TOURISM IN KYRGYZSTAN - Tourism in Central Asia: Cultural Potential and Challenges - page 276

more power in his hands albeit via seemingly democratic methods, such as
referendums for constitutional amendments, to increase presidential pow-
ers. The resentment created by this change of attitude would culminate in
March 2002, when an influential parliamentary deputy from the southern
town of Aksy, Azimbek Beknazarov, was prosecuted as a result of a politi-
cal dispute with Akaev over a border agreement with China. The police
opened fire against the demonstrators in Aksy protesting the prosecution,
killing five people (Lewis, 2010). The shootings caused greater resent-
ment among the people, resulting in further protests and demonstrations in
other parts of the country. Although eventually Beknazarov was released
and the government resigned after a series of investigations, “the crisis had
demonstrated the weakness of the regime and emboldened opposition to
Akaev” (Lewis, 2010).
The fall of Akaev, however, would take place after the fraudulent 2005
parliamentary elections. People started protesting the results of the elec-
tions and eventually forced Akaev to step down and be replaced by Kur-
manbek Bakiev, a leadership change referred as the “Tulip Revolution.” 20
However, despite his initial popular support, Bakiev was also forced to
leave power as a result of another popular uprising in 2010. During Baki-
ev's five years of rule, political, economic, and social problems of the
country deepened and the unfulfilled expectations of the people created
even more reaction. Bakiev was ousted in June 2010 to be replaced by
the interim president Rosa Otunbayeva. 21 The fall of the two presidents by
popular uprisings in just five years caused great concerns about political
stability of the country, a major impediment to tourist inflows.
One other important factor that contributed to political problems in
Kyrgyzstan was the regional attachments among the people, commonly
known as the north-south divide, which, historically and geographically
speaking is the result of the mountainous terrain. The country is naturally
divided by the high mountains into two having a direct impact on how the
northern and southern regions developed culturally, traditionally and eco-
nomically (Sarı, 2010). The north has a more advanced economy, a highly
Russified population with a more secular and cosmopolitan outlook. The
south, on the other hand, is economically backward with high levels of
20 For a detailed analysis of the impact of March 2005 elections on the Tulip Revolution, see Kulov
(2010) and for a detailed analysis of the Tulip Revolution in general, see Cummings (2010).
21 For a detailed analysis of events that took place prior to the fall of Bakiev see Sarı (2010).