Result of massive international campaign of solidarity
Statement by Ainur Kurmanov, Socialist Movement, Kazakhstan
Today, August 28, Vadim Kuramshin was released from the courtroom in Taraz after the jury’s verdict was announced. The human rights activist was found guilty of only one misdemeanour - "arbitrariness" (under article 327 of the criminal code). For this he receives one year’s probation, but he has been cleared of all other charges originally brought against him.
This is a tremendous victory brought about by an unprecedented campaign. This has included world-wide solidarity organised by the socialists of the Committee for a Workers’ International and Campaign Kazakhstan, by the tremendous support of his comrades and friends in the country and by the coverage given by the independent media of this scandalous trial.
Vadim Kuramshin spent more than six months behind prison walls in Taraz. State forces had been ordered to carry out a special operation; its agents were instructed to track him down and finish him off. This aim appeared to be behind the recommendation of the public prosecutor to have the human rights lawyer sent down for 14 years to a ‘special regime’ colony, usually reserved for murderers and hardened criminals.
A long list of people, including highly placed officials, were interested in Vadim Kuramshin just sitting and rotting in a prison. In this way they wanted to destroy the movement known as "Fighting Tyranny!" in which Vadim has been very much involved. They wanted to eliminate resistance being organised - against torture, widespread corruption in the courts and prisons - and to cover up the numerous cases of torture and murder of prisoners. Additionally, Vadim was a co-worker of ours, so his arrest was also seen as a blow against our organisation.
In the making of such a judgment - the first credit must go to the jury who did not succumb to the pressure from the security services and the judiciary during the weeks-long break. They were convinced of the total lack of guilt on Vadim’s part, when the multitude of facts came to light about outright fraud and the fabrication of evidence. It became obvious to them that the testimony of "witnesses" was illegal - the actions of the Ministry of the Interior, the National Security Committee and the prosecution, when they were expelled from the courtroom by the judge, they made the only correct decision. The judge asked them to take action on three charges. Understanding that after a six-month detention, Vadim was still in the right, they made the only correct choice, leaving just the minor ‘offence’ of "arbitrariness".
Of course, the release of Vadim Kuramshina would have been impossible without the massive solidarity campaign, organised by the Committee for a Workers’ International and the movement of solidarity with the workers of Kazakhstan - Campaign Kazakhstan. More than three thousand letters from various organisations and movements all over the world were sent to the Foreign Ministry, the Presidential Administration, the Supreme Court and other government agencies of the country. Pickets were held in Berlin, London, Moscow, New York and in other European capitals. Pickets were held in Berlin, London, Moscow, New York and in other European capitals. When the comrades of the CWI learned that 14 years in prison was being requested for Vadim Kuramshin, just in one day 156 letters of protest were sent from various parties, trade unions and organisations with whom we are in contact.
Letters were also sent to members of the European Parlaiment on the initiative of the Irish Socialist Party representative, Paul Murphy. There were statements by Andrei Junko, member of the German Bundestag for the Left Party. The president of the All-Kazakhstan workers’ union, "Zhanartu", Esen Ukteshbayev, raised the question of Vadim Kuramshin during all the meetings he had in Europe, with human rights and workers’ organisations. The Socialist Movement Kazakhstan, with the maximum involvement of Socialist Resistance (CWI Kazakhstan) has also held many pickets and protests, produced leaflets and distributed information about the trial throughout the country. Great assistance with spreading information about the court proceedings was given on the "Republica" portal and on the site guljan.org. This once again shows that a massive campaign of solidarity can smash the plans of the Nazarbayev repressive machine.
Vadim Kuramshin himself thanks everyone for all their help and support in securing his release. He declared on Tuesday morning: "The circumstances of my release have shown that the jury is the only mechanism for safeguarding the legal interests of ‘inconvenient’ activists. This was confirmed by the events of today! But without the support of the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan and the Committee for a Workers’ International, without the active support of Zhanna Baytelova, Ainur Kurmanov, Esenbek Ukteshbaev this would not have happened. A huge thankyou goes to the lawyers Iskander Alimbayev and Razia Nurmasheva, Dmitri Tikhonov, Armand Ozhaubaev, Nadezhda Ataeva, Paul Murphy and Andrew Junko as well as my journalist friends and colleagues. Very many thanks to all activists of the CWI and all the concerned people whose names, unfortunately, I cannot begin to list."
See previous articles on this site here and material on the site of Campaign Kazakhstan here.
Showing posts with label Kazakhstan 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kazakhstan 2012. Show all posts
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Thursday, 7 June 2012
Kazakhstan: Leader of Socialist Movement found dead
In memory of Takhir Narimanovich Mukhamedzyanov
Statement by Zhanartu union and Socialist Movement Kazakhstan
On 5 June, friends and colleagues of Takhir Mukhamedzyanov, who were worried that he had not turned up for work after the previous weekend, went to his flat in Karaganda, where they found his body. While the cause of death is not yet known, the passing away of Takhir, a healthy and energetic 51 year-old, is surrounded by suspicion. Not least because Takhir recently received threats from “persons unknown” that they would ‘get rid of him’.
For many years, Takhir worked as a miner, first in Soviet industry and then, after privatization, for ‘Arcelor-Mittal’, which took over all the main pits and metal foundries in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. He was illegally sacked in 2008, after which he took up full-time campaigning as Vice-President of the ‘Miners’ Families’, a post he held until his death. Takhir and his colleagues from Miners’ Families gave valuable assistance to those the organization was originally established to help – the widows and children of men killed in industrial accidents – but they also became more and more involved in defending the rights of working miners. Health and safety standards in Karaganda’s pits and metal foundries are ignored by the new bosses in their chase for profits. With the official state-supported trade unions doing little to defend the workers, the Miners’ Families has taken on the role of an independent trade union.
Such activities did not go unnoticed. All sorts of pressure was piled onto Miners’ Families. Meant as a ‘warning’ Takhir’s garage and the car it housed were blown up on 10 October, 2010. Activists in Miners’ Families believe that the explosion was directly related to Takhir’s work defending the rights of miners and their widows. According to his comrade, Natalia Tomilova, threats to use violent and terrorist methods against workers’ rights activists have again become commonplace.
Just two weeks after the garage explosion, at 9.30 in the evening, police turned up at Takhir’s flat and forcibly removed him to a local psychiatric hospital. Two doctors, three uniformed police and a plain clothes agent claimed that following the loss of his property in the explosion, Takhir’s suffered a breakdown and needed hospitalisation and psychiatric treatment. When they tried to give Takhir an injection of an unknown substance, Takhir managed to break free. He phoned a friend and his daughter collected Takhir and brought him home. Thanks to a public campaign, the doctors were subsequently forced to leave Takhir alone.
In March 2011, Takhir was living in the nearby mining centre of Shakhtinsk when a youth approached him and said that documents that had been in Takhir’s car when the garage exploded (and which, police claimed, were destroyed), had been found on a rubbish tip on the edge of town, revealed after snow melted. This confirmed that Takhir’s garage was broken into before the explosion.
