Poll in Kyrgyzstan: Majority of Kirghiz and Uzbeks supports preserving status of Russian

Read it in Russian

By request of the Eurasian Research Institute, El-Pikir Public opinion center conducted poll on Kirghiz citizens’ language preferences. 1,300 respondents were questioned in representative sampling in Chuysk, Osh, Jalalabad, and Batken regions (i.e., in regions where the country’s population is especially diverse in ethnical aspect). At that, national composition and ethnic proportions of respondents, according to the received sampling, correspond on the whole with state statistical data on national composition and ethnical proportions in the whole country (64.1% — Kirghiz, 21.1% — Uzbeks, 8.4% — Russians, 0.7% -Turks, 0.6% — Dungans, 0.6% — Koreans, 0.5% — Kazakhs, 0.4% — Ukrainians, etc.)        

According to the poll, which materials became known to REGNUM, all the three most numerous ethnic groups of Kirghiz residents preserve thorough knowledge of their native languages, as well as their priority usage in everyday life and during professional activities. So, 92% of Kirghiz speak the Kirghiz language with children at home (6% — in Russian), 80% read newspapers and magazines in Kirghiz (15% — in Russian). The Uzbeks are loyal to their native language, too: at home – 92%, at work – 96%, while reading – 99%. At that, 89% of Kirghiz, 77% of Uzbeks, 98% of Russians prefer to communicate with friends in their native language. 71% of Kirghiz (22% — in Russian), 57% of Uzbeks (17% — in Russian), 98% of Russian prefer to be taught in their native language. Obvious language (ethnic) segregation at work and in friendly relations should be recognized as problem moment of such phenomenon. However, communicating with representatives of other nationality 45% of Kirghiz uses Russian and 10% — Uzbek; 43% of Uzbeks use Russian and 22% — Kirghiz. 96% of Russians use their native language in their international communication.               

The Russian language is in the lead concerning prevalence of speaking a second language (after the native one): it is the second one for 46.7% representatives of other ethnical groups. 25.2% of respondents chose Uzbek as the second language; 14.2% — Kirghiz.  

47.5% of the respondents consider Kirghiz to be the most important language for life and work in Kyrgyzstan; 40.0% — Russian; 0.3% — Uzbek. 36.9% consider knowledge of Russian to be necessary for getting prestigious job; 32.6% — knowledge of English; 22.3% — knowledge of Kirghiz. According to the respondents, knowledge of Russian is most important for entering Russia universities, labor migration, and promotion at public service.

Most of all, the respondents are worried about social problems of Kyrgyzstan: disproportionate presence of ethnic groups at state institutions – 48% (two thirds of Russians and half of Kirghiz are worried about that); reduction of learning Russian at schools – 67% (three quarters of Russians and Kirghiz are worried about that), reduction of broadcasting in Russian (three quarters of Russians and half of Kirghiz), switching of office work to Kirghiz without its doubling in Russian – 58% (85% of Russians, 58% of Kirghiz, and 50% of Uzbeks).        

81.5% of those who call Kirghiz their native language, 100% of those who call Russian their native language and 79.3% of those who call Uzbek their native language do not support idea to strip Russian of its constitutional status of official language in Kyrgyzstan. At that, 51% of all respondents believe that the stripping will worsen ties between Kyrgyzstan and Russia; 14% believe that it will increase Russian populations’ flow-out from the country; 14% — that it will cause dissatisfaction among ethnical groups. Only 1% believes the measure will force other ethnical groups learn Kirghiz.  

89.9% of the all respondents do not support idea to grant Uzbek official status; at that, 68.1% of Kyrgyzstan Uzbeks also oppose against it. Nevertheless, 11.4% of Uzbeks advocate granting to Uzbek official language status or status of international communication; 21.5% advocate granting status of regional language to it.