“Non-title” status as a basis of collective status and self-identification of Russian compatriots in the Kyrgyz Republic

The present research presents the study of the political and legal situation of Russian compatriots in the Kyrgyz Republic. It analyzes various versions of the Kyrgyz constitution, other normative legal documents and political statements defining the political and legal status of the “non-title” population of this state, provides statistical data and monitoring results of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. It is shown that the political and legal environment where Russian compatriots live is characterized by the fact that the numerically dominant part of society has consolidated its group self-identification as a “title nation” in the Constitution, as well as in the main regulatory legal acts and strategic planning documents. As a result, “non-title” status turned out to be the main factor in the self-identification of Russian compatriots in the Kyrgyz Republic. There is substantiated the conclusion that purposeful diplomatic efforts are needed to overcome the structural discrimination of the “non-title” population of the Kyrgyz Republic, which includes Russian compatriots. Since the author has been dealing with this topic for a long time, the research partially uses previously published materials from the author's archive (factual data; excerpts from regulatory documents, quotes from speeches of political leaders, many of which have now found themselves in opposition and exile; currently unavailable documents), copyright definitions and conclusions.