Watching the Kyrgyz referendum

ICC Note

There are still high tensions between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in light of deadly ethnic violence and Sunday’s vote on a new constitution

06/26/2010 Kyrgyzstan (MNN) ― “The big thing they’re facing is this: ‘We can’t trust anybody.'” That’s ‘Jeff’, a worker who has partnered with Audio Scripture Ministries in Kyrgyzstan.

He’s describing the tensions between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in light of deadly ethnic violence and Sunday’s vote on a new constitution. Neighbor turned on neighbor in five days of rioting. The tinder box exploded after two months of simmering following a coup.

The referendum in question will decide whether or not the nation will become Central Asia’s first parliamentary democracy. Voters will settle this question: do we approve a new constitution that devolves power from the president to the prime minister? It’s a crucial piece in restoring order and critical in the move forward to October’s vote.

Under the new charter, the interim leader Roza Otunbayeva would remain interim president until the end of 2011, before stepping aside. Parliamentary elections would be held every five years, and the president would be limited to a single six-year term in office.

With so much at stake, it’s important that everyone get a chance to give their input.

However, already, violence is tainting the arena. Six ethnic Uzbek women were held hostage briefly while preparing for the referendum. They were released on Wednesday unharmed. There are other scattered media reports of situations that could be intimidating people into staying home.

Although they’re scared, ‘Jeff’ says the threat of violence won’t keep people from the polls. “In talking to our friends on the ground, I get the sense that they’re saying, ‘This needs to happen. We’re afraid, but this referendum needs to go forward.'”

Uzbek refugees are coming home, but there are still a lot of people who need help. Many aid groups have supplies, but they’re afraid to deliver them. Many of the displaced are still hiding in basements and other risky shelters. This is where the local church is stepping in as the hands and feet of Christ.

‘Jeff’ says, “Believers are saying, ‘Give us the flour, give us the oil; we’ll go deliver it.’ Right now, we have a team of mixed Kyrgyz and Uzbeks. People are dumbfounded. They’re saying, ‘What are you doing together? This is an Uzbek man. How can you trust him?’ The Uzbek man is saying, ‘We believe in a God who forgives and loves us. This is how we’re commanded to live: in unity with one another.'”

Keep praying. Pray for stability. Pray for the safety of the teams who are responding. Ask God for more opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel with those they’re helping.

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