Kyrgyzstan commemorates tragic events of 7 April 2010

AKIPRESS.COM - Kyrgyzstan pays tribute to the tragic events of April 2010 leading to change of power and escape of almost all leadership of the country.

AKIpress correspondents tried to restrore chronology of the events they witnessed on April 6-7.

Clashes between opposition and police forces in Talas on April 6 preceded the bloodshed on Ala-Too square in Bishkek.

On April 5, Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongantiev said he would not allow unsanctioned opposition rallies. They will be toughly suppressed, he said.

The riot police squad of police officers from southern regions of Kyrgyzstan and Bishkek tried to disperse opposition rallying in Talas. Human rights activists reported about use of provocations. For instance, one of opposition leaders Bolot Sherniyazov was arrested by police at the square outside Talas region administration.

Arrest sparked outrage of Talas residents and they began throwing stones into police forces. The square was cleared from demonstrators several times, but civilians started beating police officers massively since evening - over 200 special task force police officers were beaten, the buildings of the region administration and region police department where police officers barricaded inside were set on fire. A part of police officers escaped and hided at homes of locals. More than 700 weapons were missing. Around 70 detained persons escaped from temporary detention facility.

Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongantiev and then Deputy Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov with police officers arrived in Talas at night. They were attacked and police squad was dispersed. The Interior Minister was taken hostage and severely beaten. Deputy Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov, who led the special operation in Talas, went missing. He showed up safe and sound several days later.

In the night of April 6-7, the special forces arrested opposition leaders in Bishkek, including Almazbek Atambayev, Temir Sariev, Keneshbek Dushebaev, Omurbek Tekebaev. Roza Otunbaeva was the only opposition leader who was not detained.

Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov gave a press conference in the morning of April 7 in Bishkek. He called demonstrators gangsters and told journalists the situation in Talas normalizes. He voiced several facts that made it clear that the riot police in Talas was crashed. After several persistent questions he said 15 police officers went missing, weapons were seized, etc.

Journalists noticed that workers of the press service of the President's Secretariat who wore business suits normally were wearing sport clothes...

PM Daniyar Usenov provided false information about the situation in the country, while opposition gathered on near Forum building in Bishkek.

Police started dispersing gathered people. They were blocked in one building. The windows were broken, the doors were damaged. At around 11.00 a.m. demonstrators defeated police and special task force of the national security committee despite used special means.

Police and SWAT officers were beaten by crowds. Some demonstrators tried to stop this and to take away severely beaten servicemen.

Around 6 police cars were burnt and two military trucks full of weapons and grenade launchers were seized.