As public frustration grew with Kurmanbek Bakiev’s government over corruption, nepotism, rolling blackouts and increasing energy and food prices, a group of opposition leaders that had worked to expose fraud in the prior summer’s presidential election began to decry the obvious abuses of power by the government.  A number of high-profile political arrests and restrictions on the media added fuel to this frustration. 

With an increasing number of protests taking place in the regions – Jalalabad, Naryn, Talas and throughout the country – opposition leaders called for a people’s kurultai, or political assembly on March 17, 2010, in advance of the national kurultai being planned by the government on March 23.  The opposition gathering that drew thousands of members was an opportunity to coordinate a list of demands and determine who would lead the opposition.  The group eventually coalesced around the woman that would become Kyrgyzstan’s hope for democracy: Roza Otunbaeva.

Lacking the traditional, close connections of clan and family and speaking out against clan-based politics, Otunbaeva was a clear departure from the symbol of what Bakiev had become – a nepotistic ruler overcome by corruption.  Otunbaeva has constantly worked to advance democracy, trying first to work within the government, and then speaking out against it when necessary.  She served as Foreign Minister in President Askar Akaev’s government after independence, Deputy Prime Minister and then as Ambassador to the United States and Canada.  She was later deputy head of the United Nations Special Mission to Georgia. 
 
When Otunbaeva returned to Kyrgyzstan in 2004, she joined with other opposition parliamentarians to found an opposition party in advance of the February 2005 parliamentary elections.  Barred from becoming a candidate for parliament in a thinly-veiled attempt to prevent her from running in a district against Akaev’s daughter, Otunbaeva became even more outspoken against the government and became one of the key leaders of the 2005 Tulip Revolution.  She served for a few months in Bakiev’s government before joining the opposition and successfully advocating for constitutional reform in late 2006.  She was elected to parliament from the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan in 2007.

Once public anger gave way to riots and the storming of public buildings on April 7, 2010, Otunbaeva swiftly stepped in to call for peace and to negotiate the resignation of Bakiev, setting up an interim government to begin implementing democratic reforms.  Omurbek Tekebaev, a former opposition leader, was tasked with drafting a new constitution, and dates were set for a constitutional referendum and parliamentary elections.  Recognizing that political sacrifices would have to be made, and in order to reduce the opportunity for conflicts of interest and corruption, Otunbaeva proposed a one-term interim presidency that will last until January 2012, allowing for the election of a new parliament and a transition period in which a prime minister and additional executive branch leaders will be established.  She has resigned from her party and vowed not to run for re-election when presidential elections are held in late 2011 so that she can focus on governing the country rather than campaigning. 

Otunbaeva believes that democracy will lead to a prosperous future for Kyrgyzstan, and has been able to succeed in a male-dominated political culture without sacrificing that belief.  She has made difficult decisions to press forward with the constitutional referendum and parliamentary elections in spite of ethnic tensions in the country, firmly believing that elections are necessary to legitimize the decisions the interim government is making in the minds of the people.
 
Furthermore, Otunbaeva has pushed to reform election commissions at every level because of the extensive fraud that has been prevalent in past elections, putting in new commissioners and preventing teachers, who are state employees, from participating due to the history of teachers being pressured by school administrators to influence the outcome of elections.  She has helped to ensure that parties are able to freely compete in the upcoming parliamentary elections by ensuring equal access to print and broadcast media.  To preserve peace in the Southern Kyrgyzstan, Otunbaeva has staunchly supported the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s decision to send an international police force to Osh, despite protests by rogue governors and opposition from members of her own government.

Otunbaeva has long been engaged with IRI, participating in trainings and discussions on forms of government, public relations and polling data.  She has shown that she is adept at using new ideas and technology, using her Twitter account to share information about the April 7 events and developments in the country.  As a leader, and a true believer in democracy, Roza Otunbaeva has been able to put the interests of Kyrgyzstan above her personal ambitions and has fought for the right of people to have a say in how they are governed. 

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