If you’re looking for a player in Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan, keep an eye on Kadyrjan Batyrov, an ethnic Uzbek businessman and philanthropist. Since leading his followers by the hundreds to take the governor’s building in Jalal-Abad back from Bakiyev supporters on May 14, Batyrov has shown the interim government he is a force in Jalal-Abad Province.

Founder of the Batyrov People’s Friendship University and leader of the Rodina (Motherland) Party, Batyrov organized a demonstration on May 17 protesting against the treatment of Uzbeks by Kyrgyz, AKIpress reported.

About 2,000 people are taking part in the rally, the leader of the Rodina Party, Kadyrjan Batyrov, said. "A young Uzbek man was injured during a scuffle yesterday and the people who had wounded him were handed over to the law-enforcement agencies. But our law-enforcement agencies and prosecutor's office have a habit of setting detained people free, especially those of Kyrgyz nationality," Batyrov said.

In a veiled response, today interim government first deputy Azimbek Beknazarov told Uzbek leaders in southern Kyrgyzstan to knock it off, 24.kg reported, warning the ethnic tensions could easily spiral out of control.

According to [Beknazarov], destructive forces will attempt to destabilize the situation again. “We know who is behind that but we will not say to avoid stirring up the situation. Let me just say that hostile forces are intending to use ethnic grounds. Someone is trying to stir up ethnic conflicts in the South. I have just come from the South where I had talks with several Uzbek leaders. I warned them if they assist in organizing riots they will meet the same fate as Usen Sydykov and Ishak Masaliev,” Azimbek Beknazarov said.

Authorities arrested Sydykov and Masaliev on May 14 for allegedly organizing the takeover of government buildings in Osh, Jalal-Abad and Batken on May 13-14.