By Bruce Pannier
Prague, July 8
(RFE/RL)
In early October of last year, Kazakhstan�s parliament approved holding presidential elections in January 1999, instead of December 2000, as was originally scheduled. Then, as now, the Kazakh opposition was left at a serious disadvantage.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the United States government both criticized the Kazakh parliament�s decision to hold early elections. Both had been paying special attention to Kazakhstan, believing the country and its leadership possessed great potential for becoming an example of democracy in Central Asia. After the vote, however, the OSCE said January�s presidential elections fell �far short� of being free and fair and refused to recognize them as valid.
Yesterday�s sudden announcement of elections to parliament seems to be no better. Deputies� terms in office officially expire in December. Prior to yesterday�s announcement, no Kazakh official had ever been more specific about the date of the elections than �autumn.� The last parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan were held on December 10, 1995. All signs pointed to elections in November or December.
At least one OSCE official in Kazakhstan, however, sees some sense in holding parliamentary elections in September and October.
Eric Collins is the political officer at the OSCE office in Almaty. He explains that the September and October dates for elections are an improvement over the choice of January for presidential elections. Collins says:
�I think that is a good time for elections, in terms of if we look at the presidential elections which took place in January, that was very difficult from a technical and organizational standpoint because of weather conditions and road conditions. And I think September and October are probably a quite appropriate time to hold elections, given that, first of all, this meets the constitutional demands and, second of all, I think this will help guarantee a good turnout for the elections.�
However, the opposition is in much the same position as it was late last year during the presidential campaign. Though the requirement for gathering signatures is waved in parliamentary elections, as is the registration fee, there is still the problem of obtaining official registration from Kazakhstan�s Justice Ministry.
This problem is reminiscent of the problems former Prime Minister Akezhan Kazhegeldin experienced during the presidential campaign. He had trouble registering and then � due to a minor legal offense � he was barred by a court from participating. Incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev, on the other hand, had no difficulty in registering and clearing every hurdle on the road to re-election.
Kazhegeldin now heads the Republican People�s Party, but he and his wife have been outside Kazakhstan for several months as Kazakhstan�s Prosecutor General is investigating Kazhegeldin for charges of tax evasion. Some opposition parties in Kazakhstan are having problems registering due to a requirement that all parties establish branches in at least seven of Kazakhstan�s 15 administrative regions before they can be considered �fully� registered.
In contrast, the pro-Nazarbayev Otan Party is registered and has branches in all of the country�s regions. A large number of current parliamentary deputies belong to this party, which was only formed in February.
Independent Kazakh politician Dos Koshim evaluated the situation for opposition parties now that elections have been set earlier than expected:
�Of course, for the government and those who are in power it is very advantageous to hold elections earlier. This will not allow opposition movement and parties to gather their forces and prepare for elections. Rumors and predictions that elections would be held early have been circulating for several months. Some people even recommended holding them in the summer. But the prognosis made by politicians and observers in the last five months said the parliamentary elections would probably be held in the period after October 20, at the earliest.�
Before any of the opposition parties or movements can seriously plan a campaign strategy, they must first face the task of being officially registered, a process likely to take the rest of July. Then they will have less than 50 days to convince the public that their candidates are the right people to become parliamentary deputies.
The opposition parties in Kazakhstan had been widely viewed as offering no serious competition to pro-presidential parties. Such a short time to prepare their campaigns only weakens their prospects.
During the 20th century a lot of social cataclysms connected with nuclear, chemical, bacteriological and space tests fell to the lot of the Kazakh land and the people living here. Again this land was a toy for people conducting new tests. This is confirmed by the tragedy in Karkaralinsk.
Representatives of Russian MIA did not comment 80 tons of toxic fuel, including 66 tons of virulent substances, having referred to the Kazakhstan diplomatic corps.
From the moment when Baikonur became a property of Kazakhstan, in 1994 according to the two-side agreement this space-vehicle launching site was leased by Russia. The space-vehicle launching site is used by Russia as a source of profits, as different commercial orders of developed countries is being realised there.
From the beginning of this year 4 commercial rocket-carriers have been launched from Baikonur. It is planned to launch 7 rocket caries more till the end of 1999. The Russian party asks the Kazakhstan government for the permission to launch new rocket-carriers in July, and hopes for a positive decision.
