Two rival parliaments competed for power Sunday in Kyrgyzstan, raising political uncertainty in the former Soviet state days after its leader fled for Russia and his government collapsed amid massive demonstrations. Police and civilian volunteers appeared to have stemmed the looting that raged through Bishkek after demonstrators stormed the presidential headquarters on Thursday and sent President Askar Akayev fleeing to Russia. But disorder persisted in the political sphere, and the country's law-enforcement coordinator, appointed by one parliament, demanded the other body be recognized as legitimate in an apparent split in the opposition.Some fear the split — and the competing parliaments — could fuel simmering tension and plunge the shaken Central Asian country into deeper turmoil. Both groups — the parliament newly elected in a disputed vote that sparked massive discontent, and the one that lost the election — met in separate chambers over the weekend, each claiming to represent the people. Felix Kulov, a former opposition leader who was freed from jail Thursday, warned lawmakers in the old parliament — led by his own allies — that they should step down. "The new parliament is legitimate and the old parliament's term has expired," said Kulov, who has been placed in charge of law enforcement agencies. He warned the former parliament that "if you get people out, I will take measures to arrest you." Kulov later apologized when Prosecutor-General Azim Beknazarov challenged him, saying: "These are the people who freed you, will you arrest them?"
"I am too tired. I apologize for that," Kulov said.