BISHKEK, March 26: Kyrghyzstan’s ousted interior minister led thousands of demonstrators towards the capital on Saturday to protest the coup that overthrew President Askar Akayev, warning there was a risk of civil war. The new leadership, which swept to power in the lightning coup on Thursday after mass protests, declared it was firmly in control of the mountainous ex-Soviet state. But acting President Kurmanbek Bakiev had to switch the venue of a news conference because officials heard word of a possible plot to kill him.The new leader, who has criticized Mr Akayev for fleeing the country when it was in crisis, said he had been as surprised as anybody by the speed of events.
“It didn’t enter my head that this could happen. God forbid that anyone should come to power in this way. I am not a supporter of such things, but what happened happened.”
He vowed to act against the protesters coming to Bishkek.
“They are provocateurs who do not want to see stability in Bishkek. But our security agents are working on this. We will soon deal with the agitators.”
PROTESTERS SET OFF: About 3,000 people have set off from Mr Akayev’s home region of Chym Korgon, 90kms outside the capital.
“They may get there today. They may get there tomorrow, but the important thing is they will go there,” protest leader Keneshbek Dushebayev, appointed interior minister by Mr Akayev justbefore he was ousted, said.
“The country is virtually split and everything is in place for a civil war.”
But there was confusion over the aims of the protesters.
Some had posters saying “No to the coup!” and “The people of Kyrghyzstan are one nation!” Other placards read: “We support general Kulov”, referring to opposition leader Felix Kulov.
One man, Rustam Ibraimov, 24, said: “We do not support President Akayev, but the change of power should have been carried out according to the law.”
Mr Kulov, put in charge of security just days after crowds freed him from jail, insisted the country was now orderly.
“The situation is fully under control. We do not need a curfew,” said Mr Kulov, who was prominent in opposing Mr Akayev.
Bishkek was quiet on Saturday with little sign of the violence, looting and destruction that swept the city after Thursday’s mass protests brought a sudden end to Mr Akayev’s 14-year rule of the mainly Muslim country of five million.
WANING ENTHUSIASM: But there was also little left of the early enthusiasm that had first greeted the collapse of the old government.
“I fear it will be worse because there is instability,” said Alexander Shirbina, a 57-year-old photographer. “Under Akayev things were not great. But they should have waited until an election to get rid of him. A coup is no good.”
Aslan, a shepherd in the village of Chym Korgon, said: “I myself am not fond of Akayev but I wanted everything to be done in a democratic way. What we see now in Bishkek is pure lawlessness and is far removed from the constitution.”
Crucially for the opposition, Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have given his blessing to the new leadership.
“He was very interested in what sort of help is needed. We are very grateful to the Russian leadership,” the new head of government, Kurmanbek Bakiev, told parliament after speaking to Mr Putin by phone on Friday.
Mr Putin had earlier offered sanctuary to Mr Akayev. He is widely reported to have already arrived in Russia. Mr Bakiev said Kyrgyzstan, where most people survive on a dollar a day, desperately needed foreign assistance.
“We need help from the outside. Soon, we will have nothing to feed the people with,” he said, adding that he hoped Russia would help with fuel supplies.
