REPORT ON MONITORING CONFLICTOGENIC SITUATION IN OSH, JALALABAT AND BATKEN PROVINCES OF THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

“Foundation for Tolerance International”, “Polis Asia” Analytical Center

Bishkek 2011

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Report outline

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Acronyms 7

Social and historic background of the “South” 7

Myths and stereotypes as a factor of conflictogenic potential 12

Conflicts and stability: three provinces – three specific features 15

Osh province 16

Jalalabat province 21

Batken province 25

Ways and forms of social organization 31

Social capital – status indicators in: education, healthcare, unemployment and migration 37

Conclusions 43

Recommendations 45

References 49

Appendices 51

Table of Content

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“Foundation for Tolerance International

The Foundation for Tolerance International is a non-governmental organization (NGO) engaged in

conflicts prevention, peace building and establishment of justice in Central Asia. The Foundation was

established under the UNHCR “Conflict Transformation and Tolerance Education” project, which was

launched in March 1996. In 1998, FTI was restructured into an independent NGO.

Currently FTI is one of the biggest and most experienced local NGOs in the region with a wide network

for monitoring and analyzing development of the region, which includes five offices: one in Bishkek city

and four regional offices in towns Osh, Batken, Jalalabat and Leilek.

The organization’s capacity has been enhancing due to its many-year experience of implementing projects

in the target areas. The Foundation involves government structures into its projects to build trust between

the civil society and the authorities. www.fti.kg

“Polis Asia” Analytical Center

The “Polis Asia” Analytical Center is an independent non-governmental organization uniting researchers

in the social and political areas as well as in the economic development of Central Asian countries. The

basic directions of the organization’s activity are conducting experts’ analysis to develop strategic

documents; carrying out social and political researches; making comparative analysis of political

processes and institutions in Central Asia; interethnic conflicts-related analysis and etc. The objective of

the Center is effective interaction between government structures, civil society and academic

communities to enhance efficiency of political decisions made at the local and national levels,

improvement of the capacity of decision making organizations and individuals. www.center.kg

Introduction

June events of 2010 in Osh and Jalalabat cities have raised the issue of sustainability and stability of

public relations facing challenges of the system crisis and destabilization. Although at the moment there

is a whole range of clarifying models (presentations, reports of national and international commissions

and many other models) about the recent events, their conceptualization/ apprehension in the context of

conflictogenic environment, escalation of which started long before the events of 2010, has not taken

place yet. As a result, those events were not assessed in a unified and comprehensive manner in

Kyrgyzstan. In our society there are different and sometimes very contradicting approaches to

understanding and assessing those events, which, unfortunately, in many respects strengthen stereotypes

about their conflictogenic potential, which are distorting reality and prevent understanding of the root

causes, removal of which will help to solve the accumulated challenges.

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On the basis of different types of documents related to analysis of causes that have lead to the interethnic

conflict, the objective of the present report is to show a whole variety of social perceptions of the

conflictogenic potential by citizens of three provinces– Osh, Jalalabat and Batken provinces and their

changing dynamics as well as to analyze possible levels of social stability of the society, confronting the

beginning or escalation of conflicts at the local level. The present report is aimed at revealing gaps in the

conceptualization of the processes taking place in southern regions of Kyrgyzstan.

The starting point in the preparation of the present report was the statement that interethnic clashes of

2010 were part of a wider conflictogenic dynamics typical for the entire Kyrgyzstan.

Therefore for deeper understanding of the causes and conflicts triggering mechanisms in the surveyed

areas it is necessary to review a wider and more complicated picture of political and economic, social and

democratic transformations taking place in the Kyrgyz society.

Although the field data for the report was collected in three provinces, which were considered to be

potentially conflict insecure, authors of the report were taking the surveyed area only as an area, where

conflictogenic potential existing in Kyrgyzstan in general, is concentrated and visualized.

The present report is based on the data of field research carried out from March 25 to April 8, 2011 in

Osh, Jalalabat and Batken provinces of the Kyrgyz Republic. The method of inclusive observation and

content analysis of local mass media was used for collecting data, and the report includes additional

statistical data as supporting information. In order to provide thorough understanding of processes taking

place in the researched areas the report also includes academic works and experts’ analyses. In addition to

them, 22 documents have been analyzed in the course of our monitoring activity.

The methodology of the field research was based on ICAF1 international system of assessing conflicts,

developed by the US State Department and applied in more than 50 countries of the world. ICAF

objectives include conflict diagnostics by establishing major claims, social and institutional stability,

driving forces of conflicts and mitigating factors, identifying moments of conflict escalation and

reduction. ICAF monitoring in Kyrgyzstan was carried out by a research group consisting of 29 monitors

from the Foundation for Tolerance International, three analysts from Polis Asia Analytical Center and

three experts from the Conflict Prevention Unit of the US State Department. Monitoring included focus

group meetings, in-depth interviews and inclusive observation method. Respondents were interviewed

proportionally: 71% through focus groups, 29% through interviews. In total 863 respondents have been

interviewed during the monitoring process (out of whom 507 were men and 356 women).

The first part of the document describes social and political background of the “South” through the prism

of reality and the existing stereotypes. Then analysis of the field research results is provided and the most 1 For more information on methodology refer to Interagency Conflict Assessment Framework (ICAF) // URL: http://www.state.gov/s/crs/what/144930.htm

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conflictogenic zones have been identified by respondents from the three researched provinces. The

following sections include impact analysis of the social capital as a resource for forming conflictogenic

potential and factors of social stability in the society. The final part of the report includes conclusions of

the survey and recommendations.

Authors of the given report hope that the data and recommendations included into the present report will

help deeper understanding of the social situation, development constraints and problem areas, which

cause most of the population’s concerns as well as identify effective mechanisms for conflict prevention.

The authors of the report express gratitude to all, who supported and participated in the implementation of

field research, in editing the report and in the discussions of its outcomes.

Acronyms:

KR – Kyrgyz Republic

RUz – Republic of Uzbekistan

RT – Republic of Tajikistan

UPF – University of Nations Friendship (K. Batyrov’s university) in Jalalabat city

State Directorate – State Directorate on Reconstruction and Development of Osh and

Jalalabat cities

JK – Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic)

ICAF – Interagency Conflicts Assessment Framework

Social and Historic Background of the “South”

Southern provinces of Kyrgyzstan at different historic periods had different degrees of strategic

importance. In the era of Tsarist Russia the region as an “underpin” of a big empire, was, on the one hand,

a ground for conquering fight and on the other hand, a ground for liberation fight. During the Soviet era

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the image of a “union’s storeroom”, in which unique natural and hydro resources have been operated,

added up to that status. Obsessed by the idea of building a new communistic future, constructors of the

soviet country established a new social community, industrial infrastructure, new borders of proto-states.

The epoch of independence has become a trial for the whole republic. Common tendencies of establishing

independence; search for its own ways of development, experiments with the Constitution and reforming

the political system could not but affect the researched areas of the country. In the new realities the most

vulnerable region of Kyrgyzstan turned out to be the south of the country.

The practice of rotating government high- and mid-level officials in the regions, which was established

during the soviet time, was continued. Last time this type of rotation took place under the first president

A. Akaev in early 2000s. On the background of the enhanced criticism of his human resource

management policy based on the principles of common community and disproportion with regard to

different regions with obvious preferences given to Keminsky district of Chui province and to Talas

province, A. Akaev tried to position himself as the leader of an integral country. In 2001, the country

celebrated the 3000th anniversary of Osh city as of the southern capital of the country and discussions

about moving some ministries and agencies to Osh started at that time. In 2001, during the celebration of

the 190th anniversary of Kurmanjan Datka, a monument to her was established in one of central streets -

Erkindik prospect in Bishkek.

After 2005, gradual promotion and assigning of representatives of Jalalabat and Osh provinces to key

positions started. The role of public and political figures from the southern part of Kyrgyzstan becomes

important in the history of the country. In 2005, the 100th anniversary of I. Razzakov was celebrated, a

monument to him was established in the center of Bishkek and a museum was opened to commemorate

him. And the year 2005 was announced to be the year of Kurmanjan datka, Alai tsar woman, in the year

of her 200th anniversary.

The year 2010 was the climax of political struggle in the country. On April 7, the power changed again,

an Interim Government was established, consisting of leaders representing all regions of the country.

The tragic events of June 2010 became a trial for the new government. This conflict has become the most

large-scale conflict accompanied by destruction and the highest number of victims in the history of

independent Kyrgyzstan. It would be unfair to consider that at the moment the conflict is fully settled,

because the list of mutual claims is not reducing.

Basic Claims (June 2010 - June 2011)

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№ CLAIM

DEADLINE SOLUTIONS

1. Repressions on the part of security agencies (MIA, NSC (National Security Committee)), Osh city, Kara-Suu district, Bazar Korgon vil., Suzak vil. Cause: search for armament and extremists. The interviewed respondents consider that for security agencies the major driving force is to feather at the expense of detained citizens.

June - March 2010

Rotation of MIA personnel, commission of the MIA Security Service

2. Raider seizure of people’s assets (cafes, restaurants, service stations and other assets)

June – September 2010

Not solved

3. Numerous inspections at airports, railway stations of the Kyrgyz Republic. Inspections on the Osh – Bishkek – Osh road by MIA. Cause: require certificates proving that a person is not in the list of the Wanted and Convicted. “Even if a person has a certificate, inspectors would claim money”.

June – August 2010

Actions have been stopped

4. Officials demand bribes and intentionally drag time in restoring the lost documents. Types of documents: passport, house register, certificates of marriage, certificate of birth, education and etc.

June – October 2010

Solved

5. Humanitarian aid as a means of cultivating dependence. Humanitarian aid is given only to Uzbeks.

June 2010 up to present

Not solved

6. Why are they rehabilitating only houses of Uzbeks instead of constructing multistoried houses?

June 2010 – up to present

Not solved

7. Speed up distribution of land plots to all who need housing within Osh city (75 thousand people)

June – November 2010

Not solved

8. Why tax inspectorate and Electric Lines company make the affected people, entrepreneurs, and the population pay taxes and tariffs although they were provided tax holidays.

August - November 2010

Not solved

9. Why monetary compensations and social benefits are not paid in full amount to families of people affected or killed during June events. Demands of “Ochpos Ot” and “Osh Sheitter”.

June 2010 up to present

Partially solved

10. Why people, who came back from migration to Russia and Kazakhstan, are not registered at local departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs?

Fall – winter 2010

Not solved

11. We cannot freely work on our arable lands for the fear for our lives.

Spring 2011

Not solved

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12. Why do mass media give biased information blaming only one party. There is no objective information and etc.

