Kyrgyzstan Discusses Emergency Aid For Stranded Farmers

Kyrgyzstan's parliament has discussed emergency measures to get badly needed supplies to herders in the south of the country, where harsh winter conditions have blocked roads and killed tens of thousands of animals.

Nurlan Sulaymanov of the Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party said, "To really help the people requires 500,000 tons of hay and 15,000 tons of animal fodder."

Sulaymanov said in the southeastern Chong-Alai region nearly 20,000 animals -- about 33 percent of the herds -- have died already.

Deputy Esengul Isakov from the Ar-Namys (Dignity) party pointed out the government had insufficient aircraft at its disposal to transport aid to affected areas.

Isakov called on deputies to contribute one-day's pay to renting aircraft at the U.S. base at Manas and the Russian base at Kant, both outside Bishkek, to deliver aid to southern regions.

Based on reporting by Interfax and Regnum