Courtesy of vesti.kg

There have been many cases when animosity forced ethnic minorities to leave or wish to do so. A similar trend  has been observed in Kyrgyzstan, mainly in badly hit southern regions, since the bloody events termed an  “interethnic clash” took place in June 2010. For some reason the “interethnic” conflict had disproportionately  hurt ethnic Uzbeks, who are a minority group at the national level, but are actually a majority in Southern  Kyrgyzstan. Despite the figures, they were the ones who suffered from an immeasurably higher death toll and  loss of property. Maybe that is the reason why as many as about 40,000 ethnic Uzbeks fled their homeland  since the June calamity. The absolute majority travels to Russia, where they apply for and obtain the Russian  citizenship.

For doing so, Kyrgyz citizens, whether Uzbek or Kyrgyz or Russian or whoever (after all, Kyrgyzstan is a proud home for over 100 ethnicities), must renounce their citizenship first. While the citizenship law permits having two citizenships, it can only be obtained with those countries that Kyrgyzstan has a relevant agreement with. So far the number of such countries is 0. So now, it appears that forfeiting the Kyrgyz citizenship will become just a little more expensive. Unless you are ethnic Kyrgyz… According to a vesti.kg website report last week, a passport bureau in Bishkek had posted the announcement below enlisting documents required for abandoning the Kyrgyz citizenship. The poster not only contains many grammar and syntax mistakes, but also carries a message reading that ethnic minorities will have to pay 20 times as much as their fellow citizens of Kyrgyz ethnicity would.

The top of the poster reads that the 12-point list is “in accordance with the law on citizenship.” However, the law says nothing about ethnic minorities and 20 times higher fees. True, presumably regular state fees are mentioned under Article 35. The only possibly plausible argument I can think of is thus trying to stop or slow down emigration. If this was the real intention, authorities have once again manifested their lack of knowledge in public policy, which might have a directly negative implication.

Coming back to the June 2010 issue, which reportedly inflicted more damage on an ethnic minority, many human rights advocates emphasized disproportionate numbers of this group’s members under various investigations. A little earlier, another ethnic minority was targeted in northern Kyrgyzstan. These two major and many other minor events “encouraged” them to think of not actually being equal before both law and authorities along with those so-called “titular” fellow citizens. While these previous events suggested discrimination was taking place at the grassroots level, the poster above (not the law) suggests the discrimination is now being officially (!) practiced at the highest levels. Because according to that very law on citizenship, it is the president who decides on one’s renunciation and/or acquisition of Kyrgyz citizenship. By the way, that very president believes there was no discrimination against ethnic Uzbeks during investigations into the June events. However, her own (!) figures staunchly asserted 30 Uzbeks and 22 Kyrgyz were suspected in Jalalabad and 100 Uzbeks and 9 Kyrgyz in Osh…

It is probably not difficult to realize that such a move will strengthen the feeling of superiority in certain ethnic Kyrgyz citizens toward other fellow citizens who were unlucky to be born to non-Kyrgyz parents. Oh, if only they could choose…

On the other hand, this step will probably push more ethnic minority individuals and groups to buy one-way tickets originating in Bishkek. While 2,000 Kyrgyz soms (about 40 USD), which ethnic minorities will have to pay, is not a big amount of money, the crooked and disturbing message it sends is indeed enormous. The poster and its negative implications could have been unnoticed for some time, but it is now difficult to deny it after several agencies carried the news about it.

Ethnic minorities in Kyrgyzstan now see they are not welcome in their own home-country by even those who are actually supposed to protect their rights and liberties. It is no surprise, given the incumbent powers that be openly criticize ethnic minorities for being an ethnic minority.

For some reason, the Kyrgyz authorities are stubbornly refusing to realize that suppressing and discriminating ethnic minorities will not make their “titular” electorate wealthier. While such moves could appeal to many among the latter and maybe even make them happier, they will too soon realize that things are not getting any better despite the silenced voices of “others.”