Besides, it was planned to launch another �Proton� on July 31. Representatives of the international agency-customer are sure that the reasons of the fall of the rocket-carrier will be soon clarified and launches will be recommenced.
The similar situation was after the accident in 1996, when in some time the rocket launches were recommenced. Who will guarantee that this will not happen again? Possibly, the Kazakhstan authorities hope for our immense territory.
Now, after the happened accident, it is necessary to sound the alarm as it was with the Semipalatinsk polygon and make the customers of launches compensate the damage. We should fight for national health, ecology and for the future. This is required not only for ecologists and the President. This is required for the people. Despite several accidents, the Kazakhstan government will probably have to give up, and launches from Baikonur will be continued.
Now it is necessary to work out a number of conditions to prevent the threat to life and health of the Kazakhstan population.
According to a member of the Commission established to clarify the circumstances of the accident with �Proton� Tokhtar Aubakirov, who gave an interview to Radio �Liberty�, 43 tons of toxic fuel were on board of the spaceship. More than 6 thousand square kilometres were contaminated. To restore these areas it will take almost 3 thousand years. The member of the Commission stated that �Proton� rocket-carrier should be used only for military purposes, though it is used for commercial orders.
�I know my people�s mentality, I know how tolerant my people is. I want to say that if somebody have signs of indisposition, you should at once go to clinics, as it is still unknown what harm this accident did to health of people living in the place where the rocket-carrier fell,� Tokhtar Aubakirov emphasised.
July 10
About the Kazakhs living in Uzbekistan
The correspondent of the Kazakh Service �Radio Liberty� (KSRL) interviewed the chairman of the Society of Uzbek Repatriates Koldeibek Sansyzbaiuly.
To my mind, the condition of the Kazakhs in Uzbekistan is getting worse every day. In 1932 when the capital of Kazakhstan was shifted to Almaty, such districts as Tamdy, Zeravshan, Ushkudyk were transferred to Bukhara region. Then these districts were referred to Navoi region.
I was born in Zeravshan. My forefathers were buried there. There is no Uzbek grave in this area, as the Uzbeks never lived there and moved to these places only after the war.
In 1997 there was a drought in Tamda region, cattle died and the Kazakhs had to move to Zeravshan. However, the heads of the region of Uzbek nationality did not register and employ the newcomers. The Kazakhs built houses, but could not legally register them. While receiving passports, Kazakh children had to change their nationality to Uzbek one. Otherwise it was impossible to receive education.
In 1961 Bostandyk district of Tashkent region was granted on 30-years lease to Uzbekistan. After this period the population of the district wrote the letter to the presidents of the both countries. Representatives of the district visited Almaty several times, but unsuccessfully. Some people of this delegation died under unknown circumstances.
Now there is no Kazakh principal of school, akim or deputy of akim. If you do not have �Uzbek� in the passport, you will not be employed. In one word, the district is under complete uzbekisation.
In Karakalpakstan the situation is almost the same. Now there are no Kazakhs, who before occupied high posts, in the ranks of authorities either in Tashkent or Nukus. Many ministers and scientists were dismissed. At present all these people are unemployed. Only persons who changed their nationality occupy high posts.
To leave this district people have to pay US$ 1100 (transport charges for the container, customs duties, and annihilation of the passport registration). But these people are not awaited in Kazakhstan. It is especially difficult for them to settle in Almaty region.
In Turkmenistan the situation is different: for example, if people moved to Aktau and could not get accustomed to the place, and returned back, they are given a house and land. If somebody returns to Uzbekistan, thousand of obstacles will be created.
About 1.5 million Kazakhs live in Uzbekistan, including 250 thousand in Karakalpakia. They all are pure Kazakhs, but many of them had to change their nationality.
In other words, it seems to me, that the Kazakhs are doomed to sufferings everywhere, even in their motherland. I do not know whether the paradise promised by the president will be achieved in 2030, or the nation will be gradually degrading. May Kazakhstan become a colony of a stronger neighbouring state? It is difficult to predict the future.
Many repatriates are not admitted to Kazakhstan citizenship. These people can neither take part in election nor vote. Now the law on land is being approved. If land is sold, the Kazakhs returned from Uzbekistan will probably not receive land.
July 9
THE GLOBE basing on materials of the Kazakh service
�Radio Liberty�
All Over the Globe is published by IPA House.
© 1998 IPA House. All Rights Reserved.