The program prepared by the OSCE is intended for 18 months and consists of 8 projects, which will deal with such issues as equipping the law enforcement bodies with radio wireless, through providing technical support improving the quality of investigation operations and drug trafficking efforts, strengthening the Academy of the MIA of the Kyrgyz Republic. The seventh project of the program, which envisages the strengthening the law enforcement bodies to prevent mass disorders in the country, has evoked concern and criticism in the country, in particular among some Kyrgyz human rights organizations and activists. According to this controversial project, which is estimated to 900,000 euro, the Kyrgyz militia will be equipped with protection frames, rubber-bullet guns, tear-gas, electro-shock weapons, batons, hydraulic jets, hard hats, flak jackets, handcuffs, modern audio systems and lights for temporary blinding and demoralization of demonstrators and also with modern buses with bullet-proof windows.

The human rights organizations and activists are concerned that strengthening the capabilities of the Kyrgyz law enforcement bodies to prevent mass disorders will lead to suppression of lawful demonstrations and will strengthen the pressure on the opposition in the country. In an interview to the Deutsche Welle, the Director of “National Development Fund” Sergei Ryspekov says that the very idea of strengthening the abilities of Kyrgyz militia after the Aksy event sounds blasphemous and those who shoot their own people cannot be called “law enforcement bodies”. In the opinion of the leader of the non-governmental organization “Civil society against corruption” Tolokan Ismailova, providing the law enforcement bodies with modern equipments in an authoritarian state like Kyrgyzstan will only lead to the reinforcement of repression and persecution of dissent in the country. Therefore, as Ismailova says, this program is directed towards the suppression of civic initiatives in Kyrgyzstan. Another human rights activist, Natalia Ablova, who is the leader of the Kyrgyz-American Bureau on Human Rights, thinks that this project puts considerable restrictions on citizens’ rights. And in order to express their discontent and opposition to this program on July 9, the day when the Acting Chairman of the OSCE and the Foreign Minister of Netherlands Jaap de Hoop Scheffer arrived in Kyrgyzstan, the representatives of a number of human rights and other public organizations even organized a protest action in front of the OSCE office in Bishkek.

But the OSCE leadership does not agree with the criticism of some Kyrgyz activists and is trying to dispel apprehensions. The OSCE Project Coordinator in Vienna Andrew Carpenter says that the program is being incorrectly interpreted. According to him, accent is put made only on one aspect of the program while all 8 projects of the program are interrelated and complementary to each other, and as a result the public is being misinformed about the essence of the OSCE’s support.

Meanwhile, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Askar Akaev during his meeting with Jaap de Hoop Scheffer promised that during the realization of the program a certain supervisory body from the NGO representatives will be formed, which will define the criteria of what mass disorder is. In other words, public supervision of the project is being promised.

The Assembly of the People’s Representatives of the Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyzstan’s Parliament) in its recent session declared the work of the law enforcement bodies as unsatisfactory and ineffective. The Aksy event and other events including the recent discreditable armed attack on the regional and city militia departments of the Jalal-Abad province by criminal gang members indicate the capabilities and the state of the Kyrgyz law enforcement bodies. Although certain parts of the OSCE program are being criticized, Kyrgyzstan would unlikely turn its back to outside support and assistance when its law enforcement system has for a long time been out crying for reform.