Road to Independence
The late 1980s and early 1990s were a transformative period for Kyrgyzstan, marked by the liberalizing reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev and the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union. Under Gorbachev's leadership, the policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) began to affect the political and social landscape of the Soviet republics, including Kyrgyzstan.
Leadership Changes and Early Reform
In November 1985, Gorbachev replaced Turdakun Usubaliyev, the long-serving First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kirghizia, with Absamat Masaliyev, signaling a shift in leadership after 24 years of Usubaliyev's rule. While Gorbachev's reforms initially had little immediate impact on Kyrgyzstan, they allowed for more open discourse in the republic's press and the creation of new publications like Literaturny Kyrgyzstan. However, unofficial political groups remained officially prohibited.
By 1990, Gorbachev's policy of separating Party and State allowed real power to shift from the Communist Party leaders to the chairmen of the Supreme Soviets in the Soviet republics. In Kyrgyzstan, elections held in February and April 1990 gave the Communists 90% of the vote, leading to Masaliyev being elected Chairman of the Supreme Soviet on April 10. Despite this dominance, the rise of opposition groups and ethnic tensions began to challenge Communist control.
Rising Opposition and Ethnic Tensions
On May 1, 1990, opposition groups held their first significant demonstration in Frunze (now Bishkek), signaling growing discontent with Communist rule. Later that month, the Kyrgyzstan Democratic Movement (KDM), a coalition of anti-Communist parties and organizations, was formed, quickly becoming a powerful political force.
Meanwhile, ethnic tensions erupted in the Osh region on June 4, 1990, between the Kyrgyz and Uzbek populations. Violent clashes over land disputes led to a state of emergency, which lasted until August 1990. These events highlighted the deep-seated economic and social issues in the region, further undermining Communist authority.
Rise of Askar Akayev
In a surprising political turn, Askar Akayev, a reformist and president of the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, defeated Masaliyev in the October 1990 presidential election. This made Kyrgyzstan the only Central Asian republic to remove its established Communist leadership before the Soviet Union's collapse.
Following Akayev's victory, the republic made symbolic moves toward independence. On December 15, 1990, the Supreme Soviet renamed the country the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, and in February 1991, the capital was renamed Bishkek. Akayev introduced new government structures, appointing younger, reform-oriented officials.
Independence
Despite these changes, Kyrgyzstan initially hesitated to break away from the Soviet Union. In a March 1991 referendum, 88.7% of voters supported remaining part of a "renewed federation." However, the failed coup attempt by the State Emergency Committee in Moscow in August 1991 accelerated the push for independence. Akayev and other leaders resigned from the Communist Party, signaling a decisive break from Soviet control.
On August 31, 1991, Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Soviet declared independence, making it the first of the five Central Asian republics to leave the Soviet Union. This marked the beginning of a new era for Kyrgyzstan, transitioning from a Soviet republic to an independent nation.