Summer 2010 – up to present

Not fully solved

Based on the analysis of the causes of the passed events, currently we have several points of view on the

causes that have lead to the conflict.

The given conflict had its historical and political

background conditioned by the heavy heritage of

the Soviet epoch when contradictions and conflicts

in interethnic relations were not publicized and

were forced to be better disguised.

(From the conclusions of the National commission on

in-depth research of causes, consequences and

development of recommendations on the tragic events

that took place in the south of the country in June 2010).

The events must be considered …[…] … through

interrelations between communities of ethnic

Kyrgyz and ethnic Uzbeks. In this regard the

commission points out insufficient representation

of ethnic Uzbeks in the public life and the

increasing impact of ethnic nationalism in the KR

policy. The commission also points out lack of

power and the political competition resulting from

it, fragile state institutions and poor enforcement of

law in the south of Kyrgyzstan in the light of

overthrowing Bakiev’s government on April 7.

(From the Report of the independent commission

on researching events in the south of Kyrgyzstan in

June 2010).

The grounds for the events that took place were conditioned by high dynamics of the political confrontation in Kyrgyzstan during the past 10 years. In his analysis of June 2010 events, Neil Melvin points out: “In this way, interethnic relations in the south became interlinked with the struggle for power in Kyrgyzstan through an interaction of north-south, rural-urban, patronage (clan) and ethno-political elements2”.

On the background of permanent political struggle, social and economic component of the state is more

and more “hanging down”. The remnants of the infrastructure are falling apart, the communications

system and the base for the former epoch-making GOELRO3 - are working out the remainder of the

surviving capacity. Biddings are announced for strategic assets, additional investments and specialists are

involved and those are already from the post-soviet neighbors. In the conclusions of the International

Crisis Group Report it is highlighted that: “The infrastructure in the republics of Central Asia is steadily

disappearing: the roads, power plants, hospitals, and schools and the last generation of Soviet-trained

specialists who have kept this all running. Post-independence regimes made little effort to maintain or

replace either, and funds allocated for this purpose have largely been eaten up by corruption. “. “The

2 Neil Melvin. On the way to multinational Kyrgyzstan: how to eliminate causes and break the vicious circle of violence / / Central Eurasia Project. Aperiodic series. Issue 3. March 2011. 3 Toktogul HPS and other hydro electrical station of Naryn cascade.

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rapid deterioration of infrastructure will deepen poverty and alienation from the state. The disappearance

of basic services will provide Islamic radicals, already a serious force…4”.

Under such conditions the major supporting framework for the social structure of communities, including

functions of preventing and settling disputes and conflicts are traditional norms and institutions (we will

consider them in more detail in Section 3). Official norms, for example, processes of amending the

Constitution, as results of monitoring showed, were not accepted as serious events in the lives of people.

Non-inclusion into the concept “civic consciousness” is accounted for by the fact that people do not count

on the state, the role of which is becoming “smaller and smaller” in the researched provinces as

everywhere in regions.

The question of the survey: What encourages hope in your community?” The fact that people do not depend on the Government in earning their crust and they do not wait

for somebody to help them. From the interview of the Jangyjer village citizen, Leilek district, Batken province, 07.04.2011.

Irrespective of what is happening around, everything is good with us, people are working. Work and support of relatives, neighbors, and of our community is the main thing. And politicians in Bishkek? They have nothing to do with us, they are always fighting with each other for something, arguing, quarrelling, like little children. From the interview of Uch-Dobo village citizen, Kadamjay district, Batken province, 08.04.2011.

Basic formal laws remain a general framework, formal institutes. However in everyday life people and

communities live more coordinated by informal traditional norms - Adat5, Shariat6 and in some

communities criminal “game rules” are observed; they are spread in comprehensive educational

institutions, in regulation of professional niches: markets, construction sites and other types of

communication between people.

Myths and Stereotypes as a Factor of Conflictogenic Potential

The intensive variety of social and political changes in the country is reflected in the dynamics of the

communication area. Predominance of informal communications (rumors, conjecture and etc.) alongside

with limited capacity of national/public information broadcasting channels cause a lot of interpretations of

events both at the local and national levels. Limited own broadcasting within and outside the country

increases the extent of distortion /interpretation of events in the country, creating grounds for stereotyped

apprehension. Such strategies are innocent enough at the domestic level, however gradual increase and

distortion of this type of “clod” becomes a basis for changing social perceptions, gradually transferring

from the level of just informing to the social level and then to the political reality. 4 Report of the International Crisis Group (ICG) “Central Asia: Decay and Decline” of 3.02.2011 // URL: http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/central-asia/201-central-asia-decay-and-decline.aspx

5 Adat – among Kyrgyz – is a regular law, traditional norms. 6 Shariat – norms of Muslim law.

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Later this type of information becomes a starting point for forming dichotomic impression (groups,

regions – any object of interpretations). The biggest danger of this type of quasi-broadcasting tells on

making political decision, which become hostages (intended or unintended) in determining policy in

general. Thus, the stereotype/myth from quasi-reality gets a real shape, which contains certain risks, as

the reality is distorted causing inter alia conflicts in the society.

We suggest only three similar examples of constructed mythology about three surveyed provinces of

Kyrgyzstan.

Stereotype №1. «The south of the country is a uniform monolith” with the following characteristics:

Common (homogeneous) territory;

One (homogeneous) nation, “southerners” by mentality;

Same objectives – going to the north, going in search of jobs (to Russia, as a rule);

Basic reasons for the difference between southern and northern Kyrgyzstan population are

considered to be:

Way of structuring:

A) Geographic – the “Too Ashu” mountain pass and communication is stopped;

Counter argument: Naryn province with “Dolon” pass, Issyk-Kul province with the “Boom” pass and

other territories of the KR, which are always or at certain seasons of the year cut from the rest of the

country by climate conditions? Selective approach to the whole region, which creates a situation for

arguments– regional dichotomicity, projected to policy, culture and everyday life.

Б) Civilization – “The South is a settled population, the North are nomads”;

Counter argument: Batken district of Batken province is a historic place for camping ground, Tokmok is a

settled valley of Suyab and Balasagun civilization. This is generalization, “juggling” with historic,

geographic categories in the space and time. Result: the rhetoric of separation of stranger “southerners”

from related “northerners”, political opposition at the regional level, fragmentation of the society.

Transiting from everyday routine, such stereotypes penetrate inter alia into wider social and political

discourse. Thus in the center of Osh at the pass to the Central bridge, one of the most visually open

grounds of the city, at the level of a four-storeyed building a commercial advertisement is hanging with

the inscription (in the Kyrgyz and Russian languages) – “Southerners choose “Sher” company’s

products”.

Osh city, Central bridge

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Stereotype № 2. «Generalization of ethnic groups»

The Kyrgyz – have been nomads, Uzbeks and Tadjiks have been farmers (up to now by

mentality);

The Kyrgyz – cannot run a busines, the market is not their environment:

The Uzbeks and representatives of other ethnic groups – don’t want to be citizens of KR;

All non- Kyrgyz ethnicities – want to leave the country etc.

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Way of structuring:

Generalization of ethnic groups. Ethnic groups are not monolith structures, from inside they are not

homogeneous both by groups of interests or by self-identification of people. It is very important to point

out that inside ethic groups there are communities opposing each other by view points and interests. Thus,

for example, views and interests of the Uzbek community of Arslanbap village significantly differs from

interests and views of the Uzbek community of Isphana city. Consolidation of ethnic groups brings to

attaching collective responsibility and causes big stereotype comprehensions based on “ethnic

belonging”.

Stereotype № 3. «Kyrgyzstan as a drug trafficking channel is a threat to Eurasia”. Correspondingly all

types of assistance are provided to prevent risks and threats etc.

Ways of structuring:

It is illogical to blame only one country in trafficking (channeling) drugs, the problem should be

considered holistically. Trafficking is part of a common channel. Correspondingly KR is only one part of

whole chain.

It is necessary to study the issue of elite’s (law enforcement agencies’) involvement, the criminal “front”

and all stakeholders throughout the whole line of transiting from the starting point (outside KR) to the

final destination (outside KR). Thus by taking a systematic approach this problem can be solved.

In the situation of conflictogenic potential and of the social and political crisis, stereotypes have the

tendency to produce direct effect on the object of conflict. As an indirect effect at the first stage they form

a distorted picture of events, enhance or vice versa decrease real information implications.

Emotional reaction of a person, community to the stereotype pushes them to the corresponding response,

action. This type of reaction takes place in the situation with key actors including decision makers, when

the stereotype impacts the image, general comprehension and what is also important, the policy with

regard to the object of the stereotype.

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Conflicts and stability: three provinces – three specific features

In the course of assessment and analysis of the conflict potential with the use of ICAF methodology in

three provinces of Kyrgyzstan, a whole range of problem areas causing big concern of the population as

potentially conflict dangerous has been identified.

Analysis has confirmed that such system problems as corruption, poor enforcement of laws and lack of

natural resources have been pushed to the background as opposed to such problems as the concern about

personal security, illegal actions of law enforcement bodies, lack of motivation for economic

development.

Monitoring showed that in the public understanding of problems and conflict potential of three provinces

of Kyrgyzstan, generalization, smoothing down differences and specific features in each province are

predominating.

As a result such consolidation (generalization) of problems of the “south” draws attention away from real

problems, which the local population is experiencing, and facilitates escalation of the conflict potential.

The given section is aimed at demonstrating how interconnections between problems specific for each

province, which were mentioned by respondents during the survey, create regional conflict environment.

The survey process in each province was focused on the sources and types of conflicts as well as on

establishing needs, values and positions with regard to basic problems, which were considered. The

survey was focused on establishing catalyzers of conflicts as well as factors leading to stabilization and

conflict proof situations.

OSH PROVINCE

Reference Osh province is situated in the southern part of the country and occupies part of Fergana

valley in the North and Alai valley in the South. In the North it borders with the Republic of Uzbekistan, in the south with the Republic of Tajikistan (with Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous province) and in the east with the Peoples Republic of China (SUAR). The territory is 29.2 thousand square meters; the altitude is from 500 to 7000 meters above the sea level. The population of the province is 1 mln104 thousand 248 persons (1,104,248) out of them 758,036 are Kyrgyz (68.9%), 308,688 Uzbeks (28%), the rest are other ethnic groups (Uigurs, Azerbaijanis, Russians) constituting 3.3%.

Osh city. The population is 258,111 people; 123,738 are Kyrgyz (47,9%), 11, 036 Uzbeks (44.2%), the rest are other ethnic groups (Russians, Turks, Tajiks) constituting (7%). The density of the population of Osh province is 44 persons/km, 25% of the population of the republic live in this region. Osh province is divided into seven districts and it includes Osh city, which has republican status. In total 75 rural bodies of local self-government are operating in the province.

