Published September 20, 2012 By Amelia Whitehead and Filipa Carreira Briefing CCPPR12KG Report available in PDF and Flash formats

Kyrgyzstan gained its independence following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 2005, President Askar Akayev was toppled in a popular revolt triggered by allegations of corruption and electioneering. He was succeeded by Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who was himself overthrown in a violent popular uprising after a brief leadership tenure that saw civil liberties further diminished. Long-simmering tensions between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the southern city of Osh erupted into violence following President Bakiyev’s fall from power, leading to the deaths of more than 400 people and the displacement of almost a quarter of a million people. An interim government run by the former Foreign Minister, Roza Otunbayeva instituted a number of key reforms that paved the way for the election of the current government.

Since the violence of 2010, Kyrgyzstan has made significant strides towards reestablishing stability within its borders. In October 2010, the country held its first free and fair parliamentary elections, resulting in the formation of a coalition government. However, the current peace remains fragile. Ethnic tensions, exacerbated by the recent violence, continue to fester. Osh constitutes to be a key transit point in the Central Asian drug trade, linking heroin producers in Afghanistan to buyers across Europe. Religious freedoms have been sharply curtailed, due in part to concerns over radical Islamist groups. Kyrgyzstan was the most-improved nation in the 2012 Failed States Index.

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Latest Update: 2012-09 Amelia Whitehead and Filipa Carreira

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