He could not remain indifferent to injustice
Comrades from the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan (previously known as ‘Kazakhstan 2012’) first met Takhir in January 2009. In September 2010, Takhir organized a visit to Karaganda by Joe Higgins (then an MEP for the Socialist Party [CWI Ireland] and now once again a TD [MP] in Ireland). In November 2010, Takhir took part in the founding conference of the ‘Zhanartu’ trade union and was elected to its central committee. In May 2011, he participated in founding the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan and was elected as one of its five Joint Presidents. In July 2011, Takhir again organized a visit of an MEP to Karaganda: Paul Murphy (Socialist Party Ireland), who was one his way to visit striking oil workers in Zhanaozen. Just two weeks ago, Takhir visited Zhenkazgan city, where workers have been involved in strike action and facing repression. Takhir soon found common language with them and left with a firm commitment between the workers in Zhankazgan and Karaganda to support each other in struggle.
Takhir worked hard. He could not pass by or remain indifferent if he saw injustice. We will remember him as a tireless and consistent fighter for the rights of the working class of Kazakhstan. We will remember him as a personality; he had no pretensions, he was always spirited, he was a great person in company. We will miss him.
On behalf of the independent trade union Zhanartu and the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan we convey our heartfelt condolences to the relatives and friends of Takhir.
Takhir will always be in our memory, his name written into the history of the working class of Kazakhstan. Rest well, dear comrade
The Central Committee of the independent trade union, Zhanartu
The Political Committee of the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan
……………………………………………………………………
Letter of condolences from the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI)
The following letter was sent from the CWI to the relatives, comrades and friends of Takhir Mukhamedzyanov:
On behalf of the Committee for a Workers’ International, organised in over forty countries, we send our heartfelt condolences to the relatives, comrades and friends of Takhir Mukhamedzyanov.
Those members of the CWI who had the privilege of meeting Takhir, including Peter Taaffe from the CWI International Secretariat, Joe Higgins and Paul Murphy from the European Parliament, remember Takhir as a tireless fighter, a man who devoted his life to fighting for the rights of the working class, whether as part of the ‘Miners’ Families’, the trade union, ‘Zhanartu’, or the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan.
The CWI calls for a full and independent investigation into the cause of Takhir’s untimely death and, in the event of foul play, the bringing of those responsible to justice.
The CWI pledges itself to honour Takhir’s memory by continuing to campaign against the injustices inflicted upon working people by the multinational companies, such as Arcelor-Mittal, Kazakhmys and KazMunaiGaz and by the capitalist system itself. For the replacement of capitalism by a democratic and international socialist society, in which the wealth of society is used for the benefits of all the people, and in which working people have control over their own lives.
Comradely,
Tony Saunois
On behalf of the International Secretariat of the CWIhttp://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5802
Statement by Zhanartu union and Socialist Movement Kazakhstan
On 5 June, friends and colleagues of Takhir Mukhamedzyanov, who were worried that he had not turned up for work after the previous weekend, went to his flat in Karaganda, where they found his body. While the cause of death is not yet known, the passing away of Takhir, a healthy and energetic 51 year-old, is surrounded by suspicion. Not least because Takhir recently received threats from “persons unknown” that they would ‘get rid of him’.
For many years, Takhir worked as a miner, first in Soviet industry and then, after privatization, for ‘Arcelor-Mittal’, which took over all the main pits and metal foundries in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. He was illegally sacked in 2008, after which he took up full-time campaigning as Vice-President of the ‘Miners’ Families’, a post he held until his death. Takhir and his colleagues from Miners’ Families gave valuable assistance to those the organization was originally established to help – the widows and children of men killed in industrial accidents – but they also became more and more involved in defending the rights of working miners. Health and safety standards in Karaganda’s pits and metal foundries are ignored by the new bosses in their chase for profits. With the official state-supported trade unions doing little to defend the workers, the Miners’ Families has taken on the role of an independent trade union.
Such activities did not go unnoticed. All sorts of pressure was piled onto Miners’ Families. Meant as a ‘warning’ Takhir’s garage and the car it housed were blown up on 10 October, 2010. Activists in Miners’ Families believe that the explosion was directly related to Takhir’s work defending the rights of miners and their widows. According to his comrade, Natalia Tomilova, threats to use violent and terrorist methods against workers’ rights activists have again become commonplace.
Just two weeks after the garage explosion, at 9.30 in the evening, police turned up at Takhir’s flat and forcibly removed him to a local psychiatric hospital. Two doctors, three uniformed police and a plain clothes agent claimed that following the loss of his property in the explosion, Takhir’s suffered a breakdown and needed hospitalisation and psychiatric treatment. When they tried to give Takhir an injection of an unknown substance, Takhir managed to break free. He phoned a friend and his daughter collected Takhir and brought him home. Thanks to a public campaign, the doctors were subsequently forced to leave Takhir alone.
In March 2011, Takhir was living in the nearby mining centre of Shakhtinsk when a youth approached him and said that documents that had been in Takhir’s car when the garage exploded (and which, police claimed, were destroyed), had been found on a rubbish tip on the edge of town, revealed after snow melted. This confirmed that Takhir’s garage was broken into before the explosion.
He could not remain indifferent to injustice
Comrades from the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan (previously known as ‘Kazakhstan 2012’) first met Takhir in January 2009. In September 2010, Takhir organized a visit to Karaganda by Joe Higgins (then an MEP for the Socialist Party [CWI Ireland] and now once again a TD [MP] in Ireland). In November 2010, Takhir took part in the founding conference of the ‘Zhanartu’ trade union and was elected to its central committee. In May 2011, he participated in founding the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan and was elected as one of its five Joint Presidents. In July 2011, Takhir again organized a visit of an MEP to Karaganda: Paul Murphy (Socialist Party Ireland), who was one his way to visit striking oil workers in Zhanaozen. Just two weeks ago, Takhir visited Zhenkazgan city, where workers have been involved in strike action and facing repression. Takhir soon found common language with them and left with a firm commitment between the workers in Zhankazgan and Karaganda to support each other in struggle.
Takhir worked hard. He could not pass by or remain indifferent if he saw injustice. We will remember him as a tireless and consistent fighter for the rights of the working class of Kazakhstan. We will remember him as a personality; he had no pretensions, he was always spirited, he was a great person in company. We will miss him.
On behalf of the independent trade union Zhanartu and the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan we convey our heartfelt condolences to the relatives and friends of Takhir.
Takhir will always be in our memory, his name written into the history of the working class of Kazakhstan. Rest well, dear comrade
The Central Committee of the independent trade union, Zhanartu
The Political Committee of the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan
……………………………………………………………………
Letter of condolences from the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI)
The following letter was sent from the CWI to the relatives, comrades and friends of Takhir Mukhamedzyanov:
On behalf of the Committee for a Workers’ International, organised in over forty countries, we send our heartfelt condolences to the relatives, comrades and friends of Takhir Mukhamedzyanov.
