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Tens of Thousands Flee Ethnic Riots in Kyrgyzstan

   Three days of violence leaves 117 dead, 1,400 wounded.

     14 June 2010
   An  Ethnik  Uzbek  holds his head in his hands as he stands beside the
   wreckage of his burned out home in Osh, 14 Jun 2010

Photo: AFP

   An  Ethnik  Uzbek  holds his head in his hands as he stands beside the
   wreckage of his burned out home in Osh, 14 Jun 2010

   Tens of thousands of ethnic Uzbeks have fled three days of violence in
   Kyrgyzstan  that  left  at  least  117 people dead and more than 1,400
   others wounded.
   The  International  Red  Cross  said  Sunday authorities and emergency
   services  in  the south are completely overwhelmed by the riots.  The
   Red Cross expressed extreme concern about reports of severe brutality.
   U.N.  Secretary-General  Ban  Ki-moon discussed the situation with the
   chair  of  the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, as
   the world body assessed humanitarian aid needs in the affected region.
   Kyrgyzstan's  interim  government  said it will send reserve forces to
   the  southern  cities  of  Osh  and  Jalalabad.   The government gave
   security forces shoot-to-kill powers.
   Russia  sent  paratroopers  to  protect its airbase in the country but
   rejected  interim President Rosa Otunbayeva's request that Moscow send
   peacekeeping troops. She warned that Kyrgyzstan could face collapse.

   The  Kremlin promised humanitarian assistance and said it will discuss
   the  issue  Monday  within a Moscow-led security bloc of former Soviet
   republics.   Many victims of the rioting have been flown to Moscow to
   receive medical treatment.
   Camps  have  been  set  up across neighboring Uzbekistan for refugees,
   many  of whom have gunshot wounds and have seen their homes torched by
   armed gangs of Kyrgyz men.
   Osh  and  Jalalabad are strongholds for the former President Kurmanbek
   Bakiyev, who was ousted in an uprising in April and fled the country.
   Ms. Otunbayeva has blamed Mr. Bakiyev's supporters for instigating the
   violence,  accusing  them  of  seeking  to  disrupt  a  constitutional
   referendum  on  reducing  presidential powers scheduled for later this
   month.
   Mr.  Bakiyev  issued a statement from Belarus Sunday, denying any role
   in  the  violence  and  criticizing  the  interim  authorities for not
   protecting the people.

   Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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