Domestic and International Perspectives on Kyrgyzstan's 'Tulip Revolution': Motives, Mobilization and Meanings by Sally Cummings

Author:Sally Cummings [Cummings, Sally]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General, Civil Rights, Political Process, Leadership, Political Freedom
ISBN: 9781317989660
Google: taLaAAAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 18564860
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2013-09-13T00:00:00+00:00

The north–south cleavage and political support in Kyrgyzstan

Maxim Ryabkov

Department of International and Comparative Politics (ICP), American University of Central Asia, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Introduction

Kyrgyz politics is traditionally characterized by a cleavage between the north and the south of the country. Northern and southern elites have played different roles in politics since Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991. A north–south cleavage featured prominently in the popular explanations of the post-Tulip confrontations among elite coalitions. However, the meaning of the north–south cleavage remains elusive.

In particular, two gaps in existing literature are to be filled. One stems from an exclusive focus on elite politics. The literature that identifies and explains the north–south divide focuses on political elites and institutions that are controlled by these elites. Despite disagreements among scholars with regard to the source of regionalism and its relation to clan or tribal identities, the phenomenon of a north–south cleavage in Kyrgyzstan is generally described in terms of elite coalitions (Gullette 2007). This article looks at the regional divide at the level of the political attitudes of the general population. It argues that the received notion of north–south relations is not applicable to these political attitudes, particularly with regard to the popular political support for political institutions and personalities. This study also compares explanations for the nature of this variation in political support, and argues that this variation is not likely to be explained by ethnic or socio-economic factors.

The other gap is the lack of understanding of regional dynamics after the Tulip Revolution. The majority of studies reflect the political situation of the Akaev period, or the Tulip Revolution itself. Regionalism in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan after the Tulip Revolution has, however, received only limited attention. Therefore, this article’s focus is on post-Tulip developments, namely 2006–2007. In that period, as is shown below, ‘region’ featured prominently as a means of labelling politicians and coalitions. In that atmosphere the talk of northern and southern clans underwrote mutual accusations of undermining national unity by the incumbent regime and the opposition.

This study supports existing findings that a north–south cleavage exists, also with regard to political support. Yet, the nature of this divide differs from what might have been expected. The received wisdom on Kyrgyz political geography and the political dynamics in 2006–2007 suggest the following hypothesis: the north extended political support to the opposition and the institutions that are associated with it, such as the NGOs, while the south gave support to the incumbent and the state institutions, such as the army, the police and the courts.

This hypothesis is rejected. A very strong north–south cleavage is found in political attitudes towards various elements of the political system, but the north does not support the opposition, institutions associated with it and the civic protests significantly more than the south. Instead, it can be observed that there is political support for all major elements of the political system in the south and a lack of it in the north.

Indeed, is this divide regional? Might it not be a result of

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