Those members of the CWI who had the privilege of meeting Takhir, including Peter Taaffe from the CWI International Secretariat, Joe Higgins and Paul Murphy from the European Parliament, remember Takhir as a tireless fighter, a man who devoted his life to fighting for the rights of the working class, whether as part of the ‘Miners’ Families’, the trade union, ‘Zhanartu’, or the Socialist Movement Kazakhstan.
The CWI calls for a full and independent investigation into the cause of Takhir’s untimely death and, in the event of foul play, the bringing of those responsible to justice.
The CWI pledges itself to honour Takhir’s memory by continuing to campaign against the injustices inflicted upon working people by the multinational companies, such as Arcelor-Mittal, Kazakhmys and KazMunaiGaz and by the capitalist system itself. For the replacement of capitalism by a democratic and international socialist society, in which the wealth of society is used for the benefits of all the people, and in which working people have control over their own lives.
Comradely,
Tony Saunois
On behalf of the International Secretariat of the CWIhttp://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5802
Monday, 30 April 2012
Kazakhstan: Urgent solidarity needed
Report by Sarah Zhakupova, Kazakhstan Socialist Movement
Larisa Boyar, a prominent member of the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement, and two other opposition activists - Baxatjan Torevozhina and Kanat Ibragimov - have been arrested and imprisoned. In the morning on 28 April, as protest demonstrations were due to begin, these ’Dissenters’ were grabbed by police directly from their homes. By 7.30 in the evening they had been sentenced to 15 days’ immediate detention. At the ’trial’, the prosecution used a video of a press conference given on April 24, where Larissa had called all active and concerned citizens to fight together with the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement at the week-end.
The judge in the court was asked to use discretion in relation to the language used and not judge people for their beliefs and the open expression of their views. Despite the defence’s arguments, the judge, A A Korazbaeva (daughter of "notorious" composer Altynbek Korazbaev) made a totally unfair judgement. This court decision is politically motivated and is yet again evidence of the authorities’ persecution of oppositionists for their beliefs.
At the demonstration there had been about 40 people who came from Shymkent. They had been there to highlight the problems of people being harrassed by banks over the loans they had taken for homes. Guests of the ’Dissenters’ also included workers from the corporation, "Kazakhmys", who are currently conducting an active battle over their union.
Over the past week, the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement and the homes campaigners of the ’ONJ’ (Leave the People’s Homes Alone) have had huge pressure put on them in the run-up to the protest demonstration. They were not able to talk to each other on the phone and relatives were intimidated with the threat of being sacked from their work.
The most active members of Socialist Movement have had criminal proceedings initiated against them with fines imposed of up to 300,000 tenge (around $2,000). Leaders of the Socialist Movement and of the Trade Union, "Zhanartu" - Ainur Kurmanov and Esenbek Ukteshbaev – have been pursued by the authorities of Kazakhstan and have had to go abroad.
Thanks to the international solidarity of socialists, with the active participation of Ainur and Esenbek, numerous protests have been organised around the world in the form of pickets and rallies at embassies. The unjust actions of the authorities of Kazakhstan against workers and activists have been roundly condemned. A massive campaign is now needed in support of the organisers of the ’Dissenters’’ demonstrations.
Release Larissa Boyar, Baxatjan Torevozhina and Kanat Ibragimov!
Drop all charges and stop harrassment of the ’Dissenters’
Donations are urgently needed to assist the campaign. They can be sent via the donate button on the Campaign Kazakhstan web-site (here).
Larisa Boyar, a prominent member of the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement, and two other opposition activists - Baxatjan Torevozhina and Kanat Ibragimov - have been arrested and imprisoned. In the morning on 28 April, as protest demonstrations were due to begin, these ’Dissenters’ were grabbed by police directly from their homes. By 7.30 in the evening they had been sentenced to 15 days’ immediate detention. At the ’trial’, the prosecution used a video of a press conference given on April 24, where Larissa had called all active and concerned citizens to fight together with the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement at the week-end.
The judge in the court was asked to use discretion in relation to the language used and not judge people for their beliefs and the open expression of their views. Despite the defence’s arguments, the judge, A A Korazbaeva (daughter of "notorious" composer Altynbek Korazbaev) made a totally unfair judgement. This court decision is politically motivated and is yet again evidence of the authorities’ persecution of oppositionists for their beliefs.
At the demonstration there had been about 40 people who came from Shymkent. They had been there to highlight the problems of people being harrassed by banks over the loans they had taken for homes. Guests of the ’Dissenters’ also included workers from the corporation, "Kazakhmys", who are currently conducting an active battle over their union.
Over the past week, the Kazakhstan Socialist Movement and the homes campaigners of the ’ONJ’ (Leave the People’s Homes Alone) have had huge pressure put on them in the run-up to the protest demonstration. They were not able to talk to each other on the phone and relatives were intimidated with the threat of being sacked from their work.
The most active members of Socialist Movement have had criminal proceedings initiated against them with fines imposed of up to 300,000 tenge (around $2,000). Leaders of the Socialist Movement and of the Trade Union, "Zhanartu" - Ainur Kurmanov and Esenbek Ukteshbaev – have been pursued by the authorities of Kazakhstan and have had to go abroad.
Thanks to the international solidarity of socialists, with the active participation of Ainur and Esenbek, numerous protests have been organised around the world in the form of pickets and rallies at embassies. The unjust actions of the authorities of Kazakhstan against workers and activists have been roundly condemned. A massive campaign is now needed in support of the organisers of the ’Dissenters’’ demonstrations.
Release Larissa Boyar, Baxatjan Torevozhina and Kanat Ibragimov!
Drop all charges and stop harrassment of the ’Dissenters’
Donations are urgently needed to assist the campaign. They can be sent via the donate button on the Campaign Kazakhstan web-site (here).
Monday, 13 February 2012
URGENT: Leaders of all-Kazakhstan trade union, Zhanartu, in danger
http://campaignkazakhstan.org
Email This
Click above to send the protest
Please send your protest to Kazakhstan mid@mid.kz Embassy of Kazakhstan in Moscow dolgey@dol.ru and to your local Russian and Kazakhstan embassies
Statement from Esenbak Ukteshbayev and Ainur Kurmanov.
To the Executive Director of the all-Russian movement ‘For Human Rights’,
Lev Aleksandrovitch Ponomarev
To the Director of the Institute for Human Rights, Valentin Michaelovitch Gefter
From Esenbek Ukteshbaev, president of the Kazakhstan Trade Union, ‘Zhanartu’ (‘Renaissance’), and vice-president of ‘Zhanartu’, Ainur Kurmanov
Statement
We, the leaders of Kazakhstan’s independent workers’ union, ‘Zhanartu’ (‘Renaissance’) – Esenbek Ukteshbaev, president, and deputy chair, Ainur Kurmanov – wish to alert you to the fact that we may soon be subjected to arrest or abduction, followed by our forced removal to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where inevitable arrest and imprisonment await us.
