Voice of Democracy
Published by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation · Washington, D.C. ·July 24, 2002

KAZAKHS' SEASON OF REPRESSION -- Kazakh dictator Nursultan Nazarbayev "may be in serious political trouble for the first time" in his 11-year rule, according to the Washington Post. Sources were quoted saying opposition to Nazarbayev has reached "a critical mass" and he is running "scared." Many former allies have broken with him, and he fears losing some of the dictatorial powers he has been amassing. In response, Nazarbayev is having them arrested on charges of corruption. The front page headline in the Post proclaimed this to be "Kazakhs' season of repression," and veteran Post correspondent Robert G. Kaiser writes, Nazarbayev "has turned against his critics and opponents with a harshness that has surprised many Kazakhs and foreign diplomats." The U.S. government has "frequently criticized repressive moves" by the regime and the American ambassador has "met repeatedly with Nazarbayev to urge more political tolerance," according to the front page report from Astana, "but without visible effect." Nazarbayev is "hypersensitive to criticism" and has "rejected all criticism of his policies," saying such talk was the product of corrupt, criminal and disloyal former allies, Kaiser reported. Nazarbayev may talk of democracy, but he and his aides don't want anything to do with it, according to the Post. The paper also chronicles the reports of corruption involving the president, his family and cronies, and his brutal crackdown on the media and other critics. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41635-2002Jul21.html

A DICTATOR IN DENIAL -- In his Washington Post interview this week, Nazarbayev paints a self portrait of a dictator in denial. The leaders of the democratic opposition are not reformers but criminals, he said. He fired most of them from their government posts not because they disagreed with his autocratic rule but because "they did not conduct themselves properly." He accused them of "criminal" conduct and failing to measure up to his own personal standard of "cleanliness" in governing. He insists he is “sincerely committed to democratic development," but since Kazakhstan has "no culture of democracy" moving in that direction would destabilize the country. He offers a unique explanation for a new law he just pushed through his puppet parliament effectively creating a one-party state. America can afford a two party system because "the Democrats and the Republicans...do not oppose one another on basic principles," Nazarbayev explained, while "in our country, each party conducts its own policy." He also displayed an ignorance of U.S. history, insisting America cannot appreciate Kazakhstan's situation because it was "never anyone's colony...didn't survive the two world wars” and didn’t take in several million exiles and refugees. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41922-2002Jul21.html

FAMILY MATTERS -- What good is nepotism if you can't help your family? President Nazarbayev has named his son-in-law Rakhat Aliyev to be the country's ambassador to Austria. It wasn't Aliyev's first choice ­ corruption charges and reports that he may have been involved in a coup attempt led to his resignation last fall as deputy chairman of the National Security Committee (former KGB) -- but he is married to the powerful First Daughter and media baron, Darigha. Rumor has it that the couple is estranged, which may also explain why she's not moving to Vienna with him. http://www.interfax news.com/

EU WARNS AGAINST SOURING BUSINESS CLIMATE -- Kazakhstan's bid to join the World Trade Organization will be in jeopardy if the government proceeds with new regulations for all oil companies operating in the Central Asian republic. That's the word from European ambassadors in a letter to Prime Minister Imangali Tasmagambetov. They urged the government to scrap or at the very least amend regulations which, they insisted, would "damage the investment climate" in Kazakhstan, according to the Energy Intelligence Group's Nefte Compass. The government's insistence on putting a state representative on the tender committee of private firms could violate confidentially agreements and "foster irregular administrative practices." http://www.energyintel.com/

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.