Issue 1, 2008 9 MARCH - APRIL 2007 � CONTENTS Informal institutes as “rules of a political CONTENTS BazarbayValentin Mambetov: Bogatyrev:: game” in Kyrgyzstan A lot“Development must be done by theis MuratbekCentral Imanaliev Asia in ................................. 2007: Dynamics .......of Change..........2 and Development peopleinstability. of Kyrgyzstan Any stability and is a StatusRegional of formal conference political institutessummary .....................2and interactions with informal political firstsign of of all stagnation by the leadership or a latent structuresEvaluation in Kyrgyzstan of Political Situation after April 19 to accumulationrecognize the ofimportance possible ValentinRound Bogatyrev table summary ........................ ..................................3...........................4 of socialwater problemsexplosions. in Central In the Kyrgyzstan:Kyrgyzstan: is democracy Democratic on the Success agenda or Threat to Stability? Asianview politics. of such - p. a 27paradigm of for the country? BakytValentin Beshimov Bogatyrev ....................... ......................................4................................13 BRIEF Issue KYRGYZSTAN development, Kyrgyzstan “Authorities-Opposition” Tandem in 2007 HowBakyt decisions Beshimov are made ...........................................6 in Kyrgyzstan is the most stable state Roundtable transcript ..............................................19 in Central Asia since the Issues of National Statehood in Central Asia A perspectiveMuratbek Imanalievfor Central ......................................9 Asia to become 2008 Kyrgyzstan brief January – February, processes of development a bridge between Asia and Europe MuratbekWhat ImanalievHampers ........... Economic...................... Growth....... in.......... the Kyrgyz34 are taking place here, and Republic? the ‘lid is off the cauldron’; MitigationRafkat the Khasanov criminal .......................................12 law in Central Asian countries everything boils and rages, GulnuraTax Reforms:Toralieva..... Myths................. and............... Reality....... .......... 40 but it will not explode. Sergei Sabko .............................................17 LimitsChallenges of legal control: of developing Is a dialogue effective between state policy With this I could nish my the onmass water media resources and the state management possible? Roundtable transcript ...............................................50 reasoning. ” - p.5 Roundtable summary ................................20 Geopolitical Aspects of the Problem of Regional Integration in Central Asia Farkhod Tolipov .........................................21 ABOUT IPP The Institute for Public Policy (IPP) is an independent, non-partisan research and policy-making institution, based in Bishkek. Its goals are to develop and promote participatory approach in establishing public policy; to strengthen expert analysis in order to promote eff ective decisionmaking in matters of public policy and to create an indepen- dent platform for dialogue on public policy issues. The Institute provides expert consulting, research and surveys on Central Asian aff airs, confl ict management services as well as implementation of educational and cultural projects aimed at good governance. InstituteInstitute forfor Public Policy 42/142/1 Isanov Isanova kochosu Str. Bishkek 720017 Kyrgyzstan Tel/Fax: +996(312) 906240 Email:: of [email protected] Website: http://www.ipp.kg The publication was supported by a grant from: OSI Assistance Foundation No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the Institute for Public Policy INFORMAL INSTITUTES AS “RULES OF A POLITICAL GAME” IN KYRGYZSTAN INFORMAL INSTITUTES AS “RULES OF A POLITICAL GAME” IN KYRGYZSTAN Muratbek Imanaliev, IPP President Informal institutes in Kyrgyzstan operate in a kind of act within a certain framework while establishing rel- of behavioral sub-culture; the result of various irrele- ations with the authorities or other groups of people. vant fragments of historical reality, present concerns In other words, they should act in accordance with and some mythological constructions. Some experts established rules. consider any human activities that are beyond the norms of law as ‘informal institutes’, although distin- Informal institutes which appeared on the basis of th- guishing the line of “legal” and “illegal” is usually very ese three elements have a direct and apparent effect much arbitrary. on the formation of self-identification models of the Kyrgyz ethos. Primarily it impacts the elites. Kyrgyzstan brief January – February, 2008 Kyrgyzstan brief January – February, In the case of Kyrgyzstan those stimulating motives that make these fragments operational belong to di- Among