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Monitoring in Osh province covered 310 respondents out of whom: 216 persons have been interviewed

through focus groups and 94 persons through in-depth interviews. The survey was carried out in the following

areas: in Osh city, Kara-Suu, Nookat, Uzgen, Alai, and Kara-Kuldja districts. In the course of monitoring,

respondents mentioned a wide range of problems depending on the specific nature of contact zone (border area

with the Republic of Uzbekistan, post-conflict area, increased conflict sensitivity area, areas lacking natural

resources and etc.).

Basic conflict areas are:

1. Housing and land-related issues

2. Peoples’ dissatisfaction with illegal actions of law enforcement bodies;

3. Politicization of public unions’, religious and international organizations’ activities;

4. Activity of mass media

5. Difficulties in rehabilitating the destroyed economic infrastructure;

6. Enhancement of criminal structures.

Housing and Land-Related Conflicts

A lot of questions and disagreements are arising with regard to construction of destroyed houses during Osh

events7. In Osh city there are more than 30 thousand people strongly needing land plots for individual

construction of housing. Currently the city does not have free land resources for constructing individual

houses. There are repeated cases of self-acquisition of lands in the suburbs of Osh city.

Currently the biggest claims, which have become grounds for conflicts, are expressed in the following issues:

А) Distribution of land plots: conflicts between the local administration with its power in distribution of

land plots and the needing people. Causes for conflicts are: limited land resources, incorrect creation of lists of

needing people, interethnic claims, claims between urban population and internal migrants from nearby

districts and etc.

B) The threat of farm works disruption. The majority of Uzbek peasants don’t go out to their fields and

don’t work for the fear of their security. Their arable land remains non-cultivated, which may bring to shortfall

of crop in autumn this year.

C) Respondents mentioned high interest rates alongside with bureaucratization of the loan issuance

process. For instance, “Ayil Bank” with the interest rate of 9% requires a significant number of documents

taking long time to prepare, which causes discontent of peasants.

D) After the conflict of 2010, monoethnic zones in Osh city are considered to be the source of threat and

the potential for following up conflicts.

7 See the official website of the State Directorate on rehabilitation and development of Osh and Jalalabat cities // http://www.doj.ktnet.kg for more detail on the course of rehabilitation and compensation of the affected people.

The destroyed houses are being restored and two rooms are built per household. Instead of them multi-storeyed houses should have been built. The city hasn’t changed. Some people don’t have even documents for houses. Multi-storeyed buildings should have been built and people should live internationally. I think that if we continue the same way there is no hope that there will be no more war. If we build multi-storeyed houses, there will be enough land resources. From the interview with a citizen of Osh city, 26.03.2011

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Dissatisfaction of the population with illegal activities of security agencies

Respondents pointed out increase of pressure on the part of law enforcement body employees especially

after June events of 2010. The majority of respondents mentioned cases of illegal detention and beating,

racketing, ungrounded accusations on the part of militia employees and their professional incompetence.

Since 2005 all regional subdivisions of ministries and agencies; city and province Departments of Internal

Affairs, Interregional Department for Fighting with Organized Criminality of the Criminal Office of the

KR Ministry of Internal Affairs are situated in Osh city, the Drug Control Agency has its own regional

representation; however in the structure of the MIA there is also a Department dealing with drug business.

Duplicating agencies especially security and fiscal agencies under the condition of a weak central

government, create a competitive policy not only for spheres of influence but also for the plan of

disclosing crimes. This will lead to increased pressure on the part of those agencies on the population of

the region. This trend is specifically highlighted by respondents from Osh city and Osh province.

In their interviews representatives of law enforcement bodies stressed that after April and June events of

2010 a big outflow of qualified personnel from law enforcement bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

was observed. Representatives of ethnic groups pointed out that the composition of law enforcement

bodies is mono-ethnic, which significantly impacts unequal attitude of security bodies to all ethnic

groups.

Politicization of public unions’, religious and international organizations’ activity

During the June conflict the Islamic priesthood was split by ethnicity including informal religious and

political organizations such as Khizb-ut-Takhrir. For part of the population the authority of Islam went

down, public call to praying (“Azan”) currently causes negative associations and emotions. In the eyes of

the other part of the population the convicted Imams (for the untimely calling to praying “Azan” on June

10, 2010) were convicted undeservingly. At the moment the process of Islamic communities’ splitting off

has been observed from the point of view of June 2010 events. Thus in Osh province “Akhmadya”

religious movement is becoming more and more popular. According to what representatives of the

Militia, National Security Council (NSC) come and take away young people and keep them detained for a couple of days. Relatives, parents of young people collect big amounts of money and buy out their children. In our makhalya, El-Bashy (leader) together with militia is pursuing his own interests. The purpose is allegedly to fight with extremism. However you know yourselves it is rural area and our simple young people are hard working people. To escape from militia they go to Russia, Kazakhstan. Only women, children and elderly people stay here. There is nobody to work on the fields. After June events our “azanchi” was convicted to 4 years conventionally and I am visited by NSC officers every two days; they accuse me for giving directions to untimely “azan” during the events.

(From the interview of the religious leader, imam, 04.04.2011)

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Islamic clergy are saying Islam has been adversely affected, there might be rotation and mixing by

ethnicity of Islam servers will improve the situation.

As opposed to the official Moslem clergy in which split off by ethnic belonging was taking place,

there was no split off among representatives of the “Davatchy” movement. After June events the basic

mandatory requirement during establishment of Davatchy groups, was to form mixed groups for

propagation among the population However it was the activity of Davatchy that was criticized most by

respondents. According to them Davatchies are intruding into their personal lives, visiting their houses

and households.

“Ochpos ot” and “Osh Sheitter” public organizations are becoming more and more politically

popular. “Osh sheitter” movement was established during the June conflict of 2010 out of the affected

people. It includes families, who have lost their relatives, family members of those, who were missing

unaccounted-for. After distribution of financial aid from the Government a big number of the affected,

who disagreed with the way how the provided aid was distributed, has separated from the given

movement. They arranged a new union, which was called “Ochpos ot”. There were 71 households, who

had lost their kinsfolk, 700 people, who had gunshot wounds and 67 members of families, whose houses

had been burnt down and 33 families, in which members were missing unaccounted-for. Representatives

of the organization expressed dissatisfaction with the government officials’ and law enforcement bodies’

nonfeasance in investigating June events. The advanced claims were: material and social support to the

affected people from the government (payment of financial compensations, providing with housing, land

plots to families of affected or killed people. The Uzbek community of the city conceives them as the

source of danger and radical nationalism.

International organizations (IO) and activities thereof (rehabilitation of destroyed houses and distribution

of humanitarian aid). The attitude to international organizations is equivocal8. Part of the population takes

them as peace builders helping in rehabilitation of the city and assisting the population to go through post-

conflict period. Never the less it does not hinder them from perceiving IO representatives as people

“pursuing their own interests” and having their own intentions. The population is getting humanitarian aid

but with that they stress that it might have been better if they “were provided with jobs” as it is one-time

assistance, but they would prefer good perspectives for the future. They expressed their concern that Osh

8 Asel Murzakulova Kyrgyzstan postpones decision on OSCE mission to after elections // Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst Johns Hopkins University Vol.12 No.18 – 2010

In our city many Uzbeks work at mosques. We suggested our authorities mixing mosque employees, for example to provide that Imams are appointed in turn: Uzbek, then Kyrgyz, so that they rotate. We were shamed for that and blamed that “we want their power, their position”. I think it was a mistake of the previous government.

From the interview of Osh city mosque Imam. 29.03.2011

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city population may become dependent on humanitarian aid and this will impact peoples’ attitude to

work, cultivating leading-strings mentality.

Mass media activity

As monitoring showed there is low trust to official mass media among the majority of the province

population, broadcasted information is perceived by them as “biased and distorted”. According to the

opinions of the region’s population there is very little positive information in media, people are tired of

negative information providing programs, broadcasts from the court proceeding (on the case of April 7),

accusations of the two former Presidents of the Kyrgyz Republic, meetings and pickets around the White

House (Government House).

One can point out excessive politicization of mass media. Respondents mark that the majority of

politicians and regional leaders have own publications (newspapers, internet websites), in which they

criticize their opponents spreading inauthentic information, “beneficial for the sponsor or owner”.

Rumors, as alternative sources of information, were dominating conflict causing sources for the June

2010 events, especially in Osh and Osh province. Mobile communication was used in disseminating

rumors. Due to this most respondents call for strict control of mass media by the Government.

Difficulties in rehabilitation of the destroyed economic infrastructure

Rehabilitation of the economic infrastructure of the destroyed districts is going on very slowly. The

affected businessmen need finance and security. Most of them are afraid to rehabilitate their businesses

because of raiding captures by criminal groups. Closure of borders with the Republic of Uzbekistan has a

negative impact on economic relations at border areas of the province. Peasants of border areas

experience lack of fertilizers and fuel, which were earlier imported from Uzbekistan. One of the causes

for increasing prices was the closure of borders and increase of smuggled goods volumes.

Enhancement of criminal structures

In the course of monitoring, respondents pointed out that currently there is an ambiguous opinion with

regard to criminal groups. Informal sport groups mobilize around influential persons of the province,

district; they could be criminal authorities or popular people, for instance, deputies of different levels.

They recruit young people - sportsmen, who serve their interests. There might be negative assessment of

their activity but there might be positive attitude to their activity of informal leaders. It is stressed that in

conflict situations they play the role of negotiators between parties, thus regulating the situation.

Criminal groups are political instrument; they influence processes in the regions and are used in the

election campaigns, in distributing economic interests, etc. At local territories where authorities are weak,

the capacity of criminal groups is high.

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Increase of prices at the market. Lack of potable water. Our local administration (village administration) or central government should do something. For example, we have a “brother” in our circle. He tells us very good things. From the interview in Kurshab village, Osh province, 28.03.2011

JALALABAT PROVINCE

Reference: Jalalabat province has the biggest territory in the region, it borders with Namangan province of Uzbekistan. There are such strategic objects as Toktogul hydro power station (HPS), Kambar-Ata HPS. The population is 1,009,889 persons, the ethnic composition of the province is: the Kyrgyz (71.8%), Uzbeks (24.8%), other ethnic groups (3.4%)9

Monitoring in the province covered 289 respondents out of whom 232 were interviewed through

focus groups and 57 through in-depth interviews. The survey was carried out in the following areas:

Jaalabat city, Suzaksky, Nookensky, Bazar-Korgonsky, Aksyisky and Ala-Bukinsky districts. In the

course of monitoring respondents have voiced a wide range of problems depending on the specificity of

the contact zone (border village, post-conflict area, villages that hosted refugees during June events, areas

lacking natural resources, and etc.)

