2024 Bishkek riots explained

2024 Bishkek riots
Location:Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Date:May 17–18, 2024
Target:Foreigners, especially ones from SWANA and South Asia
Type:Mob attack
Fatalities:4
Injuries:At least 29[1]
Perpetrators:Kyrgyz nationalist mobs
Motive:Xenophobia

The 2024 Bishkek riots were attacks on foreigners by ethnic Kyrgyz mobs in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The clashes lasted from May 17th to the 18th, with four reported deaths.

Foreign governments with citizens in the country took a deep concern, with the Pakistani government successfully evacuating 3000+ Pakistani students.[2]

Background

Kyrgyzstan is a common destination for medical students, given its cheap costs of education and internationally recognized medical degrees. It had more than 60 thousand foreign students in 2021, including 14,500 Indian students and 10,000 Pakistani students.[3]

Clashes

Clashes began after Kyrgyz students were involved in a brawl with Egyptian and other Arab medical students on May 13 in Bishkek.[4] The Arabs allegedly won the fight, which sparked retaliation by Kyrgyz mobs against foreigners in the country. Initially, over 100 Kyrgyz gathered "to take revenge on the foreigners who beat up residents."[5]

The Kyrgyz mobs began targeting anyone with a similar appearance to the Arabs they had fought. Pakistanis became the most targeted, and Indians and Bangladeshi were attacked too.[6] [7] The attacks were initially in universities, although they later spread to the streets, with Kyrgyz mobs attacking anyone perceived as foreign, whether they were male or female. Foreigners were instructed not to leave their homes and to close their curtains and to hide as the Kyrgyz mobs were severely beating people without any exceptions. The Kyrgyz mobs began going on a manhunt around the city for foreigners. 500–700 more Kyrgyz youth aged between 18 and 25 gathered in the city center.[8]

Four Pakistani students were reported killed.[9]

On Kyrgyz social media, rioters sent messages calling on locals to come out and attack foreigners. Streets were extremely dangerous as hundreds of Kyrgyz rioters were mercilessly beating any foreigner they saw.[10]

Mobs surrounded universities, workplaces, houses, and hostels where Pakistanis, Indians, and Bangladeshis were located, and dragged them out to beat. They also chanted racist slogans.[11] Local streets were closed by authorities, although it did not have much effect.[12]

By May 18, the violence had died down and the authorities declared the riot over. One-hundred-eighty Pakistanis, including 140 students, left Kyrgyzstan.[13]

Response

Pakistani government

The Pakistani government was commended for its quick response to ensure the safety of Pakistani students. The Kyrgyz government ensured provision of foolproof security to Pakistani students. Standard medical services were provided to the injured students. The government announced plans to operate special flights to bring back Pakistanis from Bishkek. A committee was also constituted to investigate the matter.[14]

Evacuation of students

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar announced that three special planes will bring back a total of 540 Pakistani students from Bishkek.[15]

PTI criticism of Pakistani government response

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a major opposition party, Sindh’s region President Haleem Adil Sheikh criticized the government's response and said that the government did nothing but issue statements. Shaikh called for immediate start of emergency flight operations and opening of a Green Corridor to ensure safe return of Pakistani nationals.[16]

Reactions

Both the Indian and Pakistani embassies in Bishkek recommended that their nationals in Bishkek should stay indoors.[17]

