New Kyrgyz election scheduled after lightning coup
{{date|March 27, 2005}}
[[Image:Bischkek.jpg|180px|right|thumb|File photo of Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan ''Source: [[w:de:Benutzer:Hunne|Hunne]]'']]Ignoring ousted president [[w:Askar Akayev|Askar Akayev]]'s refusal to resign, the former, pre-election, [[w:Kyrgyzstan|Kyrgyzstan]] parliament has scheduled a new presidential election for June 26. Acting President [[w:Kurmanbek Bakiyev|Kurmanbek Bakiyev]] said he would run in the election.

Meanwhile, former interior minister Keneshbek Dushebayev, who was ousted along with Akayev, announced today he was leading thousands of counterdemonstrators from Akayev's native area of Kemin toward the capital of [[w:Bishkek|Bishkek]], to protest Thursday's coup, which also began with a group of a few thousand young demonstrators, who in a few hours broke through the lines of guards protecting the presidential headquarters and effectively unseated President Akayev, ending his 14 years in power.  It was unclear as night fell whether Dushebayev's march had succeeded in making its way to the capital, but the new leadership which seized power on Thursday following the protests said that it was maintaining control of the country, and that the march had fizzled out.

Bakiyev switched the venue of a news conference today, reportedly because of a rumoured assassination plot.  Bishkek was calm compared to the looting and chaos that followed on the heels of the Thursday protests and coup, but bands of looters still roamed the city and government officials were taking no chances.  According to an eyewitness AP report, residents of the capital are still "frightened and shocked." 

It is not clear where Akayev is right now; the Interfax News Agency, citing unnamed sources, reported earlier that he has arrived in [[w:Russia|Russia]]. Bakiyev has criticized Akayev for fleeing the country in its time of need, and maintains that he is surprised by the speed of recent events. 

"It didn’t enter my head that this could happen," Bakiyev said, according to a Reuters report.

==Related stories==
{{wikipediapar|Kyrgyz parliamentary elections, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=Multiple parliaments meet in Kyrgyzstan, legitimacy uncertain
|date=March 26, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=Police, militia confront looters in Bishkek, leaders say city now calm
|date=March 26, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=Five dead, over 200 injured as looting continues in Bishkek
|date=March 25, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=Akayev flees Kyrgyzstan as protesters seize control of Bishkek
|date=March 24, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=New Kyrgz interior minister says force may be used, riot police clash with protesters in Bishkek
|date=March 23, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=Kyrgyz government declares elections valid, refuses to declare state of emergency as opposition cements control of the south
|date=March 23, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=Kyrgyz president orders election probe as protesters seize control of second city
|date=March 22, 2005}}

*{{Wikinews|title=Violent protests break out in Kyrgyzstan over allegedly rigged parliamentary elections
|date=March 21, 2005}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://www.aljazeerah.info/27%20n/Kyrgyzstan%20Sets%20June%2026%20Election.htm
|title=Kyrgyzstan Sets June 26 Election
|author=Agencies, Arab News
|pub=Al Jazeerah
|date=March 27, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=GZ353D4OAENNACRBAELCFFA?type=topNews&storyID=8006842&pageNumber=1
|title=Kyrgyz Leaders Appear to Survive Challenge to Power
|author=Dmitry Solovyov
|pub=Reuters
|date=March 27, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/03/27/2003247951
|title=Kyrgyzstan police battle pillagers as chaos grows
|author=
|pub=AP
|date=March 27, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3982-2005Mar26.html
|title=Revolution, in a Couple of Hours
|author=Karl Vick
|pub=Washington Post
|date=March 27, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-1543162,00.html
|title=Fearful Asian despots prepare to nip their tulip revolutions in bud
|author=Peter Conradi and Deidre Tynan
|pub=Times Online
|date=March 27, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5477782&startrow=1&date=2005-03-26&do_alert=0
|title=PRESS SECRETARY OF KYRGYZSTAN'S ACTING PRESIDENT: BAKIYEV'S ASSASSINATION IS BEING ARRANGED
|author=
|pub=RIA Novosti
|date=March 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5477629&startrow=11&date=2005-03-26&do_alert=0
|title=AKAYEV'S SUPPORTERS MOVING TOWARD BISHKEK
|author=
|pub=RIA Novosti
|date=March 26, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=5477866&startrow=1&date=2005-03-26&do_alert=0
|title=BAKIYEV ON COUNTER-REVOLUTIONARY ACTIONS IN KYRGYZSTAN
|author=
|pub=RIA Novosti
|date=March 26, 2005}}
  

 {{archive}}
[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Kyrgyzstan]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Published]]
HunneIgnoring ousted president Askar Akayev's refusal to resign, the former, pre-election, Kyrgyzstan parliament has scheduled a new presidential election for June 26. Acting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said he would run in the election.

Meanwhile, former interior minister Keneshbek Dushebayev, who was ousted along with Akayev, announced today he was leading thousands of counterdemonstrators from Akayev's native area of Kemin toward the capital of Bishkek, to protest Thursday's coup, which also began with a group of a few thousand young demonstrators, who in a few hours broke through the lines of guards protecting the presidential headquarters and effectively unseated President Akayev, ending his 14 years in power.  It was unclear as night fell whether Dushebayev's march had succeeded in making its way to the capital, but the new leadership which seized power on Thursday following the protests said that it was maintaining control of the country, and that the march had fizzled out.

Bakiyev switched the venue of a news conference today, reportedly because of a rumoured assassination plot.  Bishkek was calm compared to the looting and chaos that followed on the heels of the Thursday protests and coup, but bands of looters still roamed the city and government officials were taking no chances.  According to an eyewitness AP report, residents of the capital are still "frightened and shocked." 

It is not clear where Akayev is right now; the Interfax News Agency, citing unnamed sources, reported earlier that he has arrived in Russia. Bakiyev has criticized Akayev for fleeing the country in its time of need, and maintains that he is surprised by the speed of recent events. 

"It didn’t enter my head that this could happen," Bakiyev said, according to a Reuters report.

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Asia Kyrgyzstan Elections Politics and conflicts Published