Problems of personal security and actions of law enforcement bodies

In the course of monitoring respondents pointed out that June events and the following situation has

demonstrated the inability of the Government to provide security to citizens. All the groups of population

were concerned by the threat to their security regardless of their ethnicity or size of income. In Suzak and

Bazar-Korgon districts respondents mentioned about the threat to their personal security from law

enforcement bodies.

Especially young people are experiencing difficulties. They cannot go out and walk about the city for the reason that they might be chased by militia. Even if you are not driving but just walking in the street the road police may stop you and ask for passport although the passport regime was not established in the city. The militia is now doing business on certificates of clean record or not being wanted. The cost of the certificate is 1000 som and for the same certificate airport employees require additional payment.

From materials of focus-groups with the youth, Suzak villge, 26.03.2011 For instance recently the Inspection on the Affairs of Children under Age stopped an Uzbek schoolboy and made him write an explanatory note for missing a class. They have scared the boy. Is this admissible? The school administration could have solved the issue themselves.

From materials of a focus group, Yrys village, 26.03.2011 The interethnical marasmus is not among the population but among the law enforcement bodies, if two people of different ethnicities fight with each other by all means they will come and detain the Uzbek,

9 Census of the population and housing of the Kyrgyz Republic. Book III (in tables).

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although he might be the victim. Law enforcement bodies are not the “black”, they are “red” and charge much more. From materials of interviews in Kerben village, 28.03.2011

Political instability and the threat of new escalation of conflicts

In the assessment of respondents the parliamentarian republic and government bodies got the lowest trust

due to the fact that their weakness brings not to settlement and prevention of conflicts but to their

consolidation and in some cases to their escalation. Opinions and behavior of parliament members cause

the feeling of anxiety as any clashes between politicians of different levels are assessed by respondents as

a signal of a new political opposition’s escalation. We have to point out that the period for carrying out

monitoring coincided with the anniversary of the events of March 24, and April 7. Respondents spoke

about circulation of a lot of rumors on the new escalation of protesting movements. The respondents also

stressed the failure of the central government to control and respond to the situation when law

enforcement bodies carry out illegal activities alongside with the wild guesses and rumors forming the

feeling of new escalation of conflicts.

After all these events my house was burnt down. Near the province hospital I had a bakery, which was looted and burnt. After the tragic events I collected all documents and hided them in a stowaway and I myself sleep near the window facing the street so that I could runaway in case of disturbances. My neighbors are in the same situation. Rumors enhance our fears.

From the materials of interviews, Kozho village, 06.04.2011 In Bazar-Korgon several leaders lead the youth in the events and provoked them and now they are in hiding. We will not have such events repeated because both the Kyrgyz and Uzbeks want peace. Those who have money and power use us during election campaigns and for other purposes. Those who burnt houses and hijacked cars were not punished.

From the materials of interviews, Bazar-Korgon village, 04.04.2011.

Border closure by Uzbekistan and attitude towards Border Services

Closed borders have a negative impact on economy. Households’ budgets of the majority population are

formed from farming and selling products, especially abroad. The respondents are concerned by the

increase of prices for agricultural products imported from the Republic of Uzbekistan, limited markets for

livestock products and prices increase for fuel. During agricultural works in spring, the respondents noted

the emerging shortage of fertilizers and other chemical products for land cultivation traditionally supplied

from the Namangan Province in Uzbekistan. Breach of kinship and family links between citizens of

Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic was mentioned as a socially sensitive aspect; there were documented

cases of deportation of ethnic Kyrgyz people - citizens of Uzbekistan to the Kyrgyz Republic which,

according to respondents, also affects the increase in social tension. In terms of security, the respondents

mentioned frequent cases of pressure by the Uzbekistan border guards. The population feels distrust and

21

fear towards the Border Services of both the countries. However, in some contact zones (Chek village),

respondents positively assessed the work of the Kyrgyz Border Service.

For money, our border guards will allow anyone to pass through the border and with anything, even a nuclear bomb.

From the focus group discussions. Sakaldy village, 28.03.2011

Unfair distribution of humanitarian aid

Respondents have diverse attitude towards humanitarian aid. On the one hand, the affected people say

that it helped them to survive; on the other hand, the respondents mentioned about its largely unfair

distribution, which leads to accumulation of the potential for conflict between the affected recipients of

humanitarian aid and the poor. In some cases people refused to obtain humanitarian aid to avoid conflicts.

Everywhere respondents pointed out local authorities’ manipulation with the distribution of humanitarian

aid.

Distribution of humanitarian aid was positively assessed in those villages, where the lists of recipients

were made by mosques (for example, in Suzak village) or local leaders (in Burgondu, Masy, Chek and

Hillya villages). In the course of monitoring, respondents mentioned the short-term effect of the provided

aid and the need to change its content and focus.

Instead of distributing quickly consumed products, it would have been better if they opened some small businesses in the village.

From the focus group discussions in Mamay Ayily, 04.04.2011

They do not care what you have or what you do not have. They believe that, if a person is well dressed, it means that he/she does not need any aid. However, the affected people include both those who need and

those don’t need any aid. From the focus group discussions in Dostuk village, 25.03.2011

Lack of reliable information and the impact of rumors

Monitoring showed that currently respondents don’t have a reliable source of information. With that, they

extremely need a reliable source of objective information due to the increasing impact of rumors.

Respondents conclude whether the information is reliable or not by way of comparing various, sometimes

contradictory information from different sources (TV, radio, newspapers and Internet). The most

influential and partially trustworthy sources of information in the province were “Azatyk” and “the 7th

Channel”. Rumors were among the most accessible and timely information, which people trusted

partially.

There are a lot of rumors now. We hear “people are coming from here and there”. Our neighbors are Uzbeks. There is no trust. We are afraid to walk freely in the evenings. From the focus group discussions in Sai-Korgon village Bazar-Korgon district, 31.03.2011

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When you turn on the TV-set, you see fights between parliament members. We are afraid of rumors, because sometimes they turn to reality.

From the materials focus groups in Jalalabat city, 28.03.2011 We trust the “7th Channel”, because they swore an oath to broadcast only the truth.

From focus group discussions in Burgondu village, Nooken district, 29.03.2011 Young people learnt about the murder in Nookat first from Internet, rumors spread very quickly. I think that 50% of information delivered by Azattyk is true, when the elders come to the mosque we have to correct them when they start talking rumors.

From the interview in Kerben, 26.03.2011

Religion: davatchy and hijab

With respect to religion, the most frequently articulated concern of respondents was uncontrolled activity

of davatists and wearing the hijab10 in secondary schools. According to the respondents davatists should

be controlled by local authorities (for security purpose) and by the Mufti (in terms of the sermons’

contents).

Frequent cases of wearing hijabs in secondary schools give rise to a conflict between parents and

students, on the one hand and school administrators, on the other hand, this leads to refusal to attend

school.

The Government should be recommended to develop the program of davatchy so that they speak about social responsibility of the Muslims and not only about the necessity of namaz.

From the materials of the focus-group, Navoi village, 31.03.2011. After it was prohibited to wear hijabs at schools one girl stopped attending classes.

From the materials of focus-group, Seidicum village, Bazar-Korgonsky district, 04.04.2011 In our school many girls wear hijabs. We cannot control this as by prohibiting them to wear scarves we are violating their rights to the freedom of religion.

From the materials of the focus-group, Yrys village, 26.03.2011.

BATKEN PROVINCE

Reference: Batken province is situated in the south of the Kyrgyz Republic. It borders with the Republic of Tadjikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan. The territory of the province is 16.9 thousand square meters. The length of the territory from the east to the west is 350 km and from the north to the south is 100 km. There are three districts in the territory of the province (Batkensky, Kadamjaisky and Leileksky) and four cities Batken, Kyzyl-Kiya, Sulukta and Isphana). The population of the province is 398.9 thousand people11. The number of permanent residents is about 403,600 persons. The ethnic composition is: the Kyrgyz (76.5%), Uzbeks (14.7%), Tadjiks (6.9%) and other nationalities (Russians, Tatars, Turks) (1.9%). The province center is Batken town with the population of 25.3 thousand persons. Industrial towns are Kyzyl-Kiya and Sulukta.

10 Muslim women's clothing that covers all parts of the body. Often hijab means only scarf covering most part of the head 11 Census of population and housing stock of the Kyrgyz Republic. Book III (in tables). Regions of Kyrgyzstan. Batken province. National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, 2010, p. 14.

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Monitoring covered 264 respondents, 162 of them were interviewed through focus-groups and 102

through in-depth interviews. The survey was carried out in the following contact zones: in towns Batken,

Kyzyl-Kiya, Isphana and in Leileksky, Kadamjaisky, Batkensky districts. During the monitoring survey a

wide range of issues depending on the specific nature of the territories, were mentioned (bordering

village, post-conflict area, villages that hosted refugees during June events, areas experiencing lack of

natural resources and etc.). Based on the “voices” collected from the citizens of the province a general

picture was created of the conflictogenic zones of the province and possible sustainability in the society12.

Basic conflict areas:

1. Cross-border and territorial issues

2. Lack of resources and their unfair distribution: land and water resources;

3. Unemployment;

4. Criminalization and drug trafficking.

Cross-border and territorial issues

51 incidents took place at bordering areas of Kyrgyzstan over the past year 2010. Out of them, 26

happened at Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, 24 at Kyrgyz-Tajik border and 1 incident happened at Kyrgyz-Kazakh

border. Currently the line of the border has been agreed at the government level for 1,058,83 km out of

1,378,44 km. With that still there are disputes around 61 parts of the border with the total length of 32.3

km. Negotiations with Tajikistan on delimitation of the state border have been carried out since December

2002. For the past period 19 meetings have been conducted.

Border and customs conflicts

Causes: Closure of borders with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Catalysts of conflict: illegal extortions, biased

inspection of goods, documents, and detention of citizens.

Example: most often in areas of border and customs posts between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the

Internatzional village in KR and Ovchi-Kalacha in RT, Kayragach in KR and etc.

Our relatives live in villages bordering with Tajikistan, if one needs to go to weddings or funerals, they will not let you pass without a bribe (100-150 som). 100% of the products we buy in Tajikistan, and sometimes goods bought for our consumption are not allowed to cross the border, therefore, we have to carry them through the houses located at the border. As border and customs points are located in the same place, there are cases when border guards take bribes first and then the road is blocked by customs officers. This is double extortion.

