Ar-Namys (The Party of Dignity)
Website: http://www.ar-namys.org/; http://www.ar-namys.org/en
Twitter: http://twitter.com/arnamys
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Partia-Ar-Namys/139430486081203
Chairman: Felix Kulov, former vice president (1992) and prime minister (2005-2007) of Kyrgyzstan.
Forecast for the October 10 parliamentary elections: Independent political analysts in Kyrgyzstan expect Ar-Namys to win no more than 7 percent of the vote, mainly in the northern regions and Bishkek.
Brief History and Major Highlights:
The Ar-Namys party was founded in 1999 by Felix Kulov, who quickly became Kyrgyzstan’s best-known opposition leader. The party attempted to run in the 2000 parliamentary elections, but was denied registration. In March of that year, Kulov was arrested for corruption and sentenced to seven years in prison by a military court. Ar-Namys then formed the People’s Congress of Kyrgyzstan electoral alliance with three other opposition parties, naming Kulov the chairperson.
In 2004, when Kulov was still in prison, Ar-Namys joined the For Fair Elections opposition alliance in preparation for the 2005 elections. The conduct of the elections led to protests (the Tulip Revolution) that ousted President Akayev. Kulov was then released and cleared of all charges; he quickly became one of the leading candidates for the presidential elections.
Kulov, though, joined forces with Kurmanbek Bakiyev, and became Kyrgyzstan’s prime minister, serving until he and his cabinet resigned in a dispute over the new constitution in November 2006. Parliament rebuffed his re-nomination in early 2007. Kulov then became one of President Bakiyev’s most outspoken critics. After the April 2007 uprising, Kulov was not invited to join the interim government and his party remains in opposition.
• Ar-Namys Party was founded on July 9, 1999, and registered with the Ministry of Justice on August 19, 1999.
• It attempted to participate in the 2000 parliamentary elections, but was denied registration. The party formed alliance with the Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan.
• On November 3, 2001, the party formed the People’s Congress of Kyrgyzstan electoral alliance with other opposition parties.
• In 2004 Ar-Namys joined the For Fair Elections opposition alliance in preparation for the 2005 parliamentary elections.
• 2007 parliamentary election results: 44,048 votes, 0 seats won.
• The party is registered to participate in the October 10, 2010 parliamentary elections.
Political Platform (2007):
• Main objective: To provide the people of Kyrgyzstan with a dignified life by establishing a truly lawful, democratic state and creating real opportunities for free economic, political, and spiritual development of the society, with consideration of the historic and cultural characteristics of the country.
• Economy: Establish a strong and reliable financial and banking system; overcome the poverty gap; revitalize industrial production; provide state support to farmers.
• Social sphere: Provide affordable housing; reduce unemployment; raise the minimum wage for federal workers; promote creation of new jobs; guarantee stable prices for bread and bread products.
• Governance: Limit presidential powers; overhaul the judiciary in order to transform it into a real instrument of protecting rights and interests of individuals and private property; raise the authority and independence of judges.
• National politics: Recognize ethnic diversity as an asset of the Kyrgyz people; develop federal employment programs to promote ethnic inclusion; promote the national language; improve the country’s ecology.
