A year ago, the corrupt government of Askar Akayev was peacefully replaced in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan. However, the country's problems haven't exactly gone away.

An excerpt from the BBC story:

... While most agree that a regime blighted by corruption and nepotism needed to go, many residents of this poor Central Asia republic are still not in the mood for a party.

"There was never a time in the history of Kyrgyzstan when the confidence of the people in their government was so low," said Edil Baisalov of the Bishkek-based NGO, the Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society.

The past year has been a bumpy ride, with a series of political assassinations, a difficult relationship between President Bakiev and Prime Minister Felix Kulov, parliamentary tussles and the postponement of much-anticipated constitutional reforms.

On the eve of the anniversary, Mr Bakiev acknowledged that Kyrgyzstan had had its problems over the past year, but said time was needed to fight corruption and institute political reform.

But Prime Minister Kulov accepts that organised crime is taking its toll on the citizens.

"Many people today are frightened. They think the criminals are winning," he said in January.

An international think tank, the International Crisis Group, has gone further, labelling the nation a "faltering state".

Edil Baisalov acknowledged that the rhetoric of revolution did not easily translate into action. But "it takes a mediocre leadership to squander in such a short time so great a national support," he said. ...

While he might not be attending any street parties, Mr Baisalov also acknowledged that there had been some improvements.

"I don't doubt that 24 March was necessary. Akayev delivered his own destiny, it was truly a popular uprising," he said.

Mr Namazaliev (Mirsuljan, a political science student) argued that its benefit was its lesson in 'people power'.

"We are teaching the youth what the meaning of liberty is. Before, people thought that we couldn't protest to the president. My parents came to me and said 'what are we doing, he will kill you, you shouldn't protest to him'," he said.

"The conditions for effective democracy are better than they were under Akayev. The revolution made people realise that they can influence the government and parliament. They realised that they have rights equal to the rights of all citizens."