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Viewing cable 09BISHKEK894, KYRGYZSTAN: ABUSE OF ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCES IN

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BISHKEK894 2009-08-07 11:40 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Bishkek
VZCZCXRO7339
OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHEK #0894/01 2191140
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 071140Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY BISHKEK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2561
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3214
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1506
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO BRUSSELS BE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3559
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2945
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000894 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2019 
TAGS: PINT PGOV KG
SUBJECT: KYRGYZSTAN: ABUSE OF ADMINISTRATIVE RESOURCES IN 
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, PART II 
 
REF: REF: BISHKEK 888 
 
BISHKEK 00000894  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Classified By: Amb. Tatiana C. Gfoeller, Reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY:  In the run-up to the 2009 Presidential 
elections, the government of Kyrgyzstan used all its 
administrative resources to support President Bakiyev,s 
campaign.  The government exerted extraordinary pressure on 
state employees and their families to vote for the President, 
going so far as to monitor the casting of their votes at 
polling stations.  Influence was also applied to a wide range 
of ordinary citizens, from businessmen, to musicians and 
athletes, to teachers and students.  In the end, Bakiyev,s 
use of state resources gave him an advantage in the election 
that the opposition was unable to overcome.  This is Part II 
of a two cable series on the run-up to the 2009 Presidential 
Election.  END SUMMARY 
 
VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT, OR ELSE! 
--------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) Groups tied to the government reported being pressured 
to vote for Bakiyev.  Director of the State Agency on Sports 
and Youth Aleksandr Voinov was told by the White House his 
job depended on ensuring that the majority of professional 
and amateur athletes vote for the president, and to use the 
many sport associations that receive government funding to do 
so.  Some universities, including Osh State, the largest in 
the country, extended the academic year until August to 
ensure that students and faculty members could be forced to 
vote in front of the school officials that run precincts at 
the universities.  School teachers also reported being 
required to vote for Bakiyev.  School directors were observed 
at polling stations on election day, checking off lists of 
teachers to ensure that everyone voted. 
 
3. (C) Many doctors and others connected to the Ministry of 
Health told Embassy employees that they have been both bribed 
with salary raises and free trips to Lake Issyk Kul, and 
threatened with sackings if they did not vote.  Some doctors 
have been required to give the names of five relatives who 
promise to vote for Bakiyev--and have been told that these 
names will be checked on election day. 
 
4. (C) Government employees were required to postpone 
vacations to ensure they could vote.  Several officials 
refused International Visitor and other USG programs because 
they would have been out of the country on election day.  One 
official was able to travel on the International Visitor 
program only because he voted early.  He claimed that he 
needed to take the voting receipt with him to the airport to 
show Customs officials, who would not let him leave without 
it. 
 
5. (C) Despite criticism from international observers, many 
in the government seem satisfied with the elections.  Central 
Election Commission members were seen partying in Bishkek the 
day after the elections and told EmbOff they were very proud 
of their work.  A group of ministers were also seen toasting 
their success at Lake Issyk Kul the weekend after the 
elections.  Voinov said that Bakiyev met with each Minister 
individually after the election to review his or her 
performance.  Bakiyev told Voinov that he had done a good job 
in the campaign, especially in the far regions, and should be 
able to keep his job. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
6. (C) The Kyrgyz government used all possible methods and 
tools to ensure a high voter turnout on election day, and to 
ensure the re-election of President Bakiyev.  The 
 
BISHKEK 00000894  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
government,s massive use of state resources in favor of 
Bakiyev greatly dwarfed resources available to the opposition 
and gave the President an advantage.  The efforts of the 
government may reflect official anxiety over public 
dissatisfaction with electricity shortages and other problems 
in the past year, or might be part of a broader attempt to 
tighten control in the country.  Attempts by the opposition 
to capitalize on any dissatisfaction among voters over the 
election results appeared to have failed. 
 GFOELLER