Bakyt Beshimov
Encyclopedia
Bakyt Beshimov is a leader of parliamentary fraction and deputy chairman of Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
. Bakyt Beshimov is a prominent opposition leader, famous for his liberal views, and speaking out against Bakiev's and Akaev's regimes.
, spending most of his childhood in Osh
. He was born into a family of teachers. His father was a professor at Osh State University
, a university whose president Bakyt Beshimov will later become. He graduated from Lomonosov School. Beshimov graduated with a PhD in History from Kyrgyz State National University
in 1977.
. In 1991 he was appointed as the president of Osh State University
, becoming the youngest president of a university in Kyrgyzstan. From 2006 to 2008 Beshimov served as a vice-president of American University of Central Asia
.
Beshimov also served as a national coordinator of UNDP "Life" Program, national manager of the UN Ferghana Valley Project, and regional expert at the Aga Khan Foundation
.
Presently, Beshimov is a Visiting Scholar at MIT's Center for International Studies and Harvard University's
Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. Beshimov is also a visiting professor at Suffolk University
.
, Beshimov become increasingly outspoken in his criticism towards then president Askar Akaev. Effective reforms of Osh State University
gained him large popularity among the students. Thus students erupted in protests, when Beshimov's political activity caused him to be fired. That same year Beshimov ran for a newly opened parliamentary spot from district in Osh
, and won a landslide victory. Beshimov became a prominent opposition leader. There were numerous attempts to assassinate and throw him in jail by the Akaev regime. Beshimov played a major role in negotiations with Askar Akaev on succeeding certain roles to the opposition. Under the agreement reached in the year 2000, Beshimov was appointed as Kyrgyzstan's ambassador to India
. Following the Tulip Revolution
Beshimov returned to Kyrgyzstan to served as vice-president of American University of Central Asia
. Beshimov was a big supporter of and believer in the Tulip Revolution
. After the new government followed short of promises made during the Tulip Revolution, and started reverting the course back to dictatorial rule, Beshimov re-engaged in politics, going into opposition against Bakiev. In December 2007 he was elected to Kyrgyzstan's Parliament (Jogorku Kenesh) on the candidate list of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
. He is the leader of the opposition fraction in the Kyrgyz Parliament.
Beshimov pushed forward policies to prevent other Shanghai Cooperative Organization members from interfering with Kyrgyzstan's domestic issues. This angered some of Bakiev's own advisers.
Beshimov was one of the first politicians in Kyrgyzstan to use the web for engaging in conversation with the youth.
Leading to Parliamentary election in 2010 Beshimov criticized the government for planning to close universities for the duration of the election, arguing that education is not a high priority for the government.
Beshimov recently spoke against Bakiev's appointment of his own son as head the Central Agency for Development, Investment, and Innovation. For his views several assassination plots have been made on Beshimov, allegedly organized by Bakiev.
In 2009 Beshimov filed a suit with the Constitutional court of Kyrgyzstan against Bakiev. Bases for the suit was Bakiev broking the law by being an active member of Ak Jol political party The Court rejected the claim.
Several assassination attempts before the election, and escalation of threats after the election, forced Beshimov to leave Kyrgyzstan.
, Beshimov was offered the position of Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to the US, which he turned down.
was provoked from outside. He testified before Helsinki Commission on July 27, 2010 with this view.
Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan is a political party in Kyrgyzstan. Members formed the party on 1 October 1993, but did not register with the Justice Ministry until 16 December 1994...
. Bakyt Beshimov is a prominent opposition leader, famous for his liberal views, and speaking out against Bakiev's and Akaev's regimes.
Early life
Bakyt Beshimov grew up in the south of KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
, spending most of his childhood in Osh
Osh
Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, located in the Fergana Valley in the south of the country and often referred to as the "capital of the south". The city is at least 3,000 years old, and has served as the administrative center of Osh Province since 1939...
