Kyrgyzstan approves parliamentary constitution
ICC Note
The passing of the referendum in Kyrgyzstan following Sunday's vote shows 90.6 percent voters backed the new constitution.
06/29/2010 Kyrgyzstan (MNN) ― Joel Griffith of Slavic Gospel Association shared the implications of the new constitution: "This referendum did indeed pass in Kyrgyzstan. They've approved the new constitution. It sets the stage for the first parliamentary democracy in Central Asia. Voters backed the new constitution by about 90.6 percent."
Since Kyrgyzstan's former president, Kurmanbek Bakiev, was ousted in April, the interim government fervently pushed for the referendum vote and October elections, despite ethnic violence flare-ups during the month of June.
Authorities blamed Bakiev, who is now exiled in Belarus, for initiating the conflicts that led to bloodshed, according to AFP. Griffith said as many as 2,000 Uzbeks were killed in the clashes, by unofficial estimates, and thousands more injured. SGA said up to 800,000 Uzbeks have fled the region.
Around 69 percent of Kyrgyzstan turned out to vote, though witnesses say Uzbek did not show up to vote.
With such a high turnout and so many in favor of the new government, Griffith said he hopes this will lessen violence, though he knows there are still many in the country who support the former president.
