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Kyrgyz Protesters Capture Government Seat

24 March 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Anti-government protesters in Bishkek today occupied the "White House," the seat of the Kyrgyz government, demanding the resignation of President Askar Akaev.

Akaev's whereabouts remain unknown -- amid unconfirmed reports he has left the capital. It is not clear how much power, if any, he still wields.

Demonstrators today also occupied the main Kyrgyz state radio and television building and began broadcasting scenes from the protest. State radio immediately began broadcasting programs of the Kyrgyz Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Bubukan Dosalieva of RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service filed this report shortly after demonstrators went streaming into the main government compound.

"At 2:55 pm Bishkek time, most of the people demonstrating on Alatoo [the central square of Bishkek] crossed the metal barriers surrounding the 'White House' and entered the government building. Many citizens forced their way through the police lines at the checkpoint outside the building and went in," Dosalieva said.

Another RFE/RL correspondent on the scene, Jean-Christophe Peuch, reported chaotic scenes as the protesters entered the building and began ransacking it.

"The protesters entered the White House, and they are actually now ransacking the building, throwing TV sets out of the windows, documents, furniture, and apparently it is the same hard core that [earlier] clashed with police," Peuch said. "The rest of the demonstrators, which are probably 5,000, I would say, they are outside the building, standing outside the building, and urging the people inside the people to stop destroying and smashing furniture."

The protesters stormed the compound after a rally earlier today turned violent when apparent Akaev supporters clashed with demonstrators. The police initially resisted the protesters' advance and then fled.

Opposition Grouping

One of the main opposition figures, former Prime Minister Kurmanbek Bakiev, quickly pledged to hold fresh elections. He urged law-enforcement forces to join the protests.

Bakiev in recent days has emerged as a possible leader of the fractured opposition, although that position could be challenged in the coming days.

Another prominent opposition figure, Feliks Kulov, was released from prison today. Kulov was jailed in 2001 on corruption charges, but has remained influential within the opposition from behind bars.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) meanwhile is urging opposition leaders to form a national unity government.

The occupation of local government buildings in other cities -- including Jalal-Abad, Osh, and Batken -- was continuing.

The protests are aimed at forcing President Akaev from power and overturning the results of recent parliamentary elections, which gave pro-government candidates overwhelming power.

Those elections were widely criticized as flawed.

(with agencies)

Copyright (c) 2005. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org