Kyrgyz Opposition accuses Bakiyev of trying to unleash civil war

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15/4 Tass 262

BISHKEK, April 15 (Itar-Tass) - Head of Kyrgyzstan's provisional
government Roza Otunbayeva accused Kurmanbek Bakiyev of the attempts to
unleash a civil war.
"Despite our calls, he /Bakiyev/ continues to rock the people and
spread discord," Otunbayeva said in comments on the situation in Osh,
where the supporters and opponents of the president scuffled earlier on
Thursday.
It was possible to avert an escalation of the conflict, and the people
of Osh said a firm "no" to the former president, she said.
Otunbayeva urged the Kyrgyz population to remain calm and not to yield
to provocations.
"The people cannot afford risking their well-being; the provisional
government has all the strength and resources to ensure the safety of
citizens," the Opposition leader underlined.
She assured that the new Kyrgyz leadership had no intention to use
force against Bakiyev and his entourage.
"All Bakiyev's activity and the demonstration of his not resigning
does not let us sit idle," she said noting that the provisional government
was not in direct talks with Bakiyev.
Nevertheless, all measures by the new Kyrgyz leadership are aimed at
warning Bakiyev about "the inadmissibility of such actions."
"It's about Bakiyev's stepping down and leaving people in peace,"
Otunbayeva said.
If Bakiyev continues the attempts to unsettle the situation in the
country, such actions might end up in a civil war. The international
community is putting pressure on Bakiyev, too, so that he does not make
attempts to rock the situation in the republic, according to Otunbayeva.
Earlier reports said the provisional government had abolished the
State Protection Service (SGO) headed by the president's brother Zhanybek
Bakiyev.
The SGO enjoyed the right in the recent years to conduct
operations/searches and investigations and engage in practically
uncontrolled imports of weapons to the republic.
SGO chief Zhanybek Bakiyev was put on the wanted list after the April
7 massacre on Bishkek's central square. Preliminary reports said it was
Zhanybek Bakiyev who ordered SGO personnel to fire on the protesters as
they were trying to take the government building.
Medics said 84 people had been killed in the riots and more than 500
had been wounded.
Former Defense Minister Bakytbek Kalyyev, former Deputy Prime Minister
Daniyar Usenov, former head of the State National Security Service Murat
Sutalinov and Bakiyev's elder son Marat Bakiyev who worked at the State
National Security Service are on the wanted list as well.
If caught, they will be charged under Article 97 of the republic's
Criminal Code "organized mass murder of people with particular brutality."
-0-myz/gor