On Tuesday September 17, a protest action was held in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek over the September 16 deadly border clash.
Kyrgyzstan’s online news agency 24.kg says the action participants met with representatives of the government. They reportedly put forward a number of demands and gave the government two hours for studying those demands. .
They, in particular demand that the government:
– set up a government commission that will consist of ex-governor of Batken region Mamat Aibaliyev, elders of the region, representatives of media, public activists ad members of local legislatures;
– relocate Kant air base to Batken region;
– provide objective and reliable information through media;
– prevent smuggling from Kyrgyzstan into Tajikistan and back through Batken region;
– provide transparency and openness of work of the commission on delimitation and demarcation of border;
– give a special status to Batken region, appoint new governor and expand his authority;
– split land plots in border areas of Batken region and distribute them to local residents;
– solve the issue of irrigation, water supply and electrification in border areas;
– stop construction of facilities on disputable stretches of the border.
