In Support of Kyrgyzstan’s Democracy

July 8, 2010

Mr President, Baroness,

I think none of us can fail to be sympathetic to the people of Krygyzstan for the recent suffering they have endured: 2,000 dead in rioting, 400,000 people displaced, mainly from the Uzbek community, placing an enormous pressure on Uzbekistan. This is ‘an immense crisis’, in the words of the Red Cross. This country is already the poorest and smallest of the former Soviet republics and it is tragic for a country that aspires so earnestly for parliamentary democracy to be in this kind of state. Indeed the triggers seem to have been the constitutional changes that they wish to aspire to. It is also one of the few Muslim nations in the world to be headed up by a woman (let’s that Iran follows shortly). This lady, Rosa Otunbayevat, is the first president of an ex-Communist Central Asian Country, and good for her.

So, all democratic nations should be doing all they can to support an aspiring parliamentary democracy of this sort but it is swimming in a sea of powerful, autocratic neighbours, and with the ever-present threat of radical Islam on its borders. This nation is a bulkhead of democracy and deserves our support. I fear that it has become a pawn in larger power games: it is now part of the Shanghai Co-operation organisation, which China and Russia use to dominate the central Asian land mass, and whose agenda should be regarded with some suspicion. China and Russia have incentives to destabilise the country to threaten the presence of an American Airbase there as well, with covert backing of opposition forces. May I conclude by saying that all democratic nations should support this brave aspiring but deeply troubled nation.

Thank you.

UKIP Gain Town Councillor

September 28, 2009

UKIP candidate Susan McCaffery won 480 votes (57%) against Labour’s 266 and the BNP’s 95, to win the seat on Billericay Town Council. She said…

“It’s a great result.“It’s my town and I’m interested in what’s going on here.“I want to be able to put something back for a town I love.

“It’s a small step for UKIP and Billericay, but hopefully a larger step for Essex.

“I’ve lived here for more than 30 years and I want to be involved.”

In the picture to the right Susan can be seen standing with David Campbell Bannerman MEP and Nigel Farage MEP, leader of UKIP, both of whom turned out to support her campaign.