Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission Report

In July 2010, following the horrific interethnic violence in Southern Kyrgyzstan, President Roza Otunbayeva invited Kimmo Kiljunen, the special representative for Central Asia of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to form an independent commission to investigate the root causes of the violence and suggest the necessary measures for achieving justice, accountability, and reconciliation.

On May 3, 2011, the Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission released its highly anticipated report, the result of extensive interviews with some 750 witnesses, 700 documents, and thousands of photographs and video extracts. As a result of its findings, the commission has recommended a series of measures on inclusive state-building and reconciliation, including transitional justice approaches. For its part, the government of Kyrgyzstan has pledged to establish a special commission for the implementation and monitoring of the report recommendations.

The Open Society Foundations were pleased to host this event at the kind request of H.E. Talaybek Kydyrov, ambassador and permanent representative of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations, who provided introductory remarks for the discussion.

The event was moderated by Michael Hall, regional director for the Caucasus and Central Asia at the Open Society Foundations.

Speakers

• Ravshanbek A. Sabirov, Member of Parliament (Jogorku Kenesh) of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Mira A. Karabaeva, Head of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Policy and Interaction with Civil Society, Office of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Erkinbek T. Mamyrov, Head of the Department for Legality, Office of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic
• Dmitriy Kabak, Human Rights Activist, Independent Expert
• Marcie Merskey, International Center for Transitional Justice
• Rachel Denber, Human Rights Watch