Kyrgyzstan prepared to compensate foreign students affected by violence

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Kyrgyzstan prepared to compensate foreign students affected by violence

May 22, 2024

Some 29 people were injured, including students from Pakistan and India. Islamabad urgently sent a special flight to evacuate 180 students.

Bishkek

The Government of Kyrgyzstan is considering compensating the damage to foreign students who were affected during the mass riots in Bishkek on the night of May 17-18, said Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Edil Baisalov during a meeting with university rectors in the country.

Earlier, a group of aggressive young people attacked foreign students residing in a dormitory of one of the universities in Bishkek.

As a result of the incident, 29 people were injured, including students from Pakistan and India. Islamabad urgently sent a special flight to evacuate 180 students.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, about 200 people were involved in the riots.

The crowd pelted the dormitory building with stones and bottles, shouting nationalist slogans. More than 20 foreign students from India, Turkey, Pakistan, and other countries were injured in the attack.

Government’s Reaction and Further Steps

Baisalov emphasized that the Government of Kyrgyzstan is considering compensating the affected students; however, the form and timing of compensation will be announced separately.

The attackers on foreign students are unworthy to be called Kyrgyz youth, said the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Edil Baisalov, during his visit to the dormitory of the medical faculty of the International University of Kyrgyzstan (IUK).

He also announced that, at the instruction of the President of the country, Sadyr Japarov, the next meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers will be entirely devoted to issues of educational and pedagogical work with youth and preventing mass illegal immigration into the country.

The incident caused widespread public outcry and condemnation from government officials, human rights organizations, and the diplomatic corps.

The authorities of Kyrgyzstan have declared decisive measures to prevent such incidents and ensure the safety of foreign citizens in the country.

It is worth noting that the Foreign Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan will hold a meeting on May 21 in Astana, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan.

Embassy Reactions from Pakistan and India

The Embassy of Pakistan in Kyrgyzstan reported no casualties among its citizens as a result of the night protests against foreigners that took place on May 17-18, 2024, in Bishkek.

The Embassy recommends that Pakistani students stay home until the situation normalizes.

A similar recommendation for its citizens was published by the Embassy of India in Bishkek.