Voice of Democracy
Published by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation · Washington, D.C. Oct. 10, 2002

DEMOCRATIC FORCES UNITE -- Kazakhstan's leading opposition parties have united in a new movement to drive out the Nazarbayev dictatorship "by democratic and peaceful methods," according to one of the founders, former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin.

"The struggle for freedom and justice demands that opposition and resources be united," Kazhegeldin wrote recently in an open letter to other opposition figures.

There is also a practical necessity behind the new union. Nazarbayev recently rammed through the parliament a new election law that requires at least 50,000 signatures on applications to register a political party. The OSCE, European Union and United States, among many others, have condemned the new law as an attempt to create a one-party state.

Kazhegeldin’s Republican People’s Party of Kazakhstan, along with several smaller opposition parties, has joined Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DCK), a broadly based movement which was established to work for removal of the Nazarbayev regime. The various groups have been in secret negotiations for months to prevent government assault. Kazhegeldin revealed that the international community and western public organizations have been helping finance the new movement.

POLITICAL AIMS -- DCK's goal is "to remove a dictatorship, establish a democratic state, win office, and meet public needs," Kazhegeldin wrote. A first step ending Nazarbayev's "maniacal desire to control everything and everyone" must be to draft a charter defining its views and goals. They include: remove the corrupt Nazarbayev regime, implement institutional political reform that will prevent any future emergence of another Kazakh dictatorship, carry out constitutional reforms to ensure true separation of powers and to guarantee citizens' rights, hold free and fair elections and secure social justice and equal opportunities for all Kazakhs.

CONSTITUTION -- The movement has a motto -- "Kazakhstan without Nazarbayev!" -- but it takes more than slogans to turn around the ship of state.

It is clear what the new movement is AGAINST, but to succeed it is more important to make clear what it stands FOR, said Kazhegeldin. And those ideals must be embodied in an "inviolable" national constitution.

The document must establish the rule of law, separation of powers, transparency and accountability. "Renowned international organizations" stand ready to assist in drafting this new basic law. "There is no more important task for Kazakhstani people than to recover the liberties and rights stolen from them by Nazarbayev."

Judicial reform must be a high priority. An independent judiciary is essential to defending the rights of citizens and the democratic framework.

Economic reform must accompany political reform to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens to share in the nation's prosperity and to guarantee that another Nazarbayev type kleptocracy does not emerge.

CONGRESS -- A DCK Congress must be convened as soon as possible to reorganize the movement's leadership and elect a broadly-based new Political Council. Kazhegeldin warned that the dictatorship will seek to destroy the movement by every means possible. The Congress's agenda must focus on opposing abuse of power by the dictator and fighting anti-constitutional laws aimed at destroying the opposition. He called for a boycott of the law on parties to isolate the regime in the legal arena and to emphasize the differences between the "anti-national corrupt dictatorship" and the democratic movement by "openly denouncing the laws on public organizations, mass media, and elections." Democratic governments around the world as well as international organizations have "unequivocally denounced" the law and demanded its repeal. All laws must "comply with internationally accepted democratic norms." If the movement and the new government it brings to Kazakhstan is to enjoy broad acceptance and support beyond its borders. Representatives of international organizations and prominent western political figures will be invited to attend the movement's upcoming Congress.

GOING TO THE PEOPLE -- "Our principles are simple and universal; these are liberal economy, just distribution of social benefits, equal possibilities for all in labor, business, and politics," Kazhegeldin wrote.

He called for stepping up the international campaign to free all political prisoners, annul politically-motivated court actions and halt the persecution of the regime's critics. That includes unmasking the Nazarbayev kleptocracy and identifying the dictator's accomplices and henchmen by name.

One tactic of the new opposition movement will be to run candidates in single member parliamentary constituencies, using the election campaigns as platforms for "most aggressive criticism of the authorities at all levels."

If the dictatorship tries to block election of opposition candidates by intimidation and falsifying election results, Kazhegeldin vowed "we will initiate actions of peaceful civil disobedience." The movement will appeal to other minor parties to join its campaign for "removal of the shameful autocracy and pervasive corruption."

By joining forces the movement hopes to replace "meaningless competition" with a "united opposition."

LEADERSHIP -- Co-chairs of the movement were to be the country's three most prominent democratic leaders: Kazhegeldin and former minister Mukhtar Ablyazov and former governor Galymzhan Zhakiyanov. However, Ablyazov and Zhakiyanov are languishing in one of Nazarbayev's prisons, convicted in one of his courts on what are widely considered politically-inspired charges of corruption. Their real crime is breaking with the dictator and advocating reform. Kazhegeldin himself is thousands of miles away in exile because his life would be in danger if he tries to return. None is in any position to run the opposition on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, Kazhegeldin said, leadership of the new movement must be in the hands of those who "have been struggling inside the country" if it is to have any hope for success. He said the posts of "co-chairs" should be abolished and all authority be in the hands of a broadly-based Political Council, which would include Ablyazov, Zhakiyanov, himself and other pro democracy opposition leaders. The Political Council would be the governing body of the movement.

TRANSITION -- The Political Council should be prepared to govern the nation during its transition from the dictatorship to a new democratic order. Until that time, it would be comparable to a shadow government in the democracies, speaking out on critical issues and advocating alternative policies.

To coordinate the work of the Political Council, he recommended naming Member of Parliament Tolen Tokhtasynov and Amirzhan Kosanov. Part of their job would be to assure a smooth merger of the two major groups, RPPK and DCK, within six months.

Leadership means focusing on the common cause -- producing new ideas, attracting new forces and resources -- not ranks and titles, he said. "Later, when the victory is won, we will conduct fair elections and compete for the votes."

For the full text go to

http://eurasia.org.ru/cgi bin/datacgi/database.cgi?file=News&report=SingleArticle&ArticleID=0000613

For the full stories, see the web citations above or contact us at News@Kazakhstan21.org. The Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation promotes democracy and human rights in Kazakhstan through public affairs and educational programs in the United States and Europe. This material is distributed by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice,  Washington, D.C.