{"id":495,"date":"2010-06-27T17:55:51","date_gmt":"2010-06-27T17:55:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wp3\/?p=495"},"modified":"2010-06-27T17:55:51","modified_gmt":"2010-06-27T17:55:51","slug":"polls-close-in-kyrgyz-referendum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/","title":{"rendered":"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"margin-left: 5px; float: right;\" alt=\"kyrgyz-referendum\" src=\"images\/stories\/news\/kyrgyz-referendum.jpg\" width=\"216\" height=\"183\" \/>Kyrgyzstan has voted in a referendum on a new constitution amid fears of renewed inter-ethnic violence. Voting ended at 8pm local time (1400GMT) on Sunday. The country&#8217;s election commission said 58 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots. Results are due on Monday.<\/div>\n<p>  <!--more-->  <\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The referendum is to decide whether or not presidential powers should be reduced in a new constitution.<br \/>Roza Otunbayeva, the interim president, called the referendum a success and said the new constitution had been approved. That would make Kyrgyzstan Central Asia&#8217;s first parliamentary republic.<br \/>There had been fears of a low turnout because of simmering unrest in the south, but observers from several international bodies, including the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), said they were pleased with the outcome.<br \/>&#8220;They seem to support the claims that the turnout today was surprisingly high,&#8221; said Al Jazeera&#8217;s Clayton Swisher, reporting from Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Reconciliation hopes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There were no major reports of violence or voter fraud.<br \/>Authorities said on Saturday that all 75,000 people who fled to neighbouring Uzbekistan during the recent ethnic violence had now returned.<br \/>Speaking to Al Jazeera, Edil Baisalov, a former senior interim government official, said: &#8220;After the Kyrgyz-Uzbek clashes, it felt wrong to continue with the referendum when hundreds of thousands of our citizens were internally displaced. So I was quite critical of the interim government going ahead with the move.<br \/>&#8220;The fact that thousands of people are going out to vote is a very positive sign. The people of Kyrgyzstan are determined to keep our sovereignty and our statehood, which is what makes this a great day of hope.&#8221;<br \/>The interim government hung posters around Bishkek ahead of the ballot, with slogans like &#8220;vote for my country&#8221; and &#8220;our constitution, to change ourselves and our lives&#8221;.<br \/>Officials even sent a passenger jet to fly over the city, dropping leaflets that urged people to remain peaceful during the vote.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Centre of violence<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kyrgyzstan&#8217;s southern region has been at the centre of the intense fighting that forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.<br \/>Otunbayeva has said up to 2,000 people may have been killed in the violence.<br \/>Investigators on Saturday began exhuming some of the bodies of those killed in the clashes that were not officially identified before being buried.<br \/>Bakyt Alynbayev, Kygyzstan&#8217;s acting deputy interior minster, said the investigation was &#8220;in the interests of the victims themselves&#8221; and &#8220;necessary for settling the issue of compensation&#8221;.<br \/>The violence in June followed an uprising last April that led to the overthrow of Kurmanbek Bakiyev as president and the installation of the provisional government.<br \/>Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the north mostly supported the interim government, while Kyrgyz in the south largely backed Bakiyev.<br \/>Government officials accuse Bakiyev supporters of instigating this month&#8217;s violence in an attempt to sabotage the referendum.<br \/>The clashes were the worst ethnic violence to hit impoverished Kyrgyzstan since it gained independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union nearly two decades ago.<br \/>Observers have described the unrest as a violent campaign by armed Kyrgyz fighters against ethnic Uzbeks, who make up about 14 per cent of Kyrgyzstan&#8217;s population of 5.3 million.<\/p>\n<p>Source: Al Jazeera and agencies<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kyrgyzstan has voted in a referendum on a new constitution amid fears of renewed inter-ethnic violence. Voting ended at 8pm local time (1400GMT) on Sunday. The country&#8217;s election commission said 58 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots. Results are due on Monday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-c59-islamic-world"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum - SunniOnline<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum - SunniOnline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Kyrgyzstan has voted in a referendum on a new constitution amid fears of renewed inter-ethnic violence. Voting ended at 8pm local time (1400GMT) on Sunday. The country&#8217;s election commission said 58 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots. Results are due on Monday.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SunniOnline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-06-27T17:55:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"majed\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"majed\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"majed\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/26da0e970ff572e94f1b7d9009ab39be\"},\"headline\":\"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-06-27T17:55:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":538,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"Muslim World\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/\",\"name\":\"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum - SunniOnline\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2010-06-27T17:55:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/26da0e970ff572e94f1b7d9009ab39be\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/2010\\\/06\\\/27\\\/495\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/\",\"name\":\"SunniOnline\",\"description\":\"The Official Website of Sunni Community in Iran\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/26da0e970ff572e94f1b7d9009ab39be\",\"name\":\"majed\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d14a5567692b3eb9bd620c2cb94ec98fcf8d44e4ec418fc172b76b04163a7ee9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d14a5567692b3eb9bd620c2cb94ec98fcf8d44e4ec418fc172b76b04163a7ee9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/d14a5567692b3eb9bd620c2cb94ec98fcf8d44e4ec418fc172b76b04163a7ee9?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"majed\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sunnionline.us\\\/english\\\/author\\\/majed\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum - SunniOnline","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum - SunniOnline","og_description":"Kyrgyzstan has voted in a referendum on a new constitution amid fears of renewed inter-ethnic violence. Voting ended at 8pm local time (1400GMT) on Sunday. The country&#8217;s election commission said 58 per cent of registered voters cast their ballots. Results are due on Monday.","og_url":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/","og_site_name":"SunniOnline","article_published_time":"2010-06-27T17:55:51+00:00","author":"majed","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"majed","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/"},"author":{"name":"majed","@id":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/26da0e970ff572e94f1b7d9009ab39be"},"headline":"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum","datePublished":"2010-06-27T17:55:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/"},"wordCount":538,"commentCount":0,"articleSection":["Muslim World"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/","url":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/","name":"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum - SunniOnline","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/#website"},"datePublished":"2010-06-27T17:55:51+00:00","author":{"@id":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/26da0e970ff572e94f1b7d9009ab39be"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/2010\/06\/27\/495\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Polls close in Kyrgyz referendum"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/#website","url":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/","name":"SunniOnline","description":"The Official Website of Sunni Community in Iran","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"http:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/#\/schema\/person\/26da0e970ff572e94f1b7d9009ab39be","name":"majed","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d14a5567692b3eb9bd620c2cb94ec98fcf8d44e4ec418fc172b76b04163a7ee9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d14a5567692b3eb9bd620c2cb94ec98fcf8d44e4ec418fc172b76b04163a7ee9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d14a5567692b3eb9bd620c2cb94ec98fcf8d44e4ec418fc172b76b04163a7ee9?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"majed"},"url":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/author\/majed\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sunnionline.us\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}