Together we will end the trouble!

In these tragic days, hundreds of our compatriots became victims of hatred and fratricidal madness. Thousands of people instigated by provocateurs got involved in destruction and robberies, murder and violence.

Our entire country from young to old mourns together with the families and loved ones of the victims. There is not a single ethnic Kyrgyz or ethnic Uzbek family untouched by this great tragedy. The reason for what has happened is a hopeless attempt of the former regime to return to power. For many years they have drained our people’s energy and destroyed protective mechanisms of the state - education and medicine, police and army, economy and culture. Having left behind the ruins of the state apparatus, they are trying to turn the country into an uninhabitable burnt desert. The Bakiev clan and regime declared to the world their intent to “drown the people in blood” and we have witnessed how they do it.

They have orchestrated dozens of mercenaries; they hired hundreds of provocateurs to implement their criminal plans against their own people, compatriots, neighbors and their former homeland. Hundreds of lives and even an inter-ethnic standoff between two brotherly peoples are added to their long list of shame.

We are dealing with a new kind of terrorism that uses not only explosives and weapons, but also evil manipulative instigations. We can say that a modern weapon of mass destruction has been used against our people - the organization and provocation of a large scale inter-ethnic conflict.

The true reason of the tragedy is the terrorist diversion masterminded and executed by the representatives of the deposed regime.

We have taken the responsibility for the country in this difficult time and ask the citizens and particularly the families who have lost their loved ones for forgiveness.

It is true, we have been in power for only two months. It is true,, we are battling resistance financed by the vast resources stolen from the country. In this dark hour the country was left facing the enemy alone. However this does not remove the blame from us for what has happened.

We intend to expiate our guilt. We promise to find and punish the provocateurs and the perpetrators of this mass crime wherever they hide. We are launching investigations into the criminal atrocities and will inform the people on the results through a special commission. We will provide the necessary assistance to the victims and their families. We will do everything in our power to restore normal life in places that were subjected to abuse and destruction.

We appeal to the fellow citizens with a firm belief that inter-ethnic hatred is not at the root of this tragedy.

We have seen that the criminals were carrying out killings and plunder irrespective of an ethnicity. At the same time, thousands of fellow citizens were trying to protect their neighbors, friends and even strangers from the troubles and the persecution and providing shelters and aid to them and sharing water and food.

Hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens from all the regions, cities and villages consider this assault as against their own families. They have responded with words of sympathy and help. Hundreds of people volunteered at the recruiting centers for national defense or neighborhood guards. Humanitarian aid is flowing from all parts of the country to the affected regions. The overwhelming majority of Kyrgyz, Uzbek and other ethnic groups of Kyrgyzstan consider the recent events as a national tragedy.

We know that the criminals will not rest until they are caught and punished. Today in Osh and Jalal-Abad provinces the situation is stabilizing. But new incitements are expected in other parts of the country. The representatives of the deposed Bakiev regime declared terror on our people and they are ready for new instigations.

We urge all the Kyrgyz citizens to be extremely vigilant and not to give way to any provocation. Each of us should stop those who voluntarily or involuntarily spread panic and provoke inter-ethnic strife and stir up conflict.

The law-enforcement bodies, national security forces and our military have been instructed to carry out their duties at high security alert level continuously until the elections start. We must provide the conditions for political activity which will firmly restore legitimate state power in the country.

The Interim Government is not clinging to power and is ready to pass it on. But we understand that under the current circumstances there are no other political forces capable of quickly winning sufficient public confidence and restoring order in the country. Such miracles do not happen regardless of what the politicians may promise. We do not consider ourselves ideal or the only possible government but we are convinced that there cannot be such an ideal government at this moment. «Horses are not swapped midstream». Any attempt to remove the existing power in its current temporary format by force or other aggressive ways will be fatal for our country and will lead to chaos. The Bakiev regime is waiting for such an opportunity to launch a new aggression against the people of Kyrgyzstan.

Stabilization is possible only through political solutions such as holding a referendum and the parliamentary elections. The Interim Government intends to announce the elections immediately after holding the constitutional referendum. The elections will be called in the nearest possible time in compliance with law.

Effort to disrupt the forthcoming referendum would lead to chaos and delay the resolution of political questions. The responsible politicians and the people of Kyrgyzstan do not need it. Promptly held elections are the only way to stability and to the termination of provocations and hostile activity.

The Interim Government is doing everything in its power to fight against the war launched on our people.

We are deeply grateful to all our citizens, the residents of all the provinces, who, in these darkest days made their contribution to stop the bloodshed and prevent the conflict from spreading and helped the suffering people. We are grateful to our partners in CSTO, first of all to Russia for showing great understanding and making the decision to provide material support during the conflict, stabilizing the situation and providing humanitarian aid. We appreciate the attention and concern for the people of Kyrgyzstan shown by the United Nations, SCO member-states, the European Union and the international community. We are especially grateful to our brothers, to the people of Uzbekistan and to President Islam Karimov for their wisdom and exceptional support in our calamity.

We appeal to the international political and analytical experts to understand and carry out fair assessments of the current events in our country. Speculation on our deep tragedy is not acceptable. Our nation is going through one of the most tragic pages of its history. We are fighting for our democratic rights and we are facing fierce resistance from the representatives of the former rule. We are taking a difficult, at times sacrificial, path for the sake of the realization of the people’s right to choose their own future freely and openly.

In these difficult days our nation stands before a common trouble, but with the support of the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic we will achieve victory over the forces of evil and chaos. No matter how difficult the path to a better future may be, we will walk this path and overcome the difficulties as one.