The basis for these assertions is the coming to Moscow of the head of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Mangistau region, Colonel Amanzhol Kabylov, with a group of intelligence officers, to conduct negotiations with law enforcement officers of the Russian Federation. This we got to know through communications from Russian journalists and from our sources in Kazakhstan. The subject of these negotiations is obvious – to arrrange the carrying out of a certain proceedure in relation to us, as we are currently on Russian soil.
The said senior officer of the Kazakh Interior Ministry is at present in charge of “investigations” into the case of the bloody events of December 16 -18 in Zhanaozen and at Shetpe station in the Mangistau region, which, according to our information, resulted in the deaths of a large number of striking workers and their relatives who had been involved in a peaceful protest.
As a result of the collaboration of the Internal Affairs Ministry and the Kazakhstan Security Service, many criminal cases have been lodged and dozens of people have already been arrested, such as worker-activists taking part in the massive oilworkers’ strike that has lasted since 17 May, as well as leaders of the opposition party ‘Alga’ (‘Forward’) – Vladimir Kozlov, Ayzhangul Amirov, Ruslan Simbinov, Serik Sapargali, as well as the chief editor of the independent newspaper, ‘Vzglyad’ (‘Viewpoint’), Igor Vinyavski. All of them, as well as dozens of people who are forbidden to travel, are charged under several articles of the Criminal Code: 164 ‘ incitement to social discord’, 241 ‘organising mass disorder’ and 170 ‘calling for the overthrow of the existing constitutional system’.
For our part, we have been, since 7 October, on a prolongedvisit to Russia, where we have been exchanging experiences with workers’ organisations and those media organisations who support the striking oil workers in Mangistau and members of our union in Kazakhstan. At home in our country, in the Summer, there was also a criminal case levelled against us on the initiative of the local authority with its ‘arbitrariness’ – under Article 327 of the Criminal Code. But at that time it was suspended and was supposed to be totally stopped due to an amnesty that was announced.
But as we learned from our sources within the law enforcement bodies, a new criminal case is already being fabricated against us under Article 164 of the Criminal Code for ‘inciting social discord’. In fact there is an attempt to blame us and the opposition for the tragic events of December 16-18 last year in Mangistau. This is the reason for the former Commander of Zhanaozen visiting Moscow to organise our arrest and subsequent delivery to Aktau.
We fear that our arrest may be made in secret and carried out in the form of an abduction, without any announcement about us being sought internationally, nor any compliance with all the requirements for legal extradition. Something like this has already been done by Uzbek and Tajik special services in relation to their oppositionists and dissidents who were in the Russian Federation.
We similarly assure you that we are in Russia legally and have not broken any local laws of the land. We have only been engaged in defending the rights of our fellow citizens, violated by the Kazakh authorities in our country. We are asking for help from your side, and the organisation of a campaign in our defence if there is any unlawful arrest or abduction by the Kazakh secret services on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Sincerely yours,
Esenbek Ukteshbaev, President of the Kazakhstan workers’ trade union, “Zhanartu”
and Vice-president of Zhanartu, Ainur Kurmanov
Moscow, February 10, 2012
Campaign at labourstart.org
Kazakhstan: Stop police violence against strikers
From www.labourstart.org
Email ThisClick above to send the protest
Please send your protest to Kazakhstan mid@mid.kz Embassy of Kazakhstan in Moscow dolgey@dol.ru and to your local Russian and Kazakhstan embassies
Statement from Esenbak Ukteshbayev and Ainur Kurmanov.
To the Executive Director of the all-Russian movement ‘For Human Rights’,
Lev Aleksandrovitch Ponomarev
To the Director of the Institute for Human Rights, Valentin Michaelovitch Gefter
From Esenbek Ukteshbaev, president of the Kazakhstan Trade Union, ‘Zhanartu’ (‘Renaissance’), and vice-president of ‘Zhanartu’, Ainur Kurmanov
Statement
We, the leaders of Kazakhstan’s independent workers’ union, ‘Zhanartu’ (‘Renaissance’) – Esenbek Ukteshbaev, president, and deputy chair, Ainur Kurmanov – wish to alert you to the fact that we may soon be subjected to arrest or abduction, followed by our forced removal to the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where inevitable arrest and imprisonment await us.
The basis for these assertions is the coming to Moscow of the head of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Mangistau region, Colonel Amanzhol Kabylov, with a group of intelligence officers, to conduct negotiations with law enforcement officers of the Russian Federation. This we got to know through communications from Russian journalists and from our sources in Kazakhstan. The subject of these negotiations is obvious – to arrrange the carrying out of a certain proceedure in relation to us, as we are currently on Russian soil.
The said senior officer of the Kazakh Interior Ministry is at present in charge of “investigations” into the case of the bloody events of December 16 -18 in Zhanaozen and at Shetpe station in the Mangistau region, which, according to our information, resulted in the deaths of a large number of striking workers and their relatives who had been involved in a peaceful protest.
As a result of the collaboration of the Internal Affairs Ministry and the Kazakhstan Security Service, many criminal cases have been lodged and dozens of people have already been arrested, such as worker-activists taking part in the massive oilworkers’ strike that has lasted since 17 May, as well as leaders of the opposition party ‘Alga’ (‘Forward’) – Vladimir Kozlov, Ayzhangul Amirov, Ruslan Simbinov, Serik Sapargali, as well as the chief editor of the independent newspaper, ‘Vzglyad’ (‘Viewpoint’), Igor Vinyavski. All of them, as well as dozens of people who are forbidden to travel, are charged under several articles of the Criminal Code: 164 ‘ incitement to social discord’, 241 ‘organising mass disorder’ and 170 ‘calling for the overthrow of the existing constitutional system’.
For our part, we have been, since 7 October, on a prolongedvisit to Russia, where we have been exchanging experiences with workers’ organisations and those media organisations who support the striking oil workers in Mangistau and members of our union in Kazakhstan. At home in our country, in the Summer, there was also a criminal case levelled against us on the initiative of the local authority with its ‘arbitrariness’ – under Article 327 of the Criminal Code. But at that time it was suspended and was supposed to be totally stopped due to an amnesty that was announced.
But as we learned from our sources within the law enforcement bodies, a new criminal case is already being fabricated against us under Article 164 of the Criminal Code for ‘inciting social discord’. In fact there is an attempt to blame us and the opposition for the tragic events of December 16-18 last year in Mangistau. This is the reason for the former Commander of Zhanaozen visiting Moscow to organise our arrest and subsequent delivery to Aktau.
We fear that our arrest may be made in secret and carried out in the form of an abduction, without any announcement about us being sought internationally, nor any compliance with all the requirements for legal extradition. Something like this has already been done by Uzbek and Tajik special services in relation to their oppositionists and dissidents who were in the Russian Federation.
