THE SECOND KYRGYZ REVOLUTION: INTERIM GOVERNMENT OF KYRGYZSTAN

Topic Summary

It is 8 April, 2010. Fewer than 24 hours earlier, facing a daunting wave of unrest, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev resigned and fled the capital Bishkek, leaving the federal government in the hands of an ad-hoc collection of ministers and political leaders. This interim government now faces a critical moment in the country’s history, as it must contend with ethnic violence, rising terrorism, a government in shambles, the legacy of the Cold War, and a larger struggle for democracy, as the nation attempts to reshape its political system after the failures of previous regimes. In the face of almost certain constitutional reform, a prime ministerial election, and a presidential election, the actions of this body have perhaps never had so much consequence as in the coming months. In the short-term, ministers must work together to save the country from its state of disarray and quell the protests and ethnic violence that have been tearing apart the population from its government. In the long term, the committee members must establish a lasting system of government that helps Kyrgyzstan recover from the state of chaos in which it finds itself during the first part of 2010 as it moves forward into the next part of the twenty first century.

Director’s Letter

Dear Delegates,

It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you to Second Kyrgyz Revolution: Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan at Harvard National Model United Nations 2024.

My name is Frank Jiao, and I will serve as your Director at HNMUN. I am a junior at Harvard College studying Chemistry with a secondary in Economics. I was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but I lived in Albany, California for several years before moving to Newton, Massachusetts, where I live now. My interest in Model UN began when I participated in high school public forum debate throughout four years of high school and fell in love with the activity of public speaking and logical argumentation. In college, I have staffed HMUN and HNMUN as a Director and Crisis Director for Specialized Agencies. The combination of cooperation and long-term strategy that I witnessed as a staff member fully pulled me into the event of Model UN. I began to enter Model UN competitions as a member of Harvard’s collegiate Model UN team, ICMUN, and have gone to several conferences in my time as a student.

This committee’s Crisis Director will be the wonderful Jeremy Rasmussen, current Under Secretary-General of Regional Bodies at HMUN. We look forward to seeing you all tackle the political, economic, and social issues of a pivotal period in Kyrgyzstan. In the wake of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s resignation, Kyrgyzstan is attempting to rebuild a fragile, unorganized government. From repairing an unstable, restricted economy to navigating the fragile web of alliances within Central Asia, this unstable government will face a variety of unique challenges over the course of our committee.

I wish to make this committee enjoyable for delegates of all levels of experience and all backgrounds. Thus, it is important to remain cognizant of the deplorable government practices worldwide during the early 21st century and to not make light of their impact or lasting consequences. I hope you all work towards the reshaping of a reborn Kyrgystan with an open mind and intrepidity.

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns! See you all in Boston!

Frank Jiao

Director, Second Kyrgyz Revolution: Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan

Harvard National Model United Nations 2024

Crisis Director’s Letter

Distinguished delegates,

Welcome to the Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan at Harvard National Model United Nations 2024!

I’m Casey Murray, and I am thrilled to be your Crisis Director. Originally from Chicago — birthplace of the skyscraper and deep dish pizza! — I am a junior at the College concentrating in Astrophysics and Earth and Planetary Science and minoring in Celtic Studies. I have always been in love with the natural world (I was an avid after-school botanist in middle school), but I discovered Model UN in my first year of high school and loved it for the same reason that many of you probably do: it was a great opportunity to debate pressing global issues with my friends while causing chaos. Later on, I enjoyed brainstorming topics for our school’s MUN club, and that experience led me to staffing committees at HMUN (our conference for high schoolers) and HNMUN (this one!) since freshman year.

I participate in ICMUN, Harvard’s traveling MUN team, outside of conferences, but HMUN and HNMUN are my main involvement with Model United Nations in college. I am also an active member of the Harvard Outing Club, the primary hiking club on campus, and I spend many of my weekends strolling around in the out-of-doors. On clear nights, I can usually be found in the STAHR observatory on the Science Center roof, teaching people how to use the historic telescope or using it myself to see planets, nebulas, and galaxies. I spend my free time reading, running, learning the flute, composing constructed languages, and drinking water.

Our committee will grapple with the fallout of the civil unrest and political instability in Kyrgyzstan in early 2010. You will need to resolve ethnic and political tensions to bring stability to the country, but neglect geopolitics at your peril — Kyrgyzstan hosts military bases for both the United States and Russia, and the legacy of the Cold War will be relevant to every decision that happens in committee. I would like to reiterate Frank’s point about sensitivity to the gravity of some of the issues we will discuss, and urge you to treat this simulation with the care and attention to detail it deserves. With that in mind, the crisis staff and I are willing and able to let you explore your individual and collective powers to the fullest in the dynamic political situation of the early 2010s, and we look forward to seeing you reshape the Kyrgyz Republic.

Very best wishes,

Casey Murray

Crisis Director, Second Kyrgyz Revolution: Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan

Harvard Model United Nations 2024