From focus group discussions in the Internatzional village, Leilek district, 06.04.2011

Border conflicts related to migration of residents of the bordering states to the territory of the Kyrgyz

Republic:

Causes. Illegal residence and purchase of real estate in Batken province of KR. There is a trend to a

gradual slipping of the KR boundaries.

12 Citizens of Tajikistan attacked Kyrgyz frontier guards: http://www.for.kg/ru/news 08.04.2011.

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Cross-border issues and security

Causes: penetration of terrorist groups, drug trafficking channels, criminalization of the border areas, and

etc.

We live on the border, which does not exist; we are separated only by a road. At any point the conflict in

Tajikistan may affect us. During the civil war in Tajikistan many refugees came to our village, many of

them were hiding here. Nobody knows whether they are guerillas or civilians. Anyone who wants to hide

temporarily stay in our village with their relatives as Tajiks and Uzbeks also live in our village. Often at

night there are shootings, there was a case when after the shooting an ID of the state security service

officer of Tajikistan was found. It turned out that this person had been wanted by the security services for

a long time.

From the focus group discussions in Janyjer village, Leylek district, 7.04.2011

Lack and uneven distribution of resources: land and water

Water- related issues

Currently flows of the Kozu-Baglan, Andarak, Ak-Sai, Kok-Darya and Ak-Suu rivers within the province

are not used, although there is an acute shortage of irrigation and drinking water in this province. These

rivers play special role in the economic life of the province as sources of irrigation, municipal and

household water supply and for small hydropower stations13.

Cause: The existing water supply system in this province is trans-boundary. Therefore, it becomes a cause

of frequent disputes that arise between residents and owners of lands in the bordering areas of Tajikistan

and Kyrgyzstan. The problem of water resources distribution is permanent and the most acute at both

local residents and national levels.

Example: Disputes on water distribution:

1. Hodja-Bakyrgan river provides water to both Leilek district in the Kyrgyz Republic and Gafurovski

and Rasulovski districts in Tajikistan.

2. The Tajik pumping channel links Kyrgyz and Tajik water users in the Arka-Kistakuz zone in Leilek

district of the KR and Gafurovski district of Tajikistan.

Territorial (land) problems

Cause: geographic location, lack of demarcation and delimitation of borders between Kyrgyzstan and

Tajikistan, which causes frequent disputes about which particular territory the land belongs to. Decreasing

of the KR territories through illegal exploitation of disputed areas or unauthorized use of pasture lands.

13 Investment in KR. Batken province // URL: http://www.kyrgyzinvest.com/batken.php

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Example: 1) 8 April 2011. A conflict at Kapchygay frontier outpost territory (Batken province). Kyrgyz

border guards prohibited Tajik citizens to illegally load macadam in heavy trucks. In response, around 20

Tajik citizens attacked the Kyrgyz border guards and tried to seize their arms, the border guards had to

shoot into the air, after which the attackers ran away to the territory of Tajikistan. Later, about 100

residents of the Tajik village Matchainy dissatisfied with the actions of the Kyrgyz border guards blocked

the Batken - Ak-Sai highway and threw stones at the car of the village militiaman from the KR. In

response, 60 residents of the Kyrgyz Ak-Sai village dissatisfied with the actions of Tajik citizens blocked

the Isfara-Vorukh highway. The conflict was resolved only when heads of the border troops of both the

republics, militiamen, head of Aksai village council, as well as heads of district department of interior and

the district department of the NSC from Isfara district of Tajikistan arrived.

2) 17 March 2011 – the conflict in the Chorkuh village Isfara district in Tajikistan on the border with

Batken district of Batken province in Kyrgyzstan.

The density of the population in this region is constantly increasing, which leads to the increase of

conflict potential based on the need of more resources required for livelihood. “History shows that many

conflicts in the border areas are mainly due to disputes relating to access to water and land. Although in

the past both countries experienced bloodshed, neither Tajikistan, nor Kyrgyzstan are protected from the

threat of such conflicts in the future”14.

Unemployment

One of the most important indicators of recession in Batken province is unemployment. Closeness of the region, natural and geographical conditions, remoteness from the center of the country worsen isolation of the majority of citizens in professional terms, not to mention lower standards of living. The main income generating activity is agriculture, to a greater extent – cultivation of fruit trees: apricots, peaches, cherries, and etc. However, revenue from this activity is seasonal and people use outdated traditional technologies. Most part of the profit is retained by intermediaries from neighboring countries, who buy in bulk good quality, labor-intensive, but very cheap products. Marketable crops – rice, tobacco and etc. are cultivated in limited quantities. Most young people are forced to migrate to the northern part of the country, while the majority move abroad, mainly to Russia and Kazakhstan to fill the niche of the most low-skilled workers in construction, services sector, and to work in the bazaars and etc. Remittances of labor migrants form the main income of residents in Batken province.

Three of my four sons work in Batken, two daughters have left. They find ways to make money and help each other. I am distressed. The youngest daughter is only 17 years old; she has not completed secondary school education. It is not right to send almost all my children so far away to another country. But they understand that in order to have money for education, housing or bride-price, they have to earn money, and there is no job here for them. We, elders, can collect apricots by ourselves, but it is not enough for living.

14 Tokhir Safar. Anxiety spring on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border // Obshestveny Rating, No 12(522), 31.03.11.

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From an interview with a resident of Aksay village, Batken province, 27.03.2011

Criminalization and drug trafficking

Remoteness, frequent rotation of the government in the country, weakness of the state, as well as cross-

border areas are major factors for criminalization in the region. Speaking of criminal groups, the majority

of respondents named people from state authorities, parliamentarians, law enforcement agencies and

sometimes religious leaders. Their activities are mainly focused on smuggling across the border of

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, especially since last year, when the borders were officially closed. However

the population of the province is well aware of “special” paths, bridges, border crossings, where for a

certain bribe border guards or members of criminal organizations can provide you with a permit for

crossing the border and transportation of goods.

Conditions in the KR are good, there are no barriers, and you just need a good “front”. If you need a “front” from “obschak”, you have to pay to the officials.

Corruption, “the right friends”. For example, I do not pay taxes in full, because I have a friend, otherwise I would have to pay more.

Drug trafficking. There are rumors that the Chief of the Interior Department is involved in this. Smuggling: goods do not pass customs clearance, and every day 80 KAMAZ trucks of goods go to

Tajikistan. From the interview with a businessman in Isfana city, Leilek district 27.03.2011

Batken province (especially Leilek district) is considered to be one of the corridors for drug

trafficking in Central Asia. The established channels of transportation and weakness of the state in this

region allows criminalization of the region as a sort of “gray area” not only for drug trafficking, but also

for illegal groups to stay in this territory. Almost the entire period of independence there were initiatives

and projects to tighten control and prevent drug trafficking channels, but constant political instability,

especially in such a remote area as Leilek district in Batken province at the very southern boundary of the

Kyrgyz Republic with Tajikistan, proximity to Afghanistan and other countries hinder such efforts.

Mass media and conflict

Batken province in terms of information spread can be considered to be the most isolated from the

common information space of the country. Each district has its own specific features of broadcasting. In

this district, the most popular media among residents, especially young people, is “Salam” radio, which

started broadcasting 10 years ago. Beside music and information, both at the national and regional levels,

this channel offers advertising services, as well as implements social projects on the alert and raising

listeners’ awareness on a variety of topics - from civic education to the problems of maternal mortality

and ways to prevent it. The “Salam” radio is one of the most effective and long-term media projects

throughout the region.

Information space is one of the most important tools in both positive coverage of events and possible

escalation of conflicts, as it was in Osh and Jalalabat on the eve of June 2010 events.

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We do not have any mass media, previously we had Leilek TV, but it was privatized and soon stopped

broadcasting at all. There is only a local newspaper “Ata Jurt” founded by the district administration. It

reflects the views of the official authorities only. We have never had radio. It is because of the lack of

radio and TV, the riots took place on April 23-24 in Isfana, where the provokers spread rumors that

Kyrgyz people are coming from Bishkek to oust Uzbeks living in Isfana, and that they have already

reached Karabulak village, which is 5 km from Isfana. As it turned out later, it was a provocation

organized by a group of representatives of different ethnic groups in order to seize power in the district.

From an interview in Isfana city, Leylek district, Batken province

The threat of mudslides. For the lack of lands people build houses and important social facilities such as

schools on the mudflow dangerous areas. This problem is particularly acute in Batken district.

Mudslides protecting devices were not taken into account during the construction of the village. The channel often breaks down and slowly restores. In one case, the territory of the school was filled with mudflows, it was impossible to breathe, as mudflows brought all rubbish.

From the focus group discussions in Internatzional village, Leilek district, 06.04.2011

Humanitarian aid. Respondents perceive humanitarian aid in different ways. Only a small part of the

population perceived it absolutely positively. Some respondents stated that they were offended by the

poor quality and expired “humanitarian aid” – “I wish we did not receive it at all”. Most respondents

stated that the priority in providing such international aid should not be provision with food, clothing, and

etc., but the ability to regularly make / form income to buy them. Epithets appeared among the population

reflecting the society’s attitude towards such aid – “humanitarian dependency”, “humanitarian injection”.

We should not teach people to dependency, everyone should earn his bread himself.

From the focus group discussions in Janyjer village, Leilek district, 07.04.2011

Ways and forms of social organization

One of the focuses of the research was social environment – the tissue of the society, channels and levels

of interaction, mobilization and vice versa – components of fragmentation, symbols and leaders

recognized in the community and how all this affects everyday lives and perception of ordinary people.

How people interact with each other, how they form categories – trust and solidarity in post-conflict

situation? In this case, focus of the survey “through the prism of the conflict” remains social interaction in

Kyrgyzstan after the events of June 2010.

Analysis of the social environment started from three components of social communication:

Respected people and their role in the community;

Mediatory practices;

Methods of information circulation.

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The main leading questions in this survey demonstrating such practices were as follows: How do you solve problems in your communities? Do you feel safe in your community? Whom and what do you rely on when you are in a difficult situation? What do you expect from formal and informal institutions? Which of them work effectively and

which are ineffective? Where do you get information about what's happening in your community or region? Which

sources of information do you trust more?

Authoritative people and their role in communities

Authoritative people as a potential category are discussed from two perspectives:

as a public institution; and

as a person, a certain individual with a significant reputational resource and having major impact

on a particular situation.

When comparing “formal” and “informal” institutions, the majority of respondents still demonstrated

inertial respect to the government authorities (perhaps a Soviet-paternalist respect for hierarchy). People

related to power with political, but short-term resources like government institutions – “kyzmat,

kyzmatchylyk” are regarded as authoritative people.

