Rally of the opposition in the Osh region (southern Kyrgyzstan) put forth the demand of a new parliamentary election. About 1,000 participants of the rally under way in the Uzgen district (Osh region) at this point are demanding another election of the parliament. All speakers criticize the first round and list gross violations against candidates nominated by oppositionist movements Fatherland and People's Movement of Kyrgyzstan. Population of the district is urged go on strike and join the protest action. In the meantime, about 400 people organized a rally in the district center of Uzgen urging the population not to give in to provocations and to participate in the second round of the parliament on March 13. Rally of the opposition is not marred by any incidents. Administrative building previously overrun by the protesters is free again.

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Particularly serious protest actions took place in Dzhalalabad, one of the largest cities in southern Kyrgyzstan, where protesters numbering hundreds overrun the regional administration. Most of them are identified as supporters of local candidate Zhusupbek Bakiyev, the brother of a prominent opposition leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The building in their hands, the protesters demand resignation of President Akayev and local functionaries and annulment of the February election. Protest actions began winding down that same day, March 4, when the local authorities indicated their willingness to talk to the protesters, according to AKIpress agency which appraised the general situation in Dzhalalabad as "peaceful".

Another protest action took place in the Nooken district about 50 kilometers west of Dzhalalabad. Approximately 3,000 supporters of Dooronbek Sadyrbayev, candidate nominated by the opposition, blocked the highway connecting Bishkek with Osh, one of the largest cities in southern Kyrgyzstan. Once again, the protesters demanded resignation of the local authorities and annulment of the parliamentary election. Sadyrbayev will run against pro-Akayev Zhenishbek Eshenkulov on March 13. Protesters are convinced that Eshenkulov must be removed from the race altogether because of machinations with voting bulletins in the course of the previous round.

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Ferghana.Ru correspondent Alisher Saipov reports that supporters of ex-candidate Arap Tolonov have been protesting in front of the district administration in the town of Karasuu (Osh region) for a week. They demand annulment of the election that took place on February 27, 2005, when Tolonov was defeated by his rival Baiysh Yusupov, activist of the pro-government Alga, Kyrgyzstan. Numbering between 600 and 800 people, the protesters claim that the outcome of the election in some constituencies was rigged in Yusupov's favor. Tolonov filed a lawsuit demanding a revision of the decision made by the district election commission but the court sided up with the latter.

There is no mention of the rally anywhere in the local or central media outlets.

"The protesters are aggressive," Saipov said. "I took some photos of the rally. The protesters (most of them women, by the way) demanded to see my credentials. I did not have my journalistic badge with me. They took my camera practically by force and told me in no uncertain terms to spoil the film... They apologized afterwards and explained that secret services had been taking photos of protesters."

According to Saipov, most protesters are ordinary peasants. Many of them are Uzbeks even though Tolonov himself is a Kyrgyz. The protesters are convinced that Yusupov literally bought his way into the parliament. Participants of the rally set up yurtas (tents) and trestle-beds in front of the district administration. They remain there day and night.

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Photos of the rallies and pickets in Dzhalalabad were provided by the Dzlalalabad Human Rights Organization Justice.