To become an independent state is no easy task at all. After seceding from Russia, people had high hopes they would become a nation, a state immediately.

They faced the reality after losing their free houses, water and gas supplies. The new system now was being structured around the “individual.” There was nobody out there to protect anyboby. The constitutional and political infrastructure to protect the individual had not been established yet and nothing had been institutionalized. As the leaders were bent on proceeding, without giving up the idea of renovating and restructuring, the gap between the rich and the poor widened. The situation of the poor masses, without any protection, caused despair, anger, and anxiety. Dissatisfied people covered a wide spectrum of society, ranging from those who wanted to take refuge in Russia, to those demanding a return to the communist system. The number of vagabonds, dubbed “karabudun,” in the Dede Korkut Stories, increased. Looter “karabudun” revolted. Turkey that could not generate a clear-cut policy and could not lead the way for governments in the region to follow. While people hoped for a better life, the quality of life was gradually deteriorating. That is, [Askar] Akayev could not ensure the development of the country on the principle of equal distribution. On the contrary, foreign debts even scared creditors after reaching incredible dimensions and resources were limited. We should add here that Russians are fewer in number population-wise. The tendency towards being closed to the outside world increases in countries where only those in power develop. Hence for Akayev, the most moderate person on this issue to be on the government’s side, is no coincidence. Change sneaks out from the spots open to outside world, when you cannot find remedies to poverty and unemployment, in particular… [Kurmanbek] Bakiyev who said, “No one was ready for a revolution,” also confirmed that Kyrgyz people are living on less than one dollar per day. In my opinion, [Rosa] Otunbayeva saying, “first stability, then reform,” will not repeat the mistakes of the past, if she can hold “stability and reform” together. The reason many reforms are not realized, always stems from stability. Then, neither stability nor the government is left. Attacking workers, seizing them by the throat and dragging them down with their neck ties during the looting spree, are more indicative of vandalism. If violence descends onto the streets, it realizes its power and then tries to use it. The Kyrgyz people in Central Asia, which for centuries has been dubbed the “boiling pot of tribes,” have maintained their existence by always migrating from place to place and uniting with other clans in order to fight and protect their interests. Even though Akayev, a ruler who was aware of all these, made alliances with the outside world, he could not form alliances with his own citizens. He dwelled on the Swedish model of democracy that was being implemented in Kyrgyzstan in his speech at the Swedish Institute of Domestic Politics in 2002 and added: “The political path followed by the former Soviet system was an endless path from the very beginning. During this process, we worked hard on which country’s democratic model could be adopted. The idea of the universality of democracy sounds dangerous to me during this change process. For instance, 80 different ethnic groups exist in Kyrgyzstan. We should develop a new democratic model according to the real world in which we live, instead of adopting the models of others.” What is seen, however, is that a model cannot be developed without believing in it and abiding by international criteria. As a British writer said, “Do not ask for whom the bell tolls – it tolls for thee.” Let’s look at the implementations of the newcomers: “As the former parliamentarians and the current ones, who were elected in fraudulent general elections that were held in February and March wrangled, both sides also accused each other of being illegitimate. One of the opposition leaders Felix Kulov, who was freed from jail during the public uprising, and appointed interior minister, warned his allies, the former deputies, that they had better withdrawn.”* Both the Election Commission and the Supreme Court are on two separate lines. While the Commission supports granting authority to the newly-elected parliament, the Supreme Court claims that authority rests with the former parliament. Following the political developments in the country with anxiety, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), is also against the announcement of presidential elections on June 26, by Bakiyev, who has been named interim president and prime minister. OSCE representative, Markus Mueller, is right when he says: “This date is not realistic. While there are so many unsolved constitutional problems, elections cannot be held within such a short period of time.” Krgyzstan is a new proof of the fact that the whole stratum of society is urgently demanding development, prosperity, good quality of life and democracy. This will harm those who do not use their power for the betterment of their people. One who inhales the winds of independence can no longer hold his/her breath. *Radikal, March 28. March 29, 2005

Bağımsız bir ülke olmak hiç kolay değil. Rusya’dan kopunca insanlar hemen millet, hemen devlet olabilecekleri umuduyla coşmuşlardı.

Bedava evleri, suları, gazları kaybedince gerçekle karşılaştılar. Yeni sistem “birey” etrafında yapılanıyordu. Koruyan hiç kimse yoktu. “Birey”i koruyacak hukuki, siyasal altyapı ise henüz kurulmamıştı, hiçbir şey kurumlaşmamıştı. Liderler yenilenmenin ve yapılanmanın vazgeçilmezliğine aldırmadan devam etmek isteyince yoksullarla zenginlerin arası açıldı. Yoksul halk kitlelerinin koruyucusuz durumu umutsuzluk, öfke ve kaygı yaratmaya başladı.
 

Güngör Uras, köşesinde 30 yaşındaki Jamie Oliver’ın öyküsünü anlattı. “Çocuklarımızın sağlığına ve geleceğine daha fazla para ayırmalıyız” diyerek İngiltere’de okul çocuklarının beslenme şeklini değiştirmeyi “tek başına” başaran bu genç, İngilizlerin “halk kahramanı” olmuş.

4. Uluslararası Organik Ürünler ve Çevre Fuarı geçen 24-27 Mart arası İstanbul’da açıldı. Hanım sultanların saraylarının bir parçası olan mekan, konusuna uyumlu ve çok güzel. Ancak bütün güzel şeyler gibi elimizden alınacak ve Başbakanlık çalışma ofisinin bir parçası olacakmış önümüzdeki yıl.
 

Sağlık Bakanlığı himayesinde düzenlenen uluslararası katılımlı ulusal kanser haftası 4 Nisan’da bilimsel toplantılarla başladı. Uluslararası katılımcı örgütlerden “The Middle East Cancer Consortium” ilgimi çekti. Kanserle Savaş Daire Başkanı Prof. Murat Tuncer’ e bunun ne olduğunu sordum. Geldiği günden beri kanseri toplumsal bir hastalık olarak anlatmaya çalışan ve de çok önemli işlere imza atan Tuncer’in bu işteki rolünü herkes bilsin istedim.