The 8/365 Movement has watched with concern the developments in Kyrgyzstan over the past few days. While the government is paralyzed, the Jogorku Kenesh is split, the militia is unable to carry out its direct functions, the forces associated with previous corrupt regimes and criminal groups seek to usurp power and redistribute the people's wealth for personal gain. Against the background of all this, there is the transmission of hate speech, the division of Kyrgyzstan's society into “friends” and “aliens," which enhances the general destabilization in the country.
Meanwhile, there is no significant difference in the political programs of the “old guard” and the young “reformers”. The policies they put forward, aimed at the privatization of education, health care, state enterprises, are obviously anti-social, anti-female, anti-human in nature.
Therefore, it is not surprising that everyone who claims to power stands up for the interests of business, which must be protected at all costs. Bankers and businessmen nominate candidates for the post of prime minister and other positions of power. Even self-organized “vigilantes” protect shopping centers and private property in the first place. While state institutions, enterprises and facilities are being plundered, the public domain of the republic is being destroyed, including infrastructure facilities, ambulances, Mandatory Health Insurance Fund, etc.
8/365 as a women's rights movement has a stake in women's involvement in decision-making and post-crisis power structures. However, we must remember why we need women representatives in government structures. We are not fighting for 50% representation in ochlocratic semi-criminal structures. Our goal is not a place at the negotiating table where there is a predatory seizure of power in the interests of a narrow circle of business elites. It is important for us that the next revolution does not end, as in previous times, with an even greater robbery of the people in favor of oligarchs and criminals.
Formation of an alternative vision of the country's future in the interests of all citizens is the key task of a progressive civil society today. The implementation of this task is possible only under conditions of open public discussions with equal participation of all parties. However, the disruption of the civil society forum on October 8 and threats to its participants once again showed that the freedom of peaceful assembly and the very existence of the civil sector are under threat. At the same time, civil society is assigned the role of service personnel when it becomes necessary to mobilize volunteers, deal with psychological trauma and clean up debris after pogroms.
Our movement advocates that the work and expertise of organizations and civil society activists should not be used to legitimize decisions taken without our participation. The struggle for a dignified life for all, for social justice and equality is not only a matter of legality and professionalism, but of political sensitivity and responsibility.