rallies, demonstrations and “meetings” are to be expected. It is unfortunate and disappointing, however, that they have grown used to turning to violence rather than debate to do so … especially, it turned out, it was to cost further lives.
The weekend following the President’s resignation was quiet and calm, but that turned out to be the proverbial “calm before the storm”. Protests erupted almost immediately and the most serious was about allocation of land. Protesters gathered in Bishkek and then made their way to a village on the outskirts of the city, Maevka, where a running battle ensued.
Some of the villagers were intent on defending themselves, and some started to remove pegs from the plots of land that people had marked out for themselves. The fire department received lots of calls asking for assistance, apparently six houses had been set on fire, but the road had been blocked by protestors who refused to let them through. They also refused to let ambulances through. In the morning, it was reported that about 500 people were involved in the riots, seven people had been injured in the “mass unrest”, (although that was later revised to forty people who were hospitalized – 10 of whom were from the police), that there had been one fatality, (and later reports said two had died in the fires and two from gunshot wounds … making five altogether), some cars had been overturned – six were burnt out, including three police cars, about 1000 bales of hay had been burnt in the fires and the authorities had dispatched some 600 police officers to maintain order and they had blocked the roads leading to the village who arrested some 130 rioters.
Bishkek, itself, remained quiet and peaceful … apart, that is, from the expressions of shock, outrage, and even anger, that people would do this so soon after the violence of April 7th.
In the face of these events, I wrote a letter to the management board of the IBC, (International Business Council), – I happen to serve as one of the members of the board – suggesting that we address the interim government with an appeal about the need for the preservation of Safety and Security.
Back in 2005, following the Tulip Revolution, this had been one of the main themes that we had pursued.
As it happens, as they say, “great minds think alike” and the Chairman and Executive Director had already had thoughts along the same lines and they proposed a draft of an open letter on the subject to the interim government. Our emails crossed.
Their letter was better than mine in that it was less emotional …
Anyway, here is what I wrote:
Can I suggest that in the light of yesterday’s events, and the continued uncertainty today, that we probably need to follow the Open Letter that we sent to the interim government up with a press release and/or another letter to the government and/or pressure on all and sundry to raise / pursue the importance of the issue of Safety and Security.
“Safe Streets” was one of the six pillars of the the Business Agenda which IBC promoted at the time of the 2005, Tulip Revolution. Security is also regularly cited as one of the critical issues identified by respondents in the IBC Quarterly Investor’s Survey.
How many news reports have there been in the last few days about how this or that government, this or that international organization, welcome the stabilization of affairs in Kyrgyzstan. One of the critical roles of government, any government, is to provide for the safety and security of its people. It should be a priority, a top priority, issue for government.
Please note that I am not saying that the government isn’t do anything … nor am I saying that they are not doing enough … what I am saying is that this should be a priority … the country needs safety and security, business needs it, the people need it … and that we should do anything that we can to help bring the issue into the spotlight, and to help to keep it there.
Obviously, I have a vested interest in pursuing this question. In our business, Tourism, safety and security is by far the biggest issue when it comes to deciding whether or not to cancel a holiday. We have got over the first hurdle, (poor marketing and lack of awareness about the country), only to fall at the next fence. The tourist already knows about Kyrgyzstan and has made a decision that they would like to come here … but the scenes on BBC, CNN and so on, cause them concern … worry them. Will they be safe? If there is any question about this then they will consider, and probably decide to, cancel their travel plans. They have the world at their feet – apart from the fact a volcano might limit their flight options at the present moment. It doesn’t matter if the threat to their person is in the form of terrorism, civil unrest or heath issues like SARS, Bird Flu or Swine Flu … if there is danger they won’t come. What’s worse, there will be a considerable long term effect as it will also put people off even considering a trip here in the near future.
But, I am not thinking only in terms of self-interest. The current situation will also put off potential investors, and businessmen from considering doing business here. It won’t matter that Kyrgyzstan has risen so many places in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” rankings … with riots on the streets and governments toppling. Investors and businessmen will, at best, delay any decision to get involved in the country … and they are more likely to decide on other potential projects. The influence of an Icelandic volcanic eruption is unlikely to interfere with this decision as it would with a tourist who wants to change their plans.
Then there is the question of the needs of the population of Kyrgyzstan, and the question of social cohesion. It does nobody any good if the first recourse for any dissatisfied group is to violence. Just talking to people, ordinary people, there is frustration and despair, shock, outrage, and even anger, that something like this could happen, especially so soon after the violence of April 7th. Eighty five deaths in one day, five more less than two weeks later, not mention the number of injured and the damage to property. Of course, there is also the fear of civil war. No-one thinks it will happen. No-one wants it to happen. But, who can tell? … if any group of dissatisfied people feel that their best recourse, their first recourse, their only recourse is to take to the streets and create mayhem, then we have a recipe for anarchy.
That is nobody’s interests.
Bishkek