On 22 May the Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that ten people, six Kyrgyz nationals and four foreigners, had been detained in connection with the violent riots. According to the ministry, nine investigations were launched into hooliganism, robbery, mass disorder, and inciting ethnic hatred.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-05-18 . First batch of students arrives as govt moves in to rescue Pakistanis in Bishkek . 2024-05-19 . en-US . 2024-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519092226/https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2024/05/18/no-pakistanis-killed-in-kyrgyzstan-mob-violence-targeting-foreign-students/ . live .
  2. Web site: Salim . Yusra . 2024-05-26 . Panic in Bishkek . 2024-05-26 . The Express Tribune . en.
  3. Web site: 2024-05-18 . Mob violence in Kyrgyzstan a threat to Indian, Pakistani students? What we know so far . 2024-05-20 . Firstpost . en-us . 2024-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518142053/https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/mob-violence-in-kyrgyzstan-a-threat-to-indian-pakistani-students-what-we-know-so-far-13772259.html . live .
  4. Web site: 2024-05-18 . غاغة ضد المهاجرين في قرغيزستان واحتجاز 3 طلاب مصريين . 2024-05-18 . جريدة البشاير . ar . 2024-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518145440/https://elbashayer.com/3327337/%d8%ba%d8%a7%d8%ba%d8%a9-%d8%b6%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d9%87%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%b1%d9%8a%d9%86-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d9%82%d8%b1%d8%ba%d9%8a%d8%b2%d8%b3%d8%aa%d8%a7%d9%86-%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%ad%d8%aa%d8%ac%d8%a7/ . live .
  5. Web site: Ambassador says five Pakistani students injured in Kyrgyzstan mob violence . 2024-05-18 . Arab News . en . 2024-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518130403/https://www.arabnews.com/node/2512516/amp . live .
  6. Web site: 2024-05-18 . Ambassador says five Pakistani students injured in Kyrgyzstan mob violence . 2024-05-18 . Arab News PK . en . 2024-05-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104730/https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2512516/pakistan . live .
  7. Web site: May 18, 2024 . Pakistanis in Kyrgyzstan's Bishkek asked to stay indoors amid mob riots targeting international students . May 18, 2024 . May 18, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518174046/https://www.dawn.com/news/1834250 . live .
  8. Web site: 4 Arrested, Dozens Injured as Mob Violence Targets Foreigners in Bishkek . 2024-05-18 . 2024-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518125018/https://www.rferl.org/amp/bishkek-clashes-dozens-injured/32952534.html . live .
  9. Web site: Kyrgyzstan: Four Pakistani students killed in violent attack; India urges students to stay indoor. Free Press Kashmir. 19 May 2024.
  10. News: Locals spreading hate messages on TikTok: Indian students in Kyrgyzstan . The Times of India . 2024-05-18 . 2024-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518125012/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/locals-spreading-hate-messages-on-tiktok-indian-students-in-kyrgyzstan/amp_articleshow/110232396.cms . live .
  11. Web site: 'A Living Hell': Pakistani Students Describe Harrowing Bishkek Mob Violence . 2024-05-18 . 2024-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518125016/https://www.rferl.org/amp/kyrgyzstan-pakistan-riots-mob-violence-students-bishkek/32952766.html . live .
  12. Web site: Desk . Web . 17 May 2024 . Thousands of Pakistani students attacked by locals in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan . 18 May 2024 . HUM News . en . 20 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104727/https://humenglish.com/world/thousands-of-pakistani-students-attacked-by-locals-in-bishkek-kyrgyzstan/ . live .
  13. News: Service . RFE/RL's Kyrgyz . Bishkek University Reportedly Calm After Mob Violence That Injured At Least 29 . 2024-05-20 . RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty . en . 2024-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519172219/https://www.rferl.org/a/bishkek-clashes-dozens-injured/32952534.html . live .
  14. Web site: Bishkek incident: Govt's swift response for safety of Pakistani students lauded . 2024-05-20 . 2024-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519172225/https://www.radio.gov.pk/19-05-2024/bishkek-incident-nation-lauds-govts-swift-response-for-the-safety-of-pakistani-students . live .
  15. Web site: Three special planes to bring back 540 Pakistanis from Bishkek tonight: Ishaq Dar . 2024-05-20 . 2024-05-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240519152219/https://www.radio.gov.pk/19-05-2024/540-pakistani-students-to-return-from-kyrgyzstan-tonight-via-special-flights-ishaq-dar . live .
  16. Web site: Bishkek: PTI leader assails govt for its 'action' . 20 May 2024 . 2024-05-20 . 2024-05-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240520104728/https://www.brecorder.com/news/40304221 . live .
  17. Web site: 2024-05-18 . Kyrgyzstan Violence: India, Pakistan Issue Emergency Helplines For Students Amid Reports of Riots In Kyrgyzstan What We Know . 2024-05-20 . Outlook India . en . 2024-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240518061329/https://www.outlookindia.com/national/india-pakistan-issue-emergency-helplines-for-students-amid-reports-of-riots-in-kyrgyzstan-what-we-know . live .
  18. https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyz-foreign-nationals-detained-mob-attack/32959434.html 6 Kyrgyz, 4 Foreign Nationals Detained Over Mob Attacks In Bishkek That Triggered Exodus (RFE/RL)

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