Thousands grieve victims of Kyrgyzstan uprising

Thousands of grieving, angry mourners flooded the main square in the capital of Kyrgyzstan today to honour victims of the country‘s revolt – with many blaming the absent president for ordering security forces to fire on those protesting against his government.

Flights, meanwhile, resumed at the US Manas air base after being halted during the uprising. Manas is a key support centre for the international military campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Covering their eyes and folding their hands in prayer, families and friends sobbed for the lives that were lost in the sprawling Ala-Too Square in Bishkek, where protesters were shot dead at an opposition rally as some stormed the main government building.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who fled the capital to seek support in his clan’s southern power base, was often a focus of their anger.

“We grieve over our heroes. They are real heroes who have sacrificed their lives for the future of Kyrgyzstan,” said Khatima Immamaliyeva, a 44-year-old office worker holding a red carnation and crying. “Bakiyev must bear responsibility for the deaths.”

Another mourner, 26-year-old Azimbek Sariyev, said: “My friend Talas perished. I hope he hasn’t died for nothing. We have ousted Bakiyev, and won’t allow the rulers to mock us.”

At least 76 people died in the violence and more than 1,400 were injured, the health ministry reported today. That figure included 67 people injured overnight in clashes between looters and security forces.

In a statement, US Central Command spokesman Maj John Redfield said normal flights had restarted at Manas as of this afternoon. Some 1,100 troops are stationed there, including contingents from Spain and France, in support of Nato operations in Afghanistan.

Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the opposition’s self-declared interim government, said today the base agreement will be continued at least for the near future. Opposition figures in the past have said they wanted to close the US base, located at the international airport serving the capital.

The status of the base has been a significant strategic question since the uprising on Wednesday.

“We have no intentions whatsoever to deal with the American base now. Our priority is the lives of the people who suffered. A top priority is to normalise the situation, to secure peace and stability,” Otunbayeva said as she visited a Bishkek hospital today that had treated many wounded.

She also said the interim government would not negotiate with Bakiyev, whose regime the opposition has accused of corruption.