President Atambayev is against the Russian language?!

The power of Kyrgyzstan a lot and willingly say that do all necessary in order that the Russian language normally functioned in the republic. But, as show the events of the last time, words often differ from affairs. In this regard the Coordination Council of the Russian Unifying Union of Compatriots accepted the special address against the adopted unconstitutional amendments to the relation of official Russian language. Below its full text is provided:

The Coordination Council of the Russian Unifying Union of Compatriots in Kyrgyzstan addresses to the public of the republic, to world and international institutes on human rights to rise in defence of the constitution and the official status of the Russian language in Kyrgyzstan. The president of the Kyrgyz Republic Almazbek Atambayev signed unconstitutional amendments in the law “Of Official Language” by which limited the action of the Russian language in the territory of the country. According to the laws adopted by parliament of the republic, the regulations of representative bodies of local government (local Kenesh) according to their own decision can be published only in the state (Kyrgyz) language, on condition of accommodation in the territory of the corresponding administrative and territorial unit of prevailing number of the persons knowing a state language.

We note that in compliance the acting constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian is official language in Kyrgyzstan (article 10) that is natural extends on all territory of the country, instead of on separate administrative and territorial units.

Pain and bewilderment causes the fact of signing of these legislative correcting by the president. It is clear, that the change on languages accepted in the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic contradict the articles 10, 16, 20 and other standards of the constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic in which it is said that nobody can be exposed to discrimination on language and other signs and circumstances and the restrictions of the rights and freedoms can't be set by laws in other purposes and more than it is provided by the constitution having the highest validity and direct action in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The decision accepted by the president in 2-3 years can put a fat point on existence of the Russian language even not official, but a spoken language in Kyrgyzstan. The secret long-term policy of replacement of the Russian language from many spheres of life already led to that 5 areas (except Chuysk and Issyk Kul) from 7 areas of the republic don't speak and don't conduct the office-work in the Russian.

It turns out that official Russian language in the Kyrgyz Republic constitution is no more than the trump card which is dexterously played by politicians of Kyrgyzstan in front of Russia to achieve write-off of debts, implementation of the economic projects, in fact being reduced to one: “Russia, give money, we have the official Russian language in the constitution”?! .

We believed up to the end that the president won't follow the tastes of the legislators lobbyists on narrowing of action of the Russian in the republic and won't sign the law limiting the constitutional status of official language, will be guided by the principles of constitutionality, protection of citizens of all nationalities, declared by itself, “law dictatorship” … If the head of state is the guarantor of constitutional laws and freedoms of citizens of Kyrgyzstan itself violates the main law of the country, so who needs to be trusted?

The Russian Unifying Union of Compatriots always acted and supports the development of the Kyrgyz, Russian and other languages of the country, demanding improvement of teaching, creation of the new adapted techniques, textbooks, etc. Undoubtedly, the Kyrgyz language needs the special relation as a state language, development, studying by all citizens of Kyrgyzstan, but it shouldn't occur in the account of restriction of the official status of the Russian! How is it possible to speak about the principles of firmness of the law when the actions of state agencies go on belittling, narrowing and as result, cancellation, suppression of one language by other language in the near future?! The state and official languages by the international definitions and the status are two equal, strong languages which have to help each other, to the people, the country to survive and develop.

According to official population census of 2009, 71,4% of the population in Kyrgyzstan freely speak a state language, that is the primary majority. The Kyrgyz live in all territory of the country and number of the persons knowing a state language, prevails in all areas of the republic.

That is only these facts are able to allow the officials to enter gradually the practice of acceptance and publication of local decisions exclusively in one state Kyrgyz language in each administrative and territorial unit of the republic.

Such amendments in the legislation of the Kyrgyz Republic will cause restriction of the rights and deputies of the local Kenesh, not knowing the state Kyrgyz language. They as ethnic minority in local representative bodies, won't be able to participate in discussion, vote on decisions taken out by local community. As the adoption of such decisions will be only in the Kyrgyz language.

There is a wish to believe that after all signing of these laws by the president is a mistake which it is possible and it is necessary to correct.

As all listed tendencies say that political leadership of Kyrgyzstan seeks to belittle and minimize the Russian language distribution in the republic.

Certainly, the adopted unconstitutional amendments will create social tension and undoubted growth of emigration of the Russian-speaking population from the country.

Such violation of constitutional laws of citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic is intolerant.

We demand from the authorities of Kyrgyzstan: “Observe the constitution!”. We urge the world community to pay attention to a language discrimination situation in Kyrgyzstan. We demand that the power stopped manipulations with official language and cancelled the adopted of unconstitutional amendments.
We call all citizens of Kyrgyzstan, and first of all, those to whom the Russian language isn't different, the Russian culture, presence of the Russians and representatives of other nationalities in the republic, resolutely to defend the violated political and civil rights and freedoms.

We address to brothers-Kyrgyz.

Ignorance of the Kyrgyz or Russian language is not wine, but trouble in which not the people are guilty, but those who nearly a quarter of the century can't or don't want to create normal conditions, including techniques for studying of languages.

Language and national variety are the richness of our country. To refuse language is unreasonable squandering.

And the deputies instead of thinking how to feed the people, how to provide employment, give a worthy salary, medical aid, education, playing into the hands of “hurrah -patriots” adopt the next law, perverting the constitution, having forgotten the made loud promises. It causes the feeling in the hearts of thousand people that they were betrayed and deceived by those who promised protection and guaranteed the equality.

If the amendments in the law won’t be cancelled, before many Russian-speaking citizens already soon will have a question: whether to remain in the homeland in language, information and legal vacuum or by an example of many forcedly to leave the favourite earth, friends, graves of fathers and mothers.

We ask the people of Kyrgyzstan to help us to believe that we and the Russian language have a future in Kyrgyzstan!