Supporters of the ousted President Bakiyev in southern Kyrgyzstan demand dividing the country into two autonomous states. The Interim Government condemned the initiative pointing at the absurdity of the idea, while law enforcement bodies promise to take “harsh measures within the law” against the instigators. Despite the fact that such a scenario is highly unlikely, it might gain wider support from the public in light of the new government’s failure to stabilize the situation in the southern region, experts say.

The Committee on protecting the ousted former Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, which was created right after his escape from the country, demands the creation of a federative state of Kyrgyzstan. According to the proposal, the Kyrgyz Federation should consist of two autonomous states with equal powers – the Southern and Northern Kyrgyz Democratic States. At the same time, the two independent states are to share a single currency and common army, border service, and ministry of emergency situations. As Tolon Diykanbaev, the head of the committee, states, “it is impossible to stabilize the situation in the country without considering and solving this issue”. The separation initiators are planning to address the Interim Government to consider their proposal while discussing the new version of the Constitution, the referendum on which is to be held in a month.

The calls for separation are actively being voiced in the southern regions. Provocative leaflets and CDs that include the former president’s speeches and statements where Bakiev accords full responsibility for the bloody April events on the provisional government are being massively distributed in the biggest southern cities such as Osh, Jalalabad and Karasuu. “The leaflets and CDs are thrown at the doors of people’s houses, markets and public places and mostly during nighttime, thus it is hard to catch them”, said Tologon Keldibekov, the deputy head of Osh regional office of the “Ata Meken” political party. These provocative materials are labeled as belonging to the so-called “Opposition People’s Front to the Interim Government.”

The Interim Government has appealed to the public, asking them not to yield to the provocations. Almazbek Atambaev, the deputy head of the Interim Government, stated while answering questions on air that the “idea of creating a southern Kyrgyz state is

absurd – our people will never let it happen”. Nevertheless, despite the impossibility of the idea, the Interim Government realizes that such provocations can destabilize the security situation. Omurbek Tekebaev, another deputy head of the Interim Government called the initiative “a dangerous tendency,” and in light of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections, such provocations aimed at destabilizing the country are likely to intensify.

Meanwhile, the security services and police claim that these acts will be harshly suppressed. “We have considered this case at the joint commission of law enforcement bodies.  Appropriate measures will be taken against instigators” stated Baktybek Alymbekov, acting Interior Minister, at the press conference. The head of the State Committee for National Security, Keneshbek Duyshebaev, added that they have enough evidence to prove that former President Bakiyev and his relatives are behind of all these activities.

Agreeing with the earlier statement, former Prime Minister Felix Kulov accused Bakiyev’s brothers, who are wanted by the authorities, of subversive activities. “They (Bakiyev’s brothers) realize that during periods of instability it is easier to hide and travel around the country”, Kulov said in an interview with “Kommersant” news agency.

It is notable that the Kyrgyz General Prosecutor’s Office already instituted 23 criminal cases against Bakiyev’s family and close allies. Moreover, the new authorities promise monetary rewards (ranging from US$ 20,000 to US$ 100,000) for information on the location of these people. In the meantime, the head of the Interim Government, Roza Otunbaeva, signed a special decree on removing the immunity of Bakiev as a former Kyrgyz President and entrusted the General Prosecutor’s Office with working on the former leader’s extradition to Kyrgyzstan to face trial.

The north-south division of the country became relevant during and after the Tulip Revolution in 2005 when Bakiyev, a southerner, replaced the northerner Askar Akaev. Political experts claim that the regional disagreements were used by Bakiyev and his clan to gain the support of southerners who comprise more than half the population of the country. Now, the ousted former President and his allies are seeking to mobilize the southern population by playing the “north-south” game, the experts say.

As the experts claim, the creation of a federative state will destroy Kyrgyz statehood in light of existing regional disagreements and ineffective and weak state institutions. A separation is unlikely due to the lack of mass support. However, due to the unstable situation in southern Kyrgyzstan, such radical separatist ideas might win wider sympathy, the experts concluded.