We similarly assure you that we are in Russia legally and have not broken any local laws of the land. We have only been engaged in defending the rights of our fellow citizens, violated by the Kazakh authorities in our country. We are asking for help from your side, and the organisation of a campaign in our defence if there is any unlawful arrest or abduction by the Kazakh secret services on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Sincerely yours,
Esenbek Ukteshbaev, President of the Kazakhstan workers’ trade union, “Zhanartu”
and Vice-president of Zhanartu, Ainur Kurmanov
Moscow, February 10, 2012
Campaign at labourstart.org
Kazakhstan: Stop police violence against strikers
From www.labourstart.org
Saturday, 17 December 2011
Kazakhstan: Protesters Killed
URGENT APPEAL
Moscow, December 16, 2010, 08.30 GMT
We have just had information that the whole city of Zhanaozen is in chaos.
The oil workers and their supporters had today planned a peaceful demonstration. The authorities, however, afraid that a powerful show of support for the strikers on the day of the 20th Anniversary and in the lead up to the Parliamentary election in January have decided to use internal troops against the protests. We have just been informed that the City Akimat (Mayor's Office) has been taken over by protesters. But the situation is very dangerous as the authorities are clearly intent on using violence.
Please send immediate protests to the Embassies in your own country and to the Kazakhstan Foreign Ministry email: mid@mid.kz
and message of support to:
For those who are today already organizing protests outside Embassies, please make sure that the case is put very forcibly to demand an end to violent repression and for the start of immediate and meaningful negotiations.
09.30 GMT UPDATE: initial reports are that up to 50 have been killed, hundreds wounded - more details later
Wednesday, 14 December 2011
Kazakhstan: 20 years of independent Kazakhstan – 20 years of authoritarianism! International Day of action on 17 December
20 years of independent Kazakhstan
International Day of action on 17 December - Press Release
Members of Campaign Kazakhstan Britain 12 noon outside the Kazakhstan 33 Thurloe Square , London
On 16 December 2011 , the Republic of Kazakhstan Soviet Union collapsed. President Nazarbayev and his government are presenting this as twenty years of unprecedented stability and progress. While a clique around the Nazarayev family have become extremely rich and the big banks, oil companies and other multinationals have gained almost unrestricted access to the country’s wealth and natural resources, the mass of the population live in dire conditions. If they dare to speak out, they face repression and violence. Lawyers, human rights activists, journalists and trade unionists are regularly beaten, jailed and some have been murdered.
Despite all this, EU leaders rush to congratulate President Nazarbayev on Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
16 December is also the seven month anniversary of the start of the strike at the KazMunaiGaz oil company in the West Kazakh Mungystau region and the oil workers will be staging a mass protest on this day. They are demanding the right to form an independent trade union and receive premiums for working in difficult and dangerous conditions. They have faced brutal repression and over 2,500 have been sacked. Their lawyer was jailed for 6 years on the charge of “inciting social conflict”.
Fearing a Kazakhstan Tahrir Square
Campaign Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
Campaign Kazakhstan
- The immediate end to the regime’s repression against opposition activists
- An end to the support given by European and international governments, politicians,
diplomats and cultural figures to the authoritarian Nazabyev regime
- The immediate release of the oil workers’ lawyer, Natalia Sokolova
- The dropping of all investigations and charges against Ainur Kurmanov, Esenbek
Ukteshbayev, and other opposition activists
- The right to form independent trade unions. For oil workers to receive premiums for
working in difficult and dangerous conditions. Re-instate all the sacked oil workers
- An end to undemocratic ‘elections’ and attacks on the mass media
- An end to torture in the prisons
Press release by Campaign Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
For more information contact: Ken Douglas, PO Box 24697 , London E11 1HH
Sunday, 27 November 2011
Kazakhstan: Free Georgii Epshtein!
At 11.30 this morning, Georgii Epshtein, a leading member of the Russian CWI, on a visit to Kazakhstan, was arrested by the police in the office of the “Leave People’s Homes Alone” campaign in Almaty. No explanation was given by the police.
He was first taken to the office of the immigration police of the Bostandykskii region, who refused to explain on what basis he had been arrested and has now been dragged before a court, where he has been charged with breaching the residency rules. It is highly possible the decision will be taken to deport him from the country. Although by law, a Russian citizen has to register with the police on their arrival, which Georgii did, there is no restriction on where in the city they can be at any one time.
Please urgently call either one of the following numbers to demand on what basis Gerogii has been arrested and his immediate release.
Aidis Dunshebaev – the Police inspector responsible for arresting Georgii – mobile number +7 705 555 79 39
Berik Dusenbaevich – Head of the Migration police in the Bostandyskii region +7 727 394 10 14
Or of course the Kazakhstan embassy in your country.
He was first taken to the office of the immigration police of the Bostandykskii region, who refused to explain on what basis he had been arrested and has now been dragged before a court, where he has been charged with breaching the residency rules. It is highly possible the decision will be taken to deport him from the country. Although by law, a Russian citizen has to register with the police on their arrival, which Georgii did, there is no restriction on where in the city they can be at any one time.
Please urgently call either one of the following numbers to demand on what basis Gerogii has been arrested and his immediate release.
Aidis Dunshebaev – the Police inspector responsible for arresting Georgii – mobile number +7 705 555 79 39
Berik Dusenbaevich – Head of the Migration police in the Bostandyskii region +7 727 394 10 14
Or of course the Kazakhstan embassy in your country.
Sunday, 24 July 2011
Kazakhstan: Socialist Party MEP visits oil strikers
From: http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5200
Socialist Party MEP, Paul Murphy, visited Kazakhstan over the last week to discuss with trade unionists and opposition activists. He travelled to the west of the country to meet with striking oil workers. Below is an article regarding Paul’s visit and the oil strike, published in the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) electronic newsletter. SIPTU is the largest union in Ireland, with over 200,000 workers from many sectors of the Irish economy. We also publish below a model letter of protest that readers can send to the Kazakhstan authorities concerning the oil workers’ strike.Workers faced with jail and brutal repression - Solidarity urgently needed! Reprint of article from SIPTU union newsletter.
Major strike movement in west Kazakhstan - Workers faced with jailings, intimidation and brutal repression
A major strike is raging in the Mangistau oblast in the west of Kazakhstan, where at its height; up to 16,000 workers in the oil industry have been on strike. This strike started at the end of May and has now been ongoing for over two months. These are workers for the national oil company, KazMunaiGas, the national oil giant which is closely linked to the government and President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. The strike also involves workers from subsidiary companies and contractors for KazMunaiGas.
The workers face desert conditions where in the summer, temperatures can rise to 50° degrees C and in the winter drop to -40° C. Workers reported the serious neglect of health and safety standards and they claim that a number of workers have unnecessarily died in the last years as a result of industrial accidents and illnesses brought on by the working conditions. A wage agreement was signed two years ago between the company and the union, which the strikers claim has not been fully implemented by the company.
