Abstract
This chapter deals with the events of April 7th, 2010 in Kyrgyzstan, which are officially referred to as the second revolution against authoritarianism, when 86 demonstrators were shot in front of the governmental house (White House) in Bishkek. The official position is depicted regarding April 7th and the monuments to the fallen demonstrators on the basis of the Presidential speeches and opinions of academics and students as well as the materials from internet forums as a mirror of public perception.
TopMethodological Approach
The whole politics of memory in Kyrgyzstan has a very chaotic character which is determined by political, geopolitical factors as well as affected by the personalities of the first political figures, specifically by the Presidents of the state. Regarding the so-called second revolution of April 7, 2010, the politics of memory has been conditioned by the necessity of political legitimation of the new political power (Kojobekova, 2014) which in practice has been represented by the same persons who just changed their political positions. The key question of interest is how a politics of memory is going in Kyrgyzstan in a broad context. In other words, if the state has a certain vision of the past, specifically, the events of April 7th, and how this vision is being embodied into different forms like monuments, museums, art products as well as non-material elements. In addition, how this current politics of memory can affect so-called memory of future in the country.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Hero (Masculine) or Heroine (Feminine): Usually a real person who in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, bravery or strength. Heroes are recognized in various ways: cultural, social, political. They are supposed to serve as role models to be emulated by young generations.
Monument: A type of built form that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event which is relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage. Monuments have different dimensions such as visual, emotional, political, and ideological ones.
Politics of Memory: Constructing a collective memory of certain events or histories by political agents in order to educate citizens toward which events are to remember, record or discard and how to do it.
A Lieu De Mémoire: (Site of Memory): A concept coined by the French historian Pierre Nora in his three-volume collection Les Lieux de Mémoire (published in part in English translation as Realms of Memory ). The site of memory is any significant entity, which has become a symbolic element of the memorial heritage of a community. It may be a place, an object or a concept with historical significance in the popular collective memory.