KYRGYZSTAN'S "PUBLIC PARLIAMENT": DISTRACTION OR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000295

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN - GEHRENBECK

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/27/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN'S "PUBLIC PARLIAMENT": DISTRACTION OR
SYMBOL OF UNIFICATION?

REF: A. BISHKEK 71

B. BISHKEK 282

C. BISHKEK 283

D. BISHKEK 173

BISHKEK 00000295 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: DCM Lee Litzenberger for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)



1. (C) Summary: In defiant response to the December
parliamentary elections, Kyrgyz opposition and civil society
groups have established a "public parliament," with the
stated purpose of discussing alternative views on issues of
"social concern." With two public meetings to date, the
public parliament has sparked comments from civil society and
the government regarding its merit and legitimacy, gaining
wide coverage in the state-controlled and opposition press.
The public parliament has also announced plans to hold a
"kurultai," or a traditional "people's assembly," in Bishkek
April 12. While the public parliament has not united the
political opposition, it has brought them together for
serious discussion of issues -- and has proved an irritant to
the government. End Summary.

A Parliament for the People by the Few
--------------


2. (SBU) Following what the opposition called "false"
parliamentary elections last December, a number of opposition
politicians and civil society leaders, led by former Foreign
Minister Alikbek Jekshenkulov and his "For Justice" movement,
formed a shadow "public parliament" in January. Their stated
purpose was to "discuss and propose alternative viewpoints on
social-political and economic issues affecting the country"
(Ref A). The public parliament elected Abdygany Erkebayev,
former Speaker of the Kyrgyz Legislative Assembly, as its
"speaker," and it chose civil society leader Asiya
Sasikbayeva as the "deputy speaker." The 94 members are
drawn mainly from likeminded opposition parties that failed
to gain entry into the parliament and groups, including the
Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society, Ata Meken, Ar
Namys, Asaba, and the Green Party.


3. (SBU) With two public meetings to date, the public
parliament has vowed to continue its political and economic
discussions in opposition to the official Kyrgyz Parliament's
agenda. The first meeting focused on the impending
privatization of state energy assets, and public parliament
members speculated that Kyrgyzstan's energy sector would fall
prey to corruption once privatized, negatively affecting its
ability to meet the country's growing energy demands. The
second session, held on March 19, included discussions on
Kyrgyzstan's political and economic development, or lack
thereof, since the March 2005 "tulip revolution."


4. (C) Public parliament and For Justice organizers announced
plans to hold a nationwide people's assembly, or "kurultai,"
on March 29, but have since postponed the meeting to April

12. According to Jekshenkulov, the reasons for the delay
include difficulty finding an appropriate meeting place
(Note: Bishkek authorities have refused the use of the
central sports stadium and philharmonic hall. Ref B. End
Note.) and ambiguity regarding President Bakiyev's trip to
Germany (Ref C). Jumping on the bandwagon, former opposition
MP Azimbek Beknazarov told reporters March 3 that his
"revolutionary committee" (see Ref D) would participate.

Hostile Government Reaction
--------------


5. (C) The government's reaction to the public parliament has
been harsh. Justice Minister Marat Kaiypov has questioned
the public parliament's legitimacy, arguing that the
organization should be legally registered as a public union.
Speaker of Parliament Adakhan Madumarov, known for his
disdain of the opposition, called the group

BISHKEK 00000295 002.4 OF 002


"unconstitutional," claiming that Kyrgyzstan's supreme law
does not provide for the creation of a "shadow" parliament.
The Prosecutor General's office sent a letter, which
Erkebayev read out dismissively at the March 19 session,
ordering the members to follow the law and reminding that the
people had "exercised their power" through the elections.
Partly as a result of the government's strong reaction, the
public parliament has been covered widely in both the
state-controlled and the opposition press.

Merely a Discussion Group?
--------------


6. (C) Public parliament "Speaker" Erkebayev told Poloff
March 26 that the group does not have a headquarters or staff
and, therefore, does not need to be registered. He instead
characterized the public parliament as an ad hoc group of
"free individuals" that occasionally meets to discuss current
events. He also said that the group plans to submit its
resolutions to the government as "recommendations" for
further consideration. Erkebayev confided that the public
parliament's access to financial resources remains a problem,
and it has thus far been reliant mostly on the personal
contributions made by ex-MP and Ata Meken member Temir
Sariyev. He confirmed that requests to use the central
sports stadium and philharmonic for the planned kurultai were
denied, and he vowed that the public parliament would never
"take to the streets." Erkebayev insisted that the group
does not have "revolutionary aims," but would rather use its
constitutional right to assemble, hold discussions, and
propose its viewpoints on various issues peacefully.

A Useful Tool, if Used Correctly
--------------


7. (C) In a March 3 meeting with the Ambassador, ex-MP
Tairbek Sarpashev said that the public parliament could be a
useful tool to organize the opposition. The group's possible
ability to garner public support, utilizing the expertise of
members like Abdygany Erkebayev, is the main reason why the
government has chosen not to ignore its activities, he added.
Sarpashev, whose Turan party did not gain any seats during
the December parliamentary election, also claimed that the
presidential administration is aware that the public
parliament's criticism of the parliament could eventually
spill over to all branches of the government, possibly
inciting public action.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) The public parliament is still very much in its
infancy. Some local commentators have dismissed the public
parliament as a distraction that is being used to boost the
image of select opposition figures, like former FM
Jekshenkulov. Others see it as an organization well-suited
to unite disparate opposition groups. While the public
parliament has not united the fractured political opposition,
it has brought them together for serious discussion of issues
-- and has proved an irritant to the government as a reminder
of the flawed December 16 parliamentary elections.

YOVANOVITCH