Kyrgyz protesters threaten to oust president

Thousands of Kyrgyz protesters threatened on Wednesday to oust President Kurmanbek Bakiyev if he failed to accede to their demands within a week, five years exactly after violent protests propelled him to power. A strategic nation, home to U.S. and Russian air bases, Kyrgyzstan marks the fifth anniversary next week of the so-called Tulip Revolution when crowds stormed the presidential palace, toppling Bakiyev's long-serving predecessor. Bakiyev, hailed at the time as Central Asia's most democratic leader, has since been accused by the opposition of tightening his grip on power, jailing political opponents and failing to root out corruption. Chanting "Down with Bakiyev!", more than 3,000 protesters rallied in the capital Bishkek to express their discontent with his rule, in the biggest street protest in about three years. "The authorities don't listen to us. If they continue to ignore us ... we will seize power," opposition leader Omurbek Tekebayev told the roaring crowd, as some waved flags and shouted "We have to oust this government".