Zhaparov Raises Alarm Over Kyrgyzstan Election Provocations in the South

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov says some unscrupulous politicians are discussing ways to spark an ethnic clash in the south. Their aim is to derail the coming presidential vote. He urges citizens to stay calm and report any provocation at once.

Kyrgyzstan election provocations raise concern in the south

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov has warned about Kyrgyzstan election provocations planned for the south of the country. Some unscrupulous politicians are reportedly discussing ways to trigger an ethnic conflict. Their goal is to wreck the upcoming presidential election. Zhaparov shared the warning on his Facebook page. He wrote:

“I recently received information from a number of sources. Unscrupulous politicians with bad intentions, who ‘carry a stone in their bosom,’ are discussing plans to incite an ethnic conflict between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the south of the country before the elections, in order to provoke unrest and disrupt the voting.”

Only talk for now, but the risk is real

Zhaparov said these politicians are only speaking about their plans so far. Still, he stressed that the provocative ideas could turn into action. He then explained how easily such a clash can start.

“The point is that to ignite a conflict between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, it is enough to spread various false rumors that play on people’s feelings and hurt their national pride, so as to spark a conflict out of nothing. We have already lived through this twice, in 1990 and 2010. As a result of these two clashes, many peaceful citizens died, both Uzbeks and Kyrgyz.”

A call to stay calm and alert

The president urged people not to fall for any provocation. He asked citizens to tell law enforcement and the security services right away. Zhaparov also pointed to what he sees behind the plot.

“Yes, we understand the situation perfectly. When people did not fall for the provocations around the China issue, they began to hatch plans to split two brotherly peoples, Uzbeks and Kyrgyz, and set them against each other. Among our unfriendly politicians there are those who fear most of all the completion of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan railway. Under no circumstances give in to their provocations! These are shortsighted people, narrow in their thinking and low in their intentions.”

The state is ready, but victims would follow

Zhaparov added that the state has enough strength to stop any conflict within one or two days. Even so, he warned that people would suffer. The president closed with a plain message about the cost of such unrest.

“However, unfortunately, in that case there will inevitably be victims. So such a tragedy is not needed by anyone.”