However, respondents noted frequent rotation of government officials in recent years, particularly at the

upper levels of the government, which devalues credibility of the government. In terms of reputation, the

attitude towards the government is not so positive, especially towards regional and national level

governments. Ordinary people expressed their “mistrust” and noted their “regional remoteness”, and used

the following epithets – “temporary government”, “thieves”, “the same people as before”, “they do not

care about us”, and etc.

Most frequently criticized official positions are: “governor” (former and current), law enforcement

bodies, deputies (of any level), aiyl okmotu, and others.

The attitude towards local governments is most controversial; respondents mentioned a certain “input”,

attempts to “do something”. Typically, this level of the government is perceived more positively,

although the level of corruption, formalization of responsibilities and limited abilities were mentioned as

well. Attitude towards law enforcement bodies is actually negative.

Practically most interviewees positively assessed traditional institutions, as the most sustainable and

effective methods of conflict resolution. These institutions as methods of communities self-organization

and mobilization in this region are the most popular and active ones. During the escalation of conflict,

these institutions have become the main framework maintaining important communication between

people from different regions, ethnic groups, and etc. Ensuring different levels of interaction, they have

become an important basis for maintaining peace at the local level.

Each community has its own leaders respected by everyone – “On-Bashy”, Juz-Bashy”. In their activity formal institutions rely on the authority of community leaders and individuals.

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From the focus group discussions in Isfana city, Leilek district, 27.03.2011

Let’s consider the most frequently mentioned authoritative institutions:

Institute of aksakals (elders) was mentioned in all three provinces (Osh, Jalalabat and Batken). Despite

criticism, they are recognized as the most influential at community level, especially in the traditional age

hierarchy. However, in some provinces of Kyrgyzstan (Chui, Issyk-Kul) this institute was somewhat

discredited in recent years, and people often call them metaphorically as “elders on duty”.

Jamaats is a social organization community, which is formed based on kinship relationship (clan/family)

and neighborhood. The key leader (usually recognized by all) is called “Jamaat –Bashy”, or based on the

number of households - “On-Bashy”, “Juz-Bashy” and etc.

“Mahalya-committees”, as mentioned by the respondents, are representatives of community committees

in the Mahalya . Despite the stereotype that this social organization is perceived only as affiliation to the

culture of ethnic Uzbeks, in fact representatives of other nationalities also live in Mahalyas.

Joro is an institution of a small informal community, which is formed on the basis of friendship, age,

regional affiliation, place of birth, and etc. This institution is gaining popularity among young and

middle-aged generation. The main tradition observed by the institute in its activities is joint celebrations

and funerals based on the principle of “jamandyk menen jakshylyk – “joint black pay-box”. The basic

principle of interaction is mutual assistance, joint celebration of major events of the Joro member-

families. As a rule, the leader Joro-Bashy or El-Bashy is elected by voting.

Basic rituals observed by this institution in such mobilizations are as follows:

Ashar – mutual aid, usually a collective construction work: building schools, roads, canals,

cleaning of irrigation ditches, and etc.

Sherine - is joint usually monthly celebration of festivities by turn (in every family).

“Black / joint pay-box” - collecting a certain fixed amount of money monthly for activities and

assistance;

“Gyap” (conversation), “Ziefat” (joint eating) – joint weekly / monthly meetings of like-minded

residents of one district and discussion of urgent issues.

An interesting thing is the process of changing the status of the authoritative body/person and its social

burden over the past 20 years. Recently, it was a representative of a political party, trade union or people

in key positions of a certain professional hierarchy – manager of a plant, school director, livestock

30

specialist. Today, it is usually a religious leader, most likely, “azhy” (a person, who made the pilgrimage

to the holy Muslim centers in Mecca and Medina) or a local businessman, a deputy, a person with some

influence in the “sports environment”.

According to respondents “sportsmen” are included into a certain social elevator mobilizing young people

around higher level authoritative individuals or formal and informal (including criminal) leaders.

Mediation practice as the most popular way of resolving disputes and conflicts in the given territory has

three main forms:

Traditional, where major mediators are representatives or heads of the traditional self-

organizations – El-Bashy, Joro-Bashy, On-Bashy and others. A popular practice is when mediators in the

conflict are respected elders – aksakals. We have observed a notable example, when women activists of

local communities (women's council “On-Adyra” in microdistrcit “Amir Timur” in Osh city) were trying

to establish communication with female activists from Alai. As a result of mutual visits and negotiations

they were the first to establish communication between “On-Adyr” and Alai – areas that are

stereotypically presented as the most involved in inter-ethnic conflict in June 2010.

Initially, we had a hard time talking to each other, there were suspicions, we were afraid of each other. There were offends and hatred. But we need to live, as we have always lived in the same neighborhood. We do not want our district On-Adyr to be perceived as a place to be scared of. We all have children and grandchildren. They need peace, and may they not see that sorrow, which we saw. We are united by a common grief – mother’s grief and common future on this earth. From an interview with a female resident of the microdistrict On-Adyr, Osh province.

Formal practice of mediation at the official level, meetings to resolve local conflicts involving

representatives of the state apparatus, usually having equal status in state service (eg. Deputy Governor of

Batken province of KR and Deputy Governor of Sughd Province of Tajikistan). The main normative

documents for regulation of these processes are official documents.

New forms of mediation introduced through various international projects are “mediation

schools”, “public diplomats” and etc. According to our conclusions, these projects have not justified the

invested funds and efforts, as they have not yet demonstrated their activities and effectiveness. Perhaps it

would be much more effective to attract and maintain the existing authoritative institutions using and

enhancing traditional practices.

Generational factor in case of mediation in ethnic conflicts was often noted by respondents, even not so

much the generational aspect, as the ideological factor, as an indicator of the shift from the collective-

Soviet paradigm to the new individualistic one. This complex transit itself implicitly creates the potential

for conflict, which today is reflected in the controversial views of the new young generation and the

generation formed on the basis of internationalist policy of the Soviet Union. In this sense, the question of

what and who will be a meditative resource in the future remains open.

31

Generation of 30 to 40-year-olds is the last internationalists, who were born and brought up in the ideology of “friendship of peoples”. Today they are trying and still can stop the tragedy and the conflict. However, a new generation of young people is growing in conditions of general marginalization and identity crisis. They have not the culture of internationalism, this leads to the greater risk for future generations of Kyrgyz people.

From interviews with civic activists, Osh 27.03.2011

Information circulation through major communication sources and platforms

Paradoxically, years of independence and transformation of the social and political system led to the

revival of traditional institutions of communication. Today, popular places of communication most

frequently mentioned by respondents are markets, cattle markets, mosques, tea houses, ashhanas and

men's bathhouses.

Usually once a week – on a “bazaar kun” (market day) - people from all regions and remote villages

come to such places sometimes, not only to buy goods, but to get updated information on the current

situation. According to respondents, like centuries ago, the main method of communication and source of

information are rumors.

For certain regions the most available national media are OTRK (news channels) and El-TR, while the

most popular independent radio is “Azzatyk”; in Batken province it is “Salam” radio.

Each region and area has its own broadcasting media. Currently, in Batken province there are not only the

media of neighboring countries - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, but also Pakistan and

Afghanistan. In Batken province, which is a pilot region in terms of digital TV, digital television is

available for only 20% of the local population, and due to the lack of rebroadcasting transmitters in 16

villages of Leilek district the first national channel is not available for the population at all.15

National information policy is urgent in these regions, as in these areas it is not just provision of

information, but it is a political issue relating to state sovereignty.

15 For more details please see: “In Batken province, the main problem is the information security” - A. Burkanov, Governor, AKI Press (Batken). February 7, 2011

32

Social capital – status indicators:

education, health, unemployment and migration

The research shows that transformation, namely the decline of social capital in the past decade leads to

accumulation of protesting potential in the society. This tendency is most clearly seen in the researched

regions. Attitude towards the state acting through basic institutions – education and health care

institutions – reflects the general tendency of distrust to the government and overall marginalization,

particularly in the remote regions.

Education:

Respondents in all three provinces are extremely concerned by erosion of the social capital. Such negative

trends as low-quality health care services and decreasing of quality of education in schools are the main

catalysts for marginalization of the society. It contributes to stratification of the society by the difference

in people’s incomes, which in turn is a catalyst for accumulation of the potential for conflict.

These trends contribute to social discontent and protests at the local level, because every citizen

interacting with the basic social institutions (education and health institutions) forms his relationship with

the state and society. As a result, the rapidly deteriorating quality of education and health services,

compared to services that were provided during the Soviet period, indicates sectoral problems and the

status of the state (as well as the state’s attitude to the society) 16.

Monitoring results in the three provinces showed that the quality of education in schools is decreasing

both at infrastructural level of (lack of programs to maintain the existing and build new schools), and in

respect of social prestige (low quality of education in conditions of economic stagnation makes education

less important compared to earning for living)17.

In the school of Seydekum village algebra and chemistry are taught based on teacher’s notes, as there are no textbooks on these disciplines and they have only one copy of textbooks in each disciplines.

From the workshop with the monitors in Jalalabat Province, 28 April 2011

Decrease in the quality of school education leads to increasing marginalization of the youth. Youth

groups that are not covered by educational institutions are more often manipulated and mobilized in

criminal, political and protest acts, and as the 2010 events showed, are recruited as a driving force of

conflicts.

16 Notably, public recognition and popularity of the president Kurmanbek Bakiyev during his first term was largely due to introduction of compulsory breakfasts for schoolchildren at state budget expense. This step was an important part of his PR-campaign, and it brought him good dividends. 17 National research on child poverty and inequalities in the Kyrgyz Republic / ed. ISAO UNICEF – Bishkek 2009.

33

Schoolchildren follow the criminal relationship model, which is based on “concepts”, expressed in such

forms as racketeering, “obshchak’, ‘locomotives’ (responsible for collecting money for the ‘obschak’). As

a result, alternative channels of youth socialization, such as: madrasas, mosques, sports clubs and others

are becoming more popular.18

Despite the fact that the level of school attendance is formally very high, according to unofficial data,

about 40,000 children do not attend school.19 The system of values of this social group should be

researched separately.

Children are illiterate; only mosques are constructed and not schools. From the focus group discussions Osh city, 05.04.2011

Another aspect is segregated education in the Kyrgyz and Uzbek schools, which according to

respondents, is a factor contributing to ethnic stereotypes. Mixed schools with classes in both languages

usually experienced fewer problems with ethnic segregation of schoolchildren widely spread in both

urban and rural areas.

At the same time, as mentioned by respondents, studying in Uzbek language schools is less

appropriate as for the labor market outside the community, representatives of all ethnic groups – Kyrgyz

citizens should better know Kyrgyz and Russian languages. Currently schools with the native language20

teach Kyrgyz and Russian only two hours a week. Respondents pointed out the need to include more

Russian classes, as well as improve the quality of the school curricula.

