Kyrgyz parliament approved the project of the resolution about an establishment of a Memorial Day for victims of the tragic events of 1916 . It is supposed that the Memorial Day will be held yearly on the first Friday of August.

“This day is necessary to restore historical justice regarding the victims of the tragic events of 1916, to express respect to our ancestor’s memory and for the upbringing of the next generation”, it was stated in the project resolution.

According to the resolution, there will be an ethnographical center in Boom Pass. Also, a group of scientist will be formed to further investigate the events of 1916. New manuals about the events in 1916 will be published in both the Kyrgyz and Russian language.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs supposed that such date could influence negatively on the bilateral relations between Russia and Kyrgyzstan.

“While in no way trying to interfere in the domestic affairs of the independent and sovereign Kyrgyzstan, in our opinion, we would like to note that emphasizing this oversensitive subject of 1916 is non-productive for the present friendly relationships between our countries and nations”, stated a press-release by the Russian MFA.

“The matter concerns the victims of a coercive repression of mass riots against the royal regime on the territory of the present Kyrgyzstan. Thousands of Russian immigrants perished during those mass riots”, the Russian MFA press-release further stated.

“We suppose it would be right for historical scientists to discover the problems of the past century without useless politicization under the pretense of “restoration of historical justice”, Russian MFA told.

The tragic events of 1916 occupy a special place in Kyrgyz history. The cause of the Tien Shan rebellion in 1916 was a disagreement with the royal resolution regarding the drafting of indigenous Kyrgyz people for work in the rear of the Western front during World War I.

The rebellion in the Pishpek and Przhevalskiy districts (modern Chui, Issyk-Kul and Naryn regions) was especially violent. Kyrgyzes attacked soldiers and Russian immigrants. Royal authorities sent a large number of armed forces to stifle the rebellion. Many Kyrgyzes escaped through the passes to China under penalty of death. Moreover hundred of thousands of Kyrgyzes perished from the hunger and cold while fleeing to China. Kyrgyzs call this event the Great Outcome (Chon Urkun).

Alikbek Jekshenkulov, the former Minister for Foreign Affairs and the current chief of the International Agency for Development and Politics told the 24.kg information agency that he shared the anxiety of the Russian MFA.

“I suggest such steps about an establishment of the Memorial Day will generate tensions inside Kyrgyzstan towards the relationship with external partners”, Jekshenkulov told.