In going on strike, the workers have faced massive state repression. Two trade union lawyers, Natalia Sokolova and Akshimat Aminov, have been jailed. Ms. Sokolova has been charged with “stirring up social conflict” and could face years in jail. She has now been in jail for over two months and her husband has not once been allowed to visit her. In reaction to this repression, 300 strikers and members of their family engaged in a hunger strike. Riot police have been used to disperse the protests and in a sign of the desperation, a number of the hunger strikers poured petrol over themselves, threatening to set themselves on fire. Many workers have received very serious anonymous threats, threatening the lives of their families and to burn their homes.
The company has sent official letters to many strikers stating that if they continue their strike, they will be fired. Hundreds of workers have already been fired, simply for exercising what should be their right to strike. In effect, a lockout is being imposed by the company. Those who have returned to work have had to sign a statement declaring that the strike is illegal and committing not to engage in such action again.
The strike has been ruled illegal by the courts on the basis of the Kazakh Labour Code. It is known that the Labour Code is particularly restrictive in relation to the right to strike for wokers in the extraction sector . This situation has been criticised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Socialist Party MEP for Dublin, Paul Murphy, recently visited to support the striking workers. When he met with senior management of the company, they made it clear that they are not willing to negotiate with the representatives of the strikers until the strikers return to work and that those who have been fired would not be allowed to return to their jobs. This is obviously unacceptable to the strikers.
The strikers key demands are: 1. The release of Natalia Sokolova and Akshmiat Aminov, the trade union lawyers. 2. A commitment from the company that all strikers, including those who have been fired, can return to work without victimisation. 3. The right of the workers to determine their trade union leadership and to form independent trade unions 4. Negotiations between the company and the representatives of the strikers to discuss the implementation of the wage agreement that was signed two years ago.
A campaign of disinformation has been waged by the company and the government internationally – claiming that the strike is not very significant and that the workers’ demands are unjustified. However, the information blockade is being broken. Last week, Sting cancelled a planned concert in Kazakhstan declaring that he would not cross a “virtual picket line”. This solidarity has raised the confidence of the strikers.
International solidarity from the trade union movement will increase the confidence of the strikers and increase pressure on the company to agree to negotiate. Letters of protest can be sent to doverie@kmg.kz (KazMunaiGas - the company), info@mangystau.kz (the local government) , ppo@s-k.kz (the state’s sovereign wealth fund that holds a majority of shares in KMG) P.Howes@s-k.kz and kbm@kbm.kz (Karazhanbasmunai – one of the subsidiary companies). A model letter of protest can be found on www.paulmurphymep.eu. They should be copied to info@paulmurphymep.eu, solidar@socialismkz.info, robert.cwi@gmail.com and alex@socdeistvie.info. Letters of solidarity can be sent to solidar@socialismkz.info, robert.cwi@gmail.com and alex@socdeistvie.info.
The workers are not receiving any funds while on strike and it is having a devastating impact on their lives and the lives of their families. A solidarity fund will shortly be set up by the workers to help to provide necessary food and other aid to the strikers and their families. Contact Paul Murphy MEP’s office to receive details of this – 01 6795030.
Model Letter
To whom it may concern:
The ongoing strike of thousands of oil workers in the Mangistau oblast in the west of Kazakhstan has been brought to my attention by Paul Murphy MEP who recently visited the region. I also understand that the musician Sting cancelled a concert in the capital city Astana planned for the beginning of July saying that he would not cross the “virtual picket line” of the oil workers.
These are workers for the national oil company, KazMunaiGas, the national oil giant which is closely linked to the government and President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. The strike also involves workers from subsidiary companies and contractors for KazMunaiGas.
I am aware that two lawyers representing these workers have been jailed, namely, Natalia Sokolova and Akshimat Aminov. Ms. Sokolova has been charged with “stirring up social conflict” and could face up to ten years in jail. She has now been in jail for over two months and her husband has not once been allowed to visit her.
The police force has used violence against protesters on a number of occasions, including on 8 July when the riot police were used to disperse the protesters from Zhanaozen Square. Many workers have received very serious anonymous threats, threatening the lives of their families and to burn their homes.
I also understand that KazMunaiGas has sent official letters on headed paper to many strikers stating that if they do not return to work, they will be fired. Hundreds of workers have already been fired, simply for exercising what should be their right to strike. In effect, a lockout is being imposed by the company. Those who have returned to work have had to sign a statement declaring that the strike is illegal and committing not to engage in such action again.
I know that you consider this strike to be illegal on the basis of the Kazakh Labour Code. However, I consider the right to strike as a basic right for all workers and that the right to form independent trade unions should be respected according to ILO conventions.
I understand that senior management of the company has made it clear that they are not willing to negotiate with the representatives of the strikers until the strikers return to work and that those who have been fired would not be allowed to return to their jobs. This is obviously unacceptable to the strikers. I call on you to immediately engage in serious negotiations with representatives of the strikers.
I support the key demands of the strikers, which are as follows: 1. The release of Natalia Sokolova and Akshmiat Aminov, the trade union lawyers. 2. A commitment from the company that all strikers, including those who have been fired, can return to work without victimisation. 3. The right of the workers to determine their trade union leadership and to form independent trade unions. 4. Negotiations between the company and the representatives of the strikers to discuss the implementation of the wage agreement that was signed two years ago.
Yours faithfully,
Name/ Organisation/ representing xxx workers
Socialist Party MEP, Paul Murphy, visited Kazakhstan over the last week to discuss with trade unionists and opposition activists. He travelled to the west of the country to meet with striking oil workers. Below is an article regarding Paul’s visit and the oil strike, published in the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU) electronic newsletter. SIPTU is the largest union in Ireland, with over 200,000 workers from many sectors of the Irish economy. We also publish below a model letter of protest that readers can send to the Kazakhstan authorities concerning the oil workers’ strike.Workers faced with jail and brutal repression - Solidarity urgently needed! Reprint of article from SIPTU union newsletter.
Major strike movement in west Kazakhstan - Workers faced with jailings, intimidation and brutal repression
A major strike is raging in the Mangistau oblast in the west of Kazakhstan, where at its height; up to 16,000 workers in the oil industry have been on strike. This strike started at the end of May and has now been ongoing for over two months. These are workers for the national oil company, KazMunaiGas, the national oil giant which is closely linked to the government and President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. The strike also involves workers from subsidiary companies and contractors for KazMunaiGas.
The workers face desert conditions where in the summer, temperatures can rise to 50° degrees C and in the winter drop to -40° C. Workers reported the serious neglect of health and safety standards and they claim that a number of workers have unnecessarily died in the last years as a result of industrial accidents and illnesses brought on by the working conditions. A wage agreement was signed two years ago between the company and the union, which the strikers claim has not been fully implemented by the company.
In going on strike, the workers have faced massive state repression. Two trade union lawyers, Natalia Sokolova and Akshimat Aminov, have been jailed. Ms. Sokolova has been charged with “stirring up social conflict” and could face years in jail. She has now been in jail for over two months and her husband has not once been allowed to visit her. In reaction to this repression, 300 strikers and members of their family engaged in a hunger strike. Riot police have been used to disperse the protests and in a sign of the desperation, a number of the hunger strikers poured petrol over themselves, threatening to set themselves on fire. Many workers have received very serious anonymous threats, threatening the lives of their families and to burn their homes.