Kyrgyz language is not a problem for us; we would like to have Russian classes in our school, because our children go to work in Russia. From the focus group discussions in Shark rural authority, Medresse village, Kara-Suu district,

02.04.2011 It is better to close Uzbek schools, so that children attend Russian and Kyrgyz classes. Their future depends on this.

From the focus group discussions in Nariman village, Kara-Suu district, 08.04.2011

We mainly studied in Uzbek schools. If we knew the Russian language well enough, we could have better job opportunities.

From the focus group discussions in Osh, Centre for Migration and Employment, 30.03011

Professional infrastructure of schools is declining, a catastrophic shortage of school teachers is observed

not only in the researched provinces, but everywhere in Kyrgyzstan. As stated in the NASEA country

18 Sports clubs are often used by criminal groups for recruiting new members and in some cities is the social base for criminal groups. 19 Yuldasheva N., 2009. “According to unofficial data, about 40,000 children do not attend school in Kyrgyzstan”//IA 24.kg, 31 March 2009 // URL: http://www.24.kg/parlament/48462-2009/03/31/110587.html. 20See Basic curriculum for primary and secondary schools with native language for 2010/2011 academic year / / Kutbilimot August 28, 2010

34

research “approximately 25% of students from schools covered by the research, did not have one or more

natural science disciplines in the 2004-2005 academic year. Only 3% of students studied in schools with

teachers on natural science disciplines, while 72% of vacancies were filled by teachers of other

disciplines”.21 It should be noted that teacher's salary is 61% of the country average wages.22 Obviously,

poor quality of education in secondary school affects the next stages of education. Taken together, these

form a social base for the generation, which can easily be recruited for different kinds of conflicts.

The role of schools in post-conflict situation:

Monitoring showed that in post-conflict environment, schools became one of the centers of public

reconciliation and interaction of people in the community. Mass sports and cultural activities, joint

national holidays involving students from different language schools were held everywhere in all the

three researched provinces. Despite unconditionally positive

effects of such joint activities, it should be pointed out that they

have a short-term impact, and for prevention of conflict we need a

systematic activity aimed at identifying causes of conflict

escalation among the youth. Efforts should focus on the formation

of crisis management and comprehensive educational policy in

schools, regardless of the teaching language, this trend should be

regarded as an important element of policies to restore trust and

consolidate the society.

21 See: National assessment of Educational Progress (NASEA) of the Kyrgyz Republic. The results for 2007 and 2009. / Held by NASEA at the request of MoES KR under the Rural Education Project funded by the World Bank // URL: www.testing.kg 22 National Human Development Report for 2009-2010//URL: http://www.undp.kg/ru/resources/e-library/article/28-e-library/1317-nacionalnyj-doklad-o-razvitii-cheloveka-20092010

School as a center of public

diplomacy

Element of the policy aimed at

restoring trust and consolidation

of the society

35

The role of health care institutions in post-conflict situations:

Health and medical care services are vitally important in the formation of people's perception of personal

safety. Access to health care is part of state guarantees to prevent uncertainty in case of a disease. One of

the lowest number of health care staff among CIS countries is in Kyrgyzstan, and their acute shortage can

be observed throughout the country. It even more relates to nurses. The health care system is staffed with

doctors by 70% and nursing staff – by 55%.23

The main reason for this situation is low salaries of health care staff. According to statistics,

salaries in health care and social services sectors in January-September 2008 constituted 65% of the

average wages in the country24.

Actions of doctors and medical personnel during the

conflict and in post-conflict period were not

specifically highlighted by respondents. There were no

refusals to provide medical care services to people of

other ethnicities. In some cases, eg. in Ak-Syi district

there was one case when people were forced to donate

their blood.

Respondents unanimously underlined unequal access

to medical services depending on income size. They

stressed the high level of corruption among health care workers, along with lack of access to health

services in remote areas. Narrowing access to health care services in many ways contributes to

accumulation of protest potential to the state as the primary health care provider.

In the maternity ward in Ak-Syi district after a woman gives birth to a child, her relatives are required to donate blood. If relatives refuse, medical workers either do not give a newborn baby or extort bribe (3,000 KGS instead of blood). Why do they take blood? Can anyone control the situation? A complaint was filed and there came a commission. Two mothers confirmed this fact. However, when the commission left, doctors yelled at the women. Women say that they must organize a protest in this very hospital. From the focus group discussions in Olon-Bulak village, Aksy 2.04.2011 If we get sick and come to the hospital, medical workers ask us where we work, who our parents are and then say that there are no beds in the wards. If you do not give a bribe, they will not give you even a prescription. They say - no beds in the ward, but if you pay 500 KGS, they will quickly find a bed for you. They also extort bribe before surgery.

From the materials of focus group, Olong-Bulak village, Aksy, 2.04.2011

23 National Human Development Report for 2009-2010

24 National Human Development Report for 2009-2010

Announcement in the center of Osh city

36

Unemployment and migration

Both internal and external migration is typical for all the three surveyed provinces. 25 It is even more

acute in hard to reach border villages and depressed small towns with half-ruined or destroyed

production. Despite the established perception of the demographic situation in Ferghana valley as an

overpopulated, with respect to its Kyrgyz part there is a problem of high migration rates, and as a

consequence, the boundaries are declining.

High and sometimes total unemployment gives raise to new forms of labor relations, for example - the

mardiger market.26 All the three provinces are agricultural areas that focus on agricultural products.

However, despite the fact that in rural areas income depends on employment, the proportion of persons

involved in agriculture is increasingly reducing with 55.0% in 1999 to 45.9% in 2009.

25 Political processes in Kyrgyzstan, 2008-2010: Forecast of the Analytical Centre Polis Asia // URL: http://www.centrasia.ru/newsA.php?st=1220957100

26 Civilian job market

37

Main sources of income of the population27

An important feature of migration is adopting nationality of the host country. According to the latest

information, 270,000 citizens of Kyrgyzstan have adopted Russian citizenship. The second generation of

Kyrgyzstani citizens will be born in Russia. The exact number of Kyrgyz citizens with two passports –

Russian and Kyrgyz is still unknown.28

Conclusion

The research showed that the conflictogenic potential in the three surveyed provinces has its own specific

features, but a common catalyst for escalating tensions and generating various kinds of conflicts is a

systematic inability to resolve social and economic problems, weakness and inefficiency of the state’s

respond to them.

The main conclusion of the research is that the conflict generating environment in the surveyed provinces

of the Kyrgyz Republic is part of the whole social and political transformation process taking place

across the country. This process is associated with many factors, primarily, weakness of the

state/government. That is why the most remote from the political center provinces of the country –

Batken, Jalalabat and Osh were the areas of potential conflicts, which people describe using a metaphor

“it tears, where it is thin”.

Systemic management crisis in recent political history of Kyrgyzstan has substantially influenced social

relationship and enhanced accumulation of the potential for conflict. The collapse of standards as ‘basic

27 Census and Housing Census of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2009 / / Official site of the National Statistical Committee of Kyrgyz Republic // URL: www. stat.kg 28 More than 270,000 Kyrgyz citizens became citizens of Russia / / News Agency AkiPress // URL: http://kg.akipress.org/news:351361

38

rules of the game in the society’, as well as collapse of infrastructure and social and cultural relationships

led to irreversible processes – systemic failures. Their signals and indicators are a variety of conflict

zones.

Answering the question of the research: How the current state of the social capital in the Kyrgyz Republic

is associated with conflicts and how it affects accumulation of a conflict environment?

We came to the conclusion that the three basic factors are triggers which lead to conflicts or create a base

for conflicts: the decline in the quality of school education, poor quality of health care services and social

consequences of labor migration.

Monitoring showed that people in all provinces are extremely concerned by these three indicators. Such

factors as poor quality of health care services and decline in the quality of schools education are the main

catalysts for marginalization of the society. These factors contribute to stratification of the society by

income, which in its turn is a catalyst for accumulation of the potential for conflict. These trends also

contribute to the increase of a social discontent and creation of protest environment at the local level,

because every citizen interacting with the basic social institutions (education and health institutions)

forms own understanding of relations between the government and the society.

Results of monitoring showed that efforts aimed at conflict prevention, as well as their analysis, should be

aimed at researching ideas, knowledge, needs, fears and goals of each party. Post-conflict restoration of

credibility should include mutual clarifications, guarantees and potential participation of the parties

involved in the conflict. One should take into account that ‘analysis of the conflict requires pure and

honest communication, where the parties remain sensitive to common mistakes in perception and

cognition, and demonstrate deep understanding of each other’.29

Effective post-conflict regulation requires qualified and impartial opinion – of the third party, whose

mission would be strengthening motivation for reconciliation, establishing communication, assistance in

identifying mistakes.

Ethnic aspect perceived as the key aspect in the June 2010 events is closely linked to the struggle for power. As was noted in the research by Neil Melvin: “As the events of May and June demonstrated, interethnic relations now stand at the epicenter of the conflict processes in Kyrgyzstan, although they are not the root cause of conflict in the country. Over the last decade the growing political confrontation, which has been essentially an intra-Kyrgyz dispute, has steadily eroded the state in Kyrgyzstan and promoted confrontation and even violent mass politics”30.

29 Neil Melvin. On the way to multinational Kyrgyzstan: how to eliminate the causes and break the vicious circle of violence / / Central Eurasia Project. Aperiodic series. Issue 3. March 2011. 30 30Neil Melvin. On the way to multinational Kyrgyzstan: how to eliminate the causes and break the vicious circle of violence / / Central Eurasia Project. Aperiodic series. Issue 3. March 2011

39

Through the voices of respondents this research confirms that social relationships and communications

between ordinary people are currently regulated mostly by traditional institutions and mutual assistance

practitioners, with no regard to the state. When focusing on the analysis of areas of clashes in June 2010,

we should not forget about examples of mass resistance to the conflict, which was demonstrated by

villages with mixed and mono-ethnic population.

Currently, stable factors in the post-conflict situation are traditional institutions and traditional

mechanisms of social organization of people. Where there is less state power, renaissance of traditional

models can be increasingly observed. The question is whether this is the beginning of something new –

‘one’s way’, or vice versa immersion into marginalization? – is an open question and is the case for

another more detailed research, where the starting point should be human capital, social environment and

communication.

40

For Mass Media:

1. Avoid generalizing statements like “the south”, which leads to suppression of the specificity of

problems of each province. The information policy should include programs, showing

commonness of problems irrespective of the region.

2. Observe balance in providing social-oriented information to the public.

3. The content and emotions should not focus on acts of violence.

4. Avoid demonstration of artificial acts of ‘reconciliation’, causing adverse effect among the

population, especially among eye-witnesses of the events.

