Kyrgyzstan

In April of 2010, a little unknown country in Central Asia broke ground when it overthrew its corrupt strongman – the 2nd to be ousted in a popular revolution – and established an interim government in it’s place. Kyrgyzstan, a beautiful and mountainous country with a rich history, had been mired in corruption and oppression like the rest of the region’s former Soviet Republics. Having had it’s first revolution come to naught, many were skeptical about the prospects of this most recent one (which was quickly marred by ethnic conflict between the majority Kyrgyz people and the minority Uzbeks).

Well, two days ago, the country furthered its path to democracy and progress by swearing in its new democratically elected prime minister. Though a flawed election, in which the losers so far refuse to recognize the victor, it was quite successful by the standards of the region. Kyrgyzstan thus far remains the only democratic and free society in Central Asia – it’s literally surrounded by corrupt autocracies, some of them ruled by the despots since they broke away from the Soviet Union. So needless to say, the country could be doing a lot worse despite its troubles.

Indeed, the constant protesting and picketing that continue are good signs that the country remains healthily free – in most of its neighbors, such things would be intolerable, and quickly suppressed. The people of  Kyrgyzstan have a long way to go, given the lack of economic development and deeply entrenched ethnic tensions. But they’ve got a good track record so far, and hopefully the trend will persist, making the little republic of 5.5 million an unlikely bastion of freedom in a sea of oppression. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this one. I want so badly for these long-downtrodden people to get the prosperity they deserve.