. He was born into a family of teachers. His father was a professor at Osh State University
Osh State University
Osh State University is the largest and the oldest university in southern Kyrgyzstan. Located in the historic city of Osh, it was founded in 1992 as a reorganization of the Osh Pedagogical Institute, which was founded in the early 1950s. 27,000 students, including 1500 international students,...
, a university whose president Bakyt Beshimov will later become. He graduated from Lomonosov School. Beshimov graduated with a PhD in History from Kyrgyz State National University
Kyrgyz State National University
The Kyrgyz National University is a national university of Kyrgyzstan. It is based in Bishkek.-External links:*http://www.university.kg/ - Website of the Kyrgyz National University...
in 1977.
Academic career
Beshimov started his career on the faculty as professor at Kyrgyz State National UniversityKyrgyz State National University
The Kyrgyz National University is a national university of Kyrgyzstan. It is based in Bishkek.-External links:*http://www.university.kg/ - Website of the Kyrgyz National University...
. In 1991 he was appointed as the president of Osh State University
Osh State University
Osh State University is the largest and the oldest university in southern Kyrgyzstan. Located in the historic city of Osh, it was founded in 1992 as a reorganization of the Osh Pedagogical Institute, which was founded in the early 1950s. 27,000 students, including 1500 international students,...
, becoming the youngest president of a university in Kyrgyzstan. From 2006 to 2008 Beshimov served as a vice-president of American University of Central Asia
American University of Central Asia
The , formerly the Kyrgyz-American University, is a liberal arts University located in Bishkek, the capital of the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan....
.
Beshimov also served as a national coordinator of UNDP "Life" Program, national manager of the UN Ferghana Valley Project, and regional expert at the Aga Khan Foundation
Aga Khan Foundation
The Aga Khan Foundation is a private, not-for-profit international development agency, which was founded in 1967 by . AKF seeks to provide long-term solutions to problems of poverty, hunger, illiteracy and ill health in the poorest parts of South and Central Asia, Eastern and Western Africa, and...
.
Presently, Beshimov is a Visiting Scholar at MIT's Center for International Studies and Harvard University's
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. Beshimov is also a visiting professor at Suffolk University
Suffolk University
Suffolk University is a private, non-sectarian, university located in Boston, Massachusetts and with over 16,000 students it is the third largest university in Boston...
.
Political career
While serving as a president of Osh State UniversityOsh State University
Osh State University is the largest and the oldest university in southern Kyrgyzstan. Located in the historic city of Osh, it was founded in 1992 as a reorganization of the Osh Pedagogical Institute, which was founded in the early 1950s. 27,000 students, including 1500 international students,...
, Beshimov become increasingly outspoken in his criticism towards then president Askar Akaev. Effective reforms of Osh State University
Osh State University
Osh State University is the largest and the oldest university in southern Kyrgyzstan. Located in the historic city of Osh, it was founded in 1992 as a reorganization of the Osh Pedagogical Institute, which was founded in the early 1950s. 27,000 students, including 1500 international students,...
gained him large popularity among the students. Thus students erupted in protests, when Beshimov's political activity caused him to be fired. That same year Beshimov ran for a newly opened parliamentary spot from district in Osh
Osh
Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, located in the Fergana Valley in the south of the country and often referred to as the "capital of the south". The city is at least 3,000 years old, and has served as the administrative center of Osh Province since 1939...
, and won a landslide victory. Beshimov became a prominent opposition leader. There were numerous attempts to assassinate and throw him in jail by the Akaev regime. Beshimov played a major role in negotiations with Askar Akaev on succeeding certain roles to the opposition. Under the agreement reached in the year 2000, Beshimov was appointed as Kyrgyzstan's ambassador to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Following the Tulip Revolution
Tulip Revolution
The Tulip Revolution or First Kyrgyz Revolution refers to the overthrow of President Askar Akayev and his government in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan after the parliamentary elections of February 27 and of March 13, 2005...
Beshimov returned to Kyrgyzstan to served as vice-president of American University of Central Asia
American University of Central Asia
The , formerly the Kyrgyz-American University, is a liberal arts University located in Bishkek, the capital of the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan....