5. Pay attention to improving competence of regional mass media employees; expand different

approaches to the development of the information content, using no stale formats, for example:

covering activities of the government agencies only, or politics.

For the State Directorate:

6. Set up a Communication Center under the State Directorate as mediation mission of the third

party to settle disputes in distribution of housing and aid, establish communication with the

affected residents, address the most complicated / sensitive issues related to further activity.

7. Change the format of interaction with the affected people: switch from individual meetings inside

the State Directorate office to visiting missions (to the places of destruction and restoration)

involving affected people from certain districts, to ensure communication, discussion and

addressing issues in an open and accessible format.

8. Enhance interaction with district committees, house committees and local leaders in order to

prevent rumors and disseminate information about the activities of the State Directorate.

9. Strengthen the image-related policy of the organization at the national and regional levels.

10. Increase transparency of the inputted resources; publish monthly reports on expenditure in mass

media and make the reports available to the public.

For the Government:

Recommendations:

41

11. Develop a common national strategy with respect to donor organizations, including development

strategy for the local level - with representatives of NGOs and regional / local authorities, to

maximize effective use of the received funds and avoid parallel (duplicating) or contradictory

actions.

12. Adjust personnel policy in government agencies and law enforcement bodies taking into account

the ethnic composition in each region.

13. Tighten control over the activities of “davatchy” in the territory of Kyrgyzstan.

14. Avoid clichés where two regions are opposed to each other. Do not use the dichotomy “South –

North” and correct the public discourse.

15. Create a ground, where affected people could express their concerns, in the format of “a step

towards forgiveness”.

16. Use tools and methods of public diplomacy and traditional institutions as the proven means of

reconciliation.

17. On border issues: speed up the process of demarcation and delimitation of borders between

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

18. Strengthen and develop the border areas through a system of incentives, tax holidays and creation

of social services for the population.

19. Make efforts to speed up opening of borders with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

20. Education. Distribution of pupils in schools not by ethnicity, but based on geographic location.

21. Support regional, private and popular mass media. For example: “Salam” radio in Batken

province.

For law enforcement agencies:

22. Stop the policy of repressions against the Uzbek community.

23. Carry out a comparative monitoring and analysis of owners of businesses before and after the

events of June 2010 to identify raider grabs and initiate criminal investigation.

42

24. Form a list of documents that the citizens should make available for the inspection by law

enforcement officials in public places and broadly communicate the list in mass media.

25. Strengthen the activity of press services for prompt informing the population and preventing

rumors.

For civil society organizations:

26. Carry out ad hoc and ongoing civil monitoring of the activities of the following bodies:

a) passport offices;

b) State Registration Service;

c) Civil Registry offices;

d) law enforcement agencies;

e) organizations in charge of distribution of resources including humanitarian aid;

f) fiscal authorities, and etc.

27. Implement a common policy agreed with donor organizations to implement reconciliation policy

for those affected by the conflict.

28. Avoid exaggerated assessments, shocking statements that affect the emotional state of people.

For international organizations:

29. Equal rather than selective treatment and policy in respect to all ethnic groups.

30. Consider possibilities for providing humanitarian aid through initiatives on creating new jobs.

31. In distributing humanitarian aid use the resources of traditional institutions.

32. Establish donors’ media network.

References

1. Basic curriculum for primary and secondary schools with native language for 2010/2011

academic year / / Kutbilim August 28, 2010

2. More than 270,000 Kyrgyz citizens became citizens of Russia / / News agency AkiPress // URL:

http://kg.akipress.org/news:351361

3. The main problem in Batken province is information security - Governor A. Burkanov //

AKIPress (Batken), February 7, 2011

43

4. Report of the International Crisis Group (ICG) “Central Asia: Decay and Decline” (CentralAsia:

DecayandDecline), 02.03.2011 // URL: http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/central-

asia/201-central-asia-decay-and-decline.aspx

5. Census and Housing Census of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2009 // Official site of the National

Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic // URL: www. stat.kg

6. Investment in the Kyrgyz Republic. Batken province // URL:

http://www.kyrgyzinvest.com/batken.php

7. Conclusions of the National Commission for Comprehensive Study of causes, consequences and

developing recommendations on the tragic events that occurred in southern Kyrgyzstan in June

2010.

8. Neil Melvin. On the way to multinational Kyrgyzstan: how to eliminate causes and break the

vicious circle of violence / / Central Eurasia Project. Aperiodic series. Issue 3. March 2011

9. National study on child poverty and inequalities in the Kyrgyz Republic / ed. ISAO UNICEF -

Bishkek, 2009

10. The National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic // Social and economic situation in

the Kyrgyz Republic. January-October. B. 2010

11. National assessment of educational progress of students (NASEA) of the Kyrgyz Republic. The

results for 2007 and 2009. / Held by NASEA at the request of MoES KR under the Rural

Education Project funded by the World Bank // URL: www.testing.kg

12. National Human Development Report for 2009-2010 // URL: http://www.undp.kg/ru/resources/e-

library/article/28-e-library/1317-nacionalnyj-doklad-o-razvitii-cheloveka-20092010

13. The Report of the International Independent Commission for Investigation of the June 2010

Events in Southern Kyrgyzstan.

14. Official website of the State Directorate for reconstruction and development of the cities of Osh

and Jalalabat // URL: http://www.doj.ktnet.kg

15. Census of Population and Housing Census of the Kyrgyz Republic. Book III (in tables). Regions

of Kyrgyzstan. Jalalabat province / National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. -

Bishkek, 2010.

16. Census of Population and Housing Census of the Kyrgyz Republic. Book III (in tables). Regions

of Kyrgyzstan. Jalalabat province / National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. -

Bishkek, 2010.

17. Census of Population and Housing Census of the Kyrgyz Republic. Book III (in tables). Regions

of Kyrgyzstan. Jalalabat province / National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. -

Bishkek, 2010.

18. Political processes in Kyrgyzstan, 2008-2010: Forecast of the Polis Asia Analytical Centre //

URL: http://www.centrasia.ru/newsA.php?st=1220957100

19. Tokhir Safar. Anxiety spring on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border // Obshestveny Rating, No 12(522),

31.03.11

44

20. N. Yuldasheva, 2009. “According to unofficial data, about 40,000 children do not attend school

in Kyrgyzstan”//IA 24.kg, 31 March 2009. // URL:http://www.24.kg/parlament/48462-

2009/03/31/110587.html.

21. Interagency Conflict Assessment Framework (ICAF) // URL:

http://www.state.gov/s/crs/what/144930.htm

22. Asel Murzakulova Kyrgyzstan postpones decision on OSCE mission to after elections // Central

Asia-Caucasus Analyst Johns Hopkins University Vol.12 No.18 – 2010

45

Appendix 1 Methodological scheme of the Interagency Conflict Assessment Framework (ICAF)31

31 The diagram is taken from: Interagency Conflict Assessment Framework (ICAF)// URL: http://www.state.gov/s/crs/what/144930.htm

ICAF Methodology

Major claims

Social and institutional sustainability

Driving forces of conflict

Mitigation factors

Moments of conflict escalation

Moments of conflict decrease

46

Жен. 130

Муж.159

Appendix 2

Monitoring design and tools

Monitoring tools: focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. 71% respondents were interviewed during focus group discussions and 29% - through interviewing.

Geography of monitoring:

Osh Province: Osh city, Nookat district, Karasu district, Uzgen district, Karakuldjinsky district and Alay district;

Jalalabat Province: Jalalabat city, Suzak district, Nooken district, Bazar-Korgon district, Ala-Buka district, Ak-Syi district;

Batken province: Batken city, Leilek district, Batken district, Kadamajai district.

Given that after the events in June 2010 numerous sociological researches were conducted in the three southern provinces, in data collection using focus group discussions we used the method of random sampling of respondents. The team of monitors was proposed to invite focus group participants to public places (bazaars, festivals, social events and etc.) preliminarily asking whether the respondent has already participated in other sociological researches over the past year. Most of the focus groups were formed based on the following design:

Жен.102Муж.

162

863 respondents were interviewed during the monitoring process

310 respondents were interviewed in Osh province

289 respondents were interviewed in Jalalabat province

264 respondents were interviewed in Batken province

47

A mixed group of 8-9 people: representatives of state-financed organizations, a religious leader, entrepreneurs, unemployed, representatives of local governments, internally displaced persons (in border areas), sportsmen, community leaders, militiamen, border guards, and etc.;

Youth group of 8-9 people: students, entrepreneurs, employees of state-financed organizations (doctors, school teachers, preschool teachers), unemployed young people, returning labor migrants, sportsmen and high school students;

Affected people (from both parties) – a group of 8 persons: people affected during the June events - businessmen, people from families, whose relatives were injured or killed, eye-witnesses.

Appendix 3 CONTEXT OF THE CONFLICT REGION: DYNAMIC OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

Event: Location: Period:

Interethnic conflict Osh, Uzgen June 1990

Cleaver wars Batken province 1996 – 1998 Batken War Batken province 1999 – 2000

The first change of the regime in KR

Bishkek March 2005

Speech of the Uzbek cultural center in Jalalabat aimed at giving official status to the

Jalalabat

2006

48

Uzbek language Murder of the Imam (R.

Kamalov) Osh August 2006

Parliamentary elections. Creating a “Watan” Party

Bishkek

2007

Nookat events Nookat (Osh Province) October 2008 Presidential Elections in

Kyrgyzstan Throughout the country August 2009

The second change of the regime

in KR Throughout the country April 2010

The attempt of takeover (Usen Sydykov)

Osh, Bishkek May 2010

Interethnic conflict Osh, Jalalabat 10-14 June 2010 Referendum Throughout the country 27 June 2010

Parliamentary elections Throughout the country 10 October 2010

Attempt to destabilize the situation in Maady village

Maady village in Osh Province November 2010

Explosions Bishkek, Osh November 2010

Appendix 4

Three basic components of social capital impacting accumulation of the conflictogenic environment

49

Appendix 532

Dynamics of migration in the three researched provinces during 2009-2010

32 Compiled by Ed.: Social and economic situation in the Kyrgyz Republic, January-October 2010 / / National Statistical Committee. - Bishkek, 2010. p. 54-55

Social capital

Social consequences of labor migration

Poor quality of health care services Decrease in quality of school

education

50

7252

37396053

29582208

1743

15513

8440

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

Ошскаяобласть

Джалал-Абадскаяобласть

Баткенскаяобласть

Итого из 3-хобластей

Выбывшие за 2010 г.Выбывшие за 2009 г.

Left in 2010

Left in 2009

Osh province

Jalalabat province

Batken province

Total in 3 provinces