TAJIKISTAN: ANTI-"SOUTHERN" PROTESTS SPREAD IN THE NORTH.

Anti-government riots broke out in the town of Ura-Tube in the Leninabad region May 14 and continued yesterday after police killed at least three protesters. Demanding the recall of "southern" officials and police officers appointed from Dushanbe, the protesters forced key officials to flee and burned down government buildings. Prime Minister Yahie Azimov rushed to the scene to try and defuse the protests through partial concessions. Mass rallies continued for the fourth consecutive day yesterday in the region’s capital Khojent, Tajikistan’s second largest city, despite apparent concessions by the Dushanbe government to demands for removal of "southern" officials and policemen. (Interfax, Itar-Tass, AP, May 15) The reference is to President Imomali Rahmonov’s Kulyab clan, which controls the state apparatus.

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