. Beshimov was a big supporter of and believer in the Tulip Revolution
Tulip Revolution
The Tulip Revolution or First Kyrgyz Revolution refers to the overthrow of President Askar Akayev and his government in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan after the parliamentary elections of February 27 and of March 13, 2005...
. After the new government followed short of promises made during the Tulip Revolution, and started reverting the course back to dictatorial rule, Beshimov re-engaged in politics, going into opposition against Bakiev. In December 2007 he was elected to Kyrgyzstan's Parliament (Jogorku Kenesh) on the candidate list of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan
Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan is a political party in Kyrgyzstan. Members formed the party on 1 October 1993, but did not register with the Justice Ministry until 16 December 1994...
. He is the leader of the opposition fraction in the Kyrgyz Parliament.
Beshimov pushed forward policies to prevent other Shanghai Cooperative Organization members from interfering with Kyrgyzstan's domestic issues. This angered some of Bakiev's own advisers.
Beshimov was one of the first politicians in Kyrgyzstan to use the web for engaging in conversation with the youth.
Leading to Parliamentary election in 2010 Beshimov criticized the government for planning to close universities for the duration of the election, arguing that education is not a high priority for the government.
US Air Base
Bakyt Beshimov came under the intense pressure for actively opposing Kyrgyz Governments initial decision to evict US Air Base. He was the only MP to vote for keeping the US Air Base open. Arguing for the importance of US Air Base to the security in Central Asia, created further divide between Beshimov and pro-Russian government of Bakiev.2009 Kyrgyzstan Presidential Election
Beshimov was the campaign manager for the unified opposition candidate during the July 2009 presidential elections, which western observers deemed "fraudulent". Beshimov said that exit polls by opposition supporters showed Atambayev won around 60 percent of the vote.Beshimov recently spoke against Bakiev's appointment of his own son as head the Central Agency for Development, Investment, and Innovation. For his views several assassination plots have been made on Beshimov, allegedly organized by Bakiev.
In 2009 Beshimov filed a suit with the Constitutional court of Kyrgyzstan against Bakiev. Bases for the suit was Bakiev broking the law by being an active member of Ak Jol political party The Court rejected the claim.
Several assassination attempts before the election, and escalation of threats after the election, forced Beshimov to leave Kyrgyzstan.
2010 Revolution
After April 7 revolution in Kyrgyzstan2010 Kyrgyzstani uprising
The 2010 Kyrgyzstani revolution was a series of riots and demonstrations across Kyrgyzstan in April 2010 that led ultimately to the ousting of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The uprising stemmed from growing anger against Bakiyev's administration, rising energy prices, and the sluggish economy, and...
, Beshimov was offered the position of Ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to the US, which he turned down.
Kyrgyz-Uzbek Conflict 2010
Beshimov actively advocated that ethnic clash between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks2010 South Kyrgyzstan riots
The 2010 South Kyrgyzstan riots were clashes between ethnic Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in southern Kyrgyzstan, primarily in the cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad, in the aftermath of the ouster of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on April 7. It is part of the larger 2010 Kyrgyzstan crisis. Violence that...
was provoked from outside. He testified before Helsinki Commission on July 27, 2010 with this view.
External links
- Beshimov's blog
- Beshimov Facebook Fan page
- Brochure for talk held at John Hopkins CACI, where Beshimov gave a speech
- Web-exclusive interview with Bakyt Beshimov
- Agenda Steve Paikin - Interview with Bakyt Beshimov: Uprising in Kyrgyzstan
- Center for International Studies assesses the crisis in Kyrgyzstan - Video lecture by Carol Saivetz and Bakyt Beshimov.
- Kyrgyzstan's Hopes, and Fears, Wall Street Journal, OCTOBER 4, 2010.
- Kyrgyz Democracy’s Narrowing Window of Opportunity, Transition Online, by Bakyt Beshimov, 8 October 2010.
- Kyrgyzstan: Days of violence. Al Jazeera, 15 Jun 2010.