Soldiers Join A Revolution:We Gave Our Oath To The People, To The Constitution, Not To The President

3.25 & 3.28.05 Wall St. Journal

As the demonstrators broke through the fence surrounding the government building, they faced the army.

Calm down, sister! Gen. Abdigul Chotbayev, commander of the garrison told a protester who asked him to resign from the military. Several minutes later, the soldiers retreated in the face of an unruly crowd that pushed its way to the main entrance and threw rocks at the windows.

We have enough bullets here to kill thousands, said Evgenii Razinkin, a military guard posted outside Mr. Akayevs office. But we gave our oath to the people, to the constitution, not to the president.

Thousands of Bishkek residents responded to televised calls by Mr. Kulov and others to form militias and patrol their neighborhoods and the citys landmarks.

We came out because its our city, said Igor Fadeyev, a printshop worker, who donned the citizens militia red arm-band and came to stand guard in front of the Central Department Store.

If we dont protect it, who will?

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