[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12534]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  KYRGYZSTAN CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago, there was ethnic 
violence occurring in the emerging Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Today, there 
is good news about how that nation is progressing towards democracy. On 
Sunday, the people of Kyrgyzstan held a referendum on the new 
constitution. Ninety percent voted to establish a new parliamentary 
government. This would make Kyrgyzstan the only nation in the region to 
shift its balance of power from an authoritarian style of government to 
representative democracy.
  Despite the recent violence, the interim government was able to 
conduct the referendum as scheduled and undertook heroic efforts to 
include as many citizens as possible, with two-thirds of the eligible 
voters participating. Election officials visited hospitals and refugee 
camps to ensure that the injured and displaced were not denied the 
right to a ballot.
  The government faces many challenges before the general election this 
fall and much to be done for Kyrgyzstan to establish a stable 
government that protects the rights of all its citizens. But the 
referendum is a good start, and the United States should stand by with 
assistance and support.

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