Thursday 8 April 2010

Kyrgyzstan's overthrown president makes an appearance

Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has surfaced in the south of the country to claim he is still in control.

He was forced to flee as a popular uprising overwhelmed government security forces and protestors ransacked the presidential building.

Riots erupted in the capital Bishkek on Wednesday as anger and resentment about government corruption and high electricity prices boiled over into violence.

Security forces opened fire but found themselves outnumbered and soon lost control. 75 people were reported killed.

It marked an ironic end to the 'Tulip revolution' that brought Mr Bakiyev to power five years ago. Then, as now, the grievances were corruption, nepotism and a faltering economy.

The opposition, led by former foreign minister Roza Otunbayeva, formed an interim government that stated it will govern until fresh elections are held in six months time.

Ms Otunbayeva claimed Thursday that calm had returned to Bishkek and that her self-appointed government had filled the power vacuum.

She then received a round of applause when she pledged to immediately cut electricity prices.

Rampant looting has left much of the city in ruins and has damaged its already struggling economy.

Kyrgyzstan is one of the poorest former Soviet republics but is plays an important role in the geostrategic power play of the world's superpowers.

Both the US and Russia have military bases there and China is keen to quell any signs of unrest, fearing it could lead to similar violence in its northern provinces that border the country.

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