The company has sent official letters to many strikers stating that if they continue their strike, they will be fired. Hundreds of workers have already been fired, simply for exercising what should be their right to strike. In effect, a lockout is being imposed by the company. Those who have returned to work have had to sign a statement declaring that the strike is illegal and committing not to engage in such action again.
The strike has been ruled illegal by the courts on the basis of the Kazakh Labour Code. It is known that the Labour Code is particularly restrictive in relation to the right to strike for wokers in the extraction sector . This situation has been criticised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Socialist Party MEP for Dublin, Paul Murphy, recently visited to support the striking workers. When he met with senior management of the company, they made it clear that they are not willing to negotiate with the representatives of the strikers until the strikers return to work and that those who have been fired would not be allowed to return to their jobs. This is obviously unacceptable to the strikers.
The strikers key demands are: 1. The release of Natalia Sokolova and Akshmiat Aminov, the trade union lawyers. 2. A commitment from the company that all strikers, including those who have been fired, can return to work without victimisation. 3. The right of the workers to determine their trade union leadership and to form independent trade unions 4. Negotiations between the company and the representatives of the strikers to discuss the implementation of the wage agreement that was signed two years ago.
A campaign of disinformation has been waged by the company and the government internationally – claiming that the strike is not very significant and that the workers’ demands are unjustified. However, the information blockade is being broken. Last week, Sting cancelled a planned concert in Kazakhstan declaring that he would not cross a “virtual picket line”. This solidarity has raised the confidence of the strikers.
International solidarity from the trade union movement will increase the confidence of the strikers and increase pressure on the company to agree to negotiate. Letters of protest can be sent to doverie@kmg.kz (KazMunaiGas - the company), info@mangystau.kz (the local government) , ppo@s-k.kz (the state’s sovereign wealth fund that holds a majority of shares in KMG) P.Howes@s-k.kz and kbm@kbm.kz (Karazhanbasmunai – one of the subsidiary companies). A model letter of protest can be found on www.paulmurphymep.eu. They should be copied to info@paulmurphymep.eu, solidar@socialismkz.info, robert.cwi@gmail.com and alex@socdeistvie.info. Letters of solidarity can be sent to solidar@socialismkz.info, robert.cwi@gmail.com and alex@socdeistvie.info.
The workers are not receiving any funds while on strike and it is having a devastating impact on their lives and the lives of their families. A solidarity fund will shortly be set up by the workers to help to provide necessary food and other aid to the strikers and their families. Contact Paul Murphy MEP’s office to receive details of this – 01 6795030.
Model Letter
To whom it may concern:
The ongoing strike of thousands of oil workers in the Mangistau oblast in the west of Kazakhstan has been brought to my attention by Paul Murphy MEP who recently visited the region. I also understand that the musician Sting cancelled a concert in the capital city Astana planned for the beginning of July saying that he would not cross the “virtual picket line” of the oil workers.
These are workers for the national oil company, KazMunaiGas, the national oil giant which is closely linked to the government and President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev. The strike also involves workers from subsidiary companies and contractors for KazMunaiGas.
I am aware that two lawyers representing these workers have been jailed, namely, Natalia Sokolova and Akshimat Aminov. Ms. Sokolova has been charged with “stirring up social conflict” and could face up to ten years in jail. She has now been in jail for over two months and her husband has not once been allowed to visit her.
The police force has used violence against protesters on a number of occasions, including on 8 July when the riot police were used to disperse the protesters from Zhanaozen Square. Many workers have received very serious anonymous threats, threatening the lives of their families and to burn their homes.
I also understand that KazMunaiGas has sent official letters on headed paper to many strikers stating that if they do not return to work, they will be fired. Hundreds of workers have already been fired, simply for exercising what should be their right to strike. In effect, a lockout is being imposed by the company. Those who have returned to work have had to sign a statement declaring that the strike is illegal and committing not to engage in such action again.
I know that you consider this strike to be illegal on the basis of the Kazakh Labour Code. However, I consider the right to strike as a basic right for all workers and that the right to form independent trade unions should be respected according to ILO conventions.
I understand that senior management of the company has made it clear that they are not willing to negotiate with the representatives of the strikers until the strikers return to work and that those who have been fired would not be allowed to return to their jobs. This is obviously unacceptable to the strikers. I call on you to immediately engage in serious negotiations with representatives of the strikers.
I support the key demands of the strikers, which are as follows: 1. The release of Natalia Sokolova and Akshmiat Aminov, the trade union lawyers. 2. A commitment from the company that all strikers, including those who have been fired, can return to work without victimisation. 3. The right of the workers to determine their trade union leadership and to form independent trade unions. 4. Negotiations between the company and the representatives of the strikers to discuss the implementation of the wage agreement that was signed two years ago.
Yours faithfully,
Name/ Organisation/ representing xxx workers
Friday, 8 July 2011
Kazakhstan: Riot police attack striking oil workers
By CWI reporters, Moscow - http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5180
Earlier today, a wave of Kazakhstan "COBRA" riot police entered the town of Zhanaozen, west Kazakhstan, in an attempt to end a permanent demonstration and hunger strike by striking oil and gas workers and their families. The oil and gas workers are now in the second month of their strike.
A viscous attack by well-equipped and trained riot police left many people wounded. Over four bus loads of people were arrested taken away. Despite this, the police thugs did not achieve their goal of breaking up the hunger strike. The hunger strikers, as the police approached, doused themselves with petrol and threatened to light themselves, the police did not back off.
The latest information is that this attack has only angered the workers. Already many are gathering outside the City Administration Headquarters, some say there are already 5,000 people and the numbers are growing and they are preparing for an all-night protest. They are demanding the immediate release of their comrades.
It is reported that the riot police attack was planned following the arrival in the city of a leading government representative. It is clear the authorities are worried by the progress made in spreading information about the dispute. The decision by the rock musician Sting to boycott a concert in Kazakhstan in support of the strikers and the planned visit by a delegation from the European Left group of MEPs, led by Paul Murphy, has undoubtedly made the authorities very nervous.
Please send urgent protests to: doverie@kmg.kz, info@mangystau.kz, ppo@s-k.kz, kbm@kbm.kz and messages of solidarity to solidar@socialismkz.info with copies to Robert.cwi@gmail.com and alex@socdeistvie.info
Earlier today, a wave of Kazakhstan "COBRA" riot police entered the town of Zhanaozen, west Kazakhstan, in an attempt to end a permanent demonstration and hunger strike by striking oil and gas workers and their families. The oil and gas workers are now in the second month of their strike.
A viscous attack by well-equipped and trained riot police left many people wounded. Over four bus loads of people were arrested taken away. Despite this, the police thugs did not achieve their goal of breaking up the hunger strike. The hunger strikers, as the police approached, doused themselves with petrol and threatened to light themselves, the police did not back off.
