The 2013 Kyrgyz protests started on May 30, 2013 when as many as 3,000 people stormed the

Kumtor Gold Mine The Kumtor mine ( ky, Кумтөр, Kumtör) is one of the largest gold mines in Central Asia. The mine has been producing gold since 1997 and has produced over 13.8 million ounces of gold as of June 30, 2022. At 13,000 feet, the mine is the secon ...

demanding it be nationalized or provide more social benefits. The mine, owned by

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

Centerra Gold Centerra Gold Inc. is a Canadian mining company that owns and operates the Mount Milligan copper-gold mine in British Columbia, Canada, and the Öksüt gold mine in Turkey. Through its Thompson Creek Metals subsidiary company, it also owns the En ...

, contributes almost 12% of

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the east. ...

's national GDP. The protests blocked a road to the mine and cut off electricity. Riot police responded when protesters tried to storm the mine's office. 50-55 people were injured in resulting clashes and 80-92 were arrested. Supporters of the protest also besieged the local governor's office in

Jalal-Abad Jalal-Abad (also spelled Dzhalal-Abad, Djalal-Abat, Jalalabat; ky, Жалал-Aбат, ''Calal-Abat/Jalal-Abat'', جالال-ابات, ) is the administrative and economic centre of Jalal-Abad Region in southwestern Kyrgyzstan. Its area is , and ...

later in the evening. In response the

President of Kyrgyzstan The president of Kyrgyzstan, officially the president of the Kyrgyz Republic (russian: Президент Киргизской Республики; ky, Кыргыз Республикасынын Президенти), is the head of state an ...

Almazbek Atambayev Almazbek Sharshen uluu Atambayev ( ky, Алмазбек Шаршен уулу Атамбаев, translit=Almazbek Şarşen uulu Atambayev; born 17 September 1956) is a Kyrgyz politician who served as the President of Kyrgyzstan from 1 December 2 ...

, declared a state of emergency until June 10. The

Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan The chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan (russian: Председатель Кабинета министров Киргизской Республики; ky, Кыргыз Республикасынын Министрлер Каб ...

Zhantoro Satybaldiyev Zhantoro Zholdoshevich Satybaldiyev ( ky, Жантөрө Жолдошевич (Жолдош уулу) Сатыбалдиев, Zhantörö Zholdoshevich (Zholdosh uulu) Satybaldiyev; born 6 January 1956) is a Kyrgyz politician who was Prime Minister ...

, stated that the government would get more money from the mine, either through taxes or otherwise. Centerra Gold responded by calling the protests and occupation of the mine illegal. The road to the mine was unblocked on June 1, though the protests in Jalal-Abad continued, demanding the release of protesters from previous unrest. Protests have continued through the month of June, resulting in the death of at least one person. Other factors that exacerbated the protests included a

nitric acid Nitric acid is the inorganic compound with the formula . It is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The compound is colorless, but older samples tend to be yellow cast due to decomposition into oxides of nitrogen. Most commercially available nitri ...

spill into a nearby river in 1998, which the locals had been fighting for compensation in court.]

References

{{Kyrgyzstan topics 2013 in Kyrgyzstan 2013 riots Riots and civil disorder in Kyrgyzstan May 2013 events in Asia June 2013 events in Asia