Kyrgyz ethnic groups a complex of informal fferent politico-cultural, historical and chronological institutes has been referred to as “kyrgyzchylyk” (ky- dimensions but were brought into one space of et- rgyzism). I want to note that there is a similar situa- hnic behavior as a result of historical drift but not tion in the neighboring countries of Central Asia, for necessarily conscious choice. example, “kazakhshylyk” among Kazakhs and so on. Among those sources that triggered the basic lines In the early 90s there was an attempt to discuss of ethnic behavioral culture and the corresponding “kyrgyzchylyk” at the public level and to recognize rules, one can name three major factors: nomadism, it formally as a basis for forming public relations and Islamism and Sovietism. To a certain extent they con- behavioral rules of any type - political, humanitarian, tinue to form the substance and style of political, and economic, etc. Recently there are ‘homegrown’ intel- other behaviors, of the people. lectuals and politicians who argue for a “legalization” of “kyrgyzchylyk” by forming and giving substance It is obvious that nomadism, Islamism and Sovietism to an informal Constitution. According to them, “ky- cannot be synthesized into a new substance- they rgyzchylyk” is a number of rules that are based on can only co-exist. The logic of constructing major hypertrophically idealized national traditions and the “meanings” for human existence within each of th- cultural features of the Kyrgyz ethos, including sanj- ese three fragments can be contradictory, if not st- yra and other genealogical legacies. rongly antagonistic. In particular, they concern such important questions as nation-state building, prope- There are sometimes efforts to make “kyrgyzchylyk” rty issues, gender problems, etc. This is because the a kind of national ideology, including nationalism. aforementioned fragments have not a common but a separate and individual effect on the behavior of It has to be noted that not only the Kyrgyz people but Kyrgyz people, and may be relevant depending on also representatives of other ethnicities and sectors any given situation. For example, parliamentary elec- are involved in this interesting game. tions, relations with the authorities, etc. It is quite difficult to consider “kyrgyzchylyk” as a gro- Of course, one should not ignore marginal groups up of persistent informal rules of public co-existence, who deny all three elements, but even they have to because often “kyrgyzchylyk” is used to explain thin- - 2 - INFORMAL INSTITUTES AS “RULES OF A POLITICAL GAME” IN KYRGYZSTAN gs that are beyond law and legal actions, i.e. crimin- is a problem of the extent and quality of behavioral al. However, the problem is not what it explains: that culture that is formed under the influence of various would be too simplistic. The problem is in considering factors. I would like to note that having kinship and the explained as something that happens inevitably. kinship relations (which do not exist in its classic me- At the same time what must happen is accepted as aning in Kyrgyzstan) do not represent an informal in- right even if it is illegal. There is a counter-reaction, stitute. It is an informal rule of kinship solidarity that not because of breach of law but because the intere- is inherited as a historical memory and has gradually sts of those who lose out are not taken into account. grown into the kin-regional principle of support de- Next time, it will be the same but those who have pending on one’s kinship, and regulates the political lost must win. A good example of this is the shift of behavior of people. The best examples in this view Presidents in our country. are the formation of government and elections. In this looseness and inconsistency, in my view, one “Kyrgyzchylyk” as an informal institute requires, for Kyrgyzstan brief January – February, 2008 Kyrgyzstan brief January – February, can see the negative side of “kyrgyzchylyk”. The qu- example, having in government representatives of estion to ask regarding development is as follows: is all tribes and kinships or at least of all regions. The it possible that “kyrgyzchylyk” could structure Kyrg- absence of “one’s own” in the government is taken yzstan’s political life? If yes, in which direction? The poorly. The problem is not in ‘being represented’ but question exists as to whether “kyrgyzchylyk” can be- it is in placing personal qualities and professionalism come a progressive force. The question of substance: as secondary interests. According to the norms of be- can “kyrgyzchylyk” replace a law? For example, the havioral culture in “kyrgyzchylyk”, the powerful must well-known sentence “which is stronger in Kyrgyz- maneuver within the cadre’s policy. It is against