The latest information is that this attack has only angered the workers. Already many are gathering outside the City Administration Headquarters, some say there are already 5,000 people and the numbers are growing and they are preparing for an all-night protest. They are demanding the immediate release of their comrades.
It is reported that the riot police attack was planned following the arrival in the city of a leading government representative. It is clear the authorities are worried by the progress made in spreading information about the dispute. The decision by the rock musician Sting to boycott a concert in Kazakhstan in support of the strikers and the planned visit by a delegation from the European Left group of MEPs, led by Paul Murphy, has undoubtedly made the authorities very nervous.
Please send urgent protests to: doverie@kmg.kz, info@mangystau.kz, ppo@s-k.kz, kbm@kbm.kz and messages of solidarity to solidar@socialismkz.info with copies to Robert.cwi@gmail.com and alex@socdeistvie.info
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Solidarity with Kazakhstan Strikers
CWI reporters, Kazakhstan - http://www.socialistworld.net/doc/5130
The 11th June is likely to be a critical day in the strike of oil and gas workers in West Kazakhstan as strikers once again gather in the regional capital Aktau to demonstrate, calling for the release of Natalia Sokolova.
It is clear that the company, “KazMunauGaz” and the authorities have decided not to negotiate and are preparing for an all out confrontation. In preparation for the 11th, the city’s centre has been occupied by police and bus loads of riot troops. The court’s are being prepared for a wave of arrests on charges such as “stirring up class conflict” and “leading an illegal strike, interfering with the work of the company”.
These are criminal charges with sentences of up to seven years. Natalia Sokolova has now been brought to court on the first of these charges and been remanded without bail for two months. The fact that the court was held just hours before today’s planned protest makes it clear that the authorities seem to think they can frighten the strikers back to work. They have already said they will use the second charge against the strike leaders.
But the threats are not working. The strikers are already commenting with black humour that the only thing the authorities have left to try is mass execution. They have become more determined and more radical. Oil and gas workers in the neigbouring regions of Kalamkaz and Atyrau have already promised to join the strike on the 14th or 15th of June if the company has not backed down by then. If the demonstration today is broken up, these regions could well walk out immediately.
The anger has been building after management decided to lay siege to the factory at “Ersai Kaspian Kontraktor”. 700 workers have been isolated with food and water supplies cut off as the authorities have used bulldozers to seal the only two roads to the plant. Helicopters are being used to supply food to the Italian white collar staff whilst the strikers have to smuggle in plastic bottles of water from the nearest village ten kilometers away. (This is essentially a desert region). Those who are on hunger strike are suffering particularly badly and 23 have already been hospitalized.
The strikers have told us they are determined to continue with their demands which, at EKK, include an increase in pay, an end to discrimination between the wages of Kazakh and foreign workers, a collective wage agreement and recognition of the trade union. SMS messages of support can be sent to these strikers on +7 701 813 48 64.
A mass campaign of slander has been waging in the official press against the strikers. Particularly notable is an article which has appeared on the government website written by Siyazbek Mukashev, leader of the official “trade union federation”. He demands that the strikers “work within the law” and participate in an “arbitration commission”. He claims he has done all in his power to arrange this but complains that “the employers are prepared for this, everything should be done within the law, we want to help, but they (the strikers) are refusing and maintaining their position”.
Nowhere does he comment that the strikers can not work within the law because their lawyer has been arrested, nor does he condemn the management for failing to turn up at a pre arranged time earlier this week for negotiations called for by the strikers.
Complete responsibility for this situation lies at the door of the employer and the authorities. They appear to want to provoke the workers further and in doing so, are only increasing support for the strike. Alongside the strikers are marching their families. The mother of one of the strikers, Ersaya has joined the hunger strike and warned that she will take more radical measures if they touch her son. Pensioners who used to work on the oil and gas fields have joined in, demanding that the demands of the strikers are met, including the nationalization of the sector.
It is clear that this war of nerves is likely to boil over soon. Then what will be important is that the workers remain unified and determined to fight on. The Socialist Movement Kazakhstan alongside the whole CWI expresses its support for the strikers and their demands, including the call for nationalization of the whole oil and gas sector under workers control and management and calls on all workers’ organizations to send their support to the strikers, and to demand the immediate end to repression against the workers.
We demand:
- the immediate release of Natalia Sokolova
- an end to all repression against the strikers
- the lifting of the siege at “Ersai Kaspian Kontraktor”
- the immediate recognition of the independent trade unions
- the nationalization of the oil and gas sector under democratic workers’ control and management as part of a planned economy allowing the wealth of Kazakhstan to be used in the interests of the people and not those of the ruling clan and multinationals.
We call for pickets outside embassies of Kazakhstan and urgent protests to the following: doverie@kmg.kz, info@mangystau.kz, ppo@s-k.kz, kbm@kbm.kz
Solidarity messages should be sent to: solidar@socialismkz.info with copies to Robert.cwi@gmail.com and alex@socdeistvie.info
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Kazakhstan - Solidarity needed!
‘Kazakhstan 2012’ opposition leader jailed
CWI Reporters, Moscow
The Nazarbayev regime in Kazakhstan is stepping up its terror campaign against opposition activists, despite the fact that Kazakhstan continues to head the OSCE organisation.
On 19 December, a leader of the Independent Trade Union of Workers and Staff, Esenbek Ukteshbayev, was illegally imprisoned for 15 days. This was for the “crime” of handing in a petition to the Akim (Mayor) of Almaty on Independence Day with the demand that his deputy, Serik Seiduman, should resign after practically calling for the elimination of all rural residents now living in the city. The court session was held on a weekend, when the court specializing in administrative offences was closed.
These are remarkably new methods being used for the arrest and trial of activists. For two days, a representative of the police has been practically begging Esenbek on his knees to go to the station to give an explanation of his activities. But as soon as the trade union leader turned up at the station, he was arrested without ceremony and dragged into court, where he was tried by the duty judge Zhanna Nurgalieva.
Despite the fact that Esenbek was taken to court without any official papers, that he was held without charge and was refused the right to defense counsel, the judge, without any shame, carried on with the trial. Esenbek was found guilty even though he was able to demonstrate his innocence.
Astonished by such actions one of the activists in court burst out with the cry, “Have you lost your mind?” For this she was immediately charged with “lack of respect for the court” and will be tried today on 20 December.
We are convinced that this has been organized by Seiduman, who has boasted in the press that he is behind the illegal arrests.
We call for widespread protests against this illegal action by the Kazakhstan regime. We need an urgent response, as there is information leaking out from sources that the police are under orders to start the “physical annihilation” of our comrades in Kazakhstan.
Letters of protest should be sent to the Akim (Mayor) of Almaty either by email:
Or through the site
Please also send protests to the Secretariat of the OSCE viahttp://www.osce.org/contacts/ orhttp://www.osce.org/contacts/email.php?id=67
Please send copies of your emails tosolidarity@socialistworld.net
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)