By Wallace Kaufman
ALMATY, Oct 26
(The GLOBE)
Overwhelming evidence gathered by international observers accredited by Kazakhstan shows that for a second time the government failed to fulfill its promises of free and fair elections, according to the head of the election monitoring effort conducted by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
The rush to hold the runoffs only two weeks after a first round discredited by fraud and illegal procedures caught election monitors from the OSCE by surprise, according to Mr. Hrair Balian, Head of the OSCE�s Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. He summarized the OSCE�s preliminary conclusions and answered questions at a Monday afternoon press conference at the Ankara Hotel.
Instead of correcting the abuses and waiting until later in the sixty day period allowed for runoff elections, the government made improvements almost impossible by rushing into a second round. The OSCE put out an urgent call to its members and was able to field 34 observers.
KAZAKHSTAN AS OSCE MEMBER VIOLATES STANDARDS
When Kazakhstan became independent and joined the OSCE, Balian said, it also accepted a commitment to the OSCE standards for fair and free elections. �The elections fell far short of the commitment made,� he concluded. �These commitments for universal, equal, fair, secret, fee, transparent, and accountable elections were severely marred by widespread, pervasive and illegal interference by executive authorities in the electoral process.� The Akimat authorities that Balian said interfered with voting across Kazakhstan are all appointed by the President, but Balian stopped short of calling the widespread violations an orchestrated act by governing powers. �That would be speculation,� he said.
He did note that in addition to the unnecessary rush to have runoffs before courts and election commissions could improve the process, �the violations continued, especially the interference from authorities.� Balian said, �almost invariably Akimat personnel interfered and gave instructions.� Among acts of courage he cited one district election chairman �who resigned from his commission rather than comply with instructions from the Akim to falsify results.�
The first round of elections led to over 400 complaints to the central election commission, and the courts have received additional requests for action. �We look forward to the resolution of these 400 cases as urgently as possible,� Balian said.
ELECTION OFFICIALS BLINDFOLD OBSERVERS
In both the first and second rounds of voting authorities conducting the election often prevented the OSCE observers from completing their investigations. When OSCE observers tried to follow the ballots and the results from voting stations to the district levels, the protocols recording results �disappeared in some back room in a number of cases.� Since many voting stations recorded the results in pencil, the results could be easily changed. In one voting station where rival groups began fighting, �observers were informed their security could not be guaranteed and were forced to leave before the tabulation of results,� according to the OSCE report. �In general,� the OSCE report says, �observers were denied the opportunity to witness the tabulation process at the distric commission level.�
Violation of voting regulations also encouraged fraud, especially where voting station officials did not make the required multiple copies of the results immediately after vote counting. The OSCE report says, �The Election Observation Mission has copies of flagrantly falsified protocols.�
Balian cited two specific cases in which the results were changed between voting station and the district level. In one case, �the numbers were drastically changed to change the outcome of the election.� When asked by the Globe where the event took place and what party emerged the winner, he said he could not recall those details. The OSCE will issue a comprehensive report with details and recommendations in one month.
SOME POSITIVE SIGNS
Balian and the OSCE preliminary reports on both the first and second round of voting cited some improvements and positive steps toward fair elections. Among them he cited the active participation of ten parties and some 550 candidates, an extensive set of voting regulations, and the accreditation of observers from international organizations and political parties to monitor voting places. At the same time, he noted, �the monitors were often restricted� in their access to the vote counting and validation.
Also positive, he said, was the fact that in two cases where candidates presented strong evidence that district authorities falsified results, the courts ordered the comission to produce worksheets from the polling stations in each district. The OSCE preliminary report says that in these cases �to date the commissions have not complied with the court orders.�
Representatives of the German embassy and the permanent OSCE office in Kazakhstan also attended the press conference but made no statements. American ambassador Richard Jones attended and had a brief private meeting with Balian after the press conference. He told Balian, �They [Kazakhstan] have a chance to be on the side of the angels if they want to be.�
In both the press conference and the preliminary reports Balian took pains to note that this month�s elections were improvements over the past. The faint praise was damming. Balian concluded that the two rounds of elections �as a constructive and tentative step toward international standards fell far short of Copenhage standards [standards endorsed by OSCE members].�
The OSCE has 54 member states including Kazakhstan, and since January it has maintained a permanent office in Almaty. In the first round of elections it sent 118 observers, including twenty parliamentarians, to 590 polling stations across Kazakhstan. Prior to the election it had twenty election experts in the country monitoring the media ad campaign conduct. The OSCE, according to Balian, spent some $180,000 monitoring Kazakhstan�s parliamentary campaign and elections, and member states contributed more in personnel and incidental expenses.
ALMATY, Oct 25
The OSCE makes a preliminary statement on the second round of the election held on October 24. The OSCE mission will prepare a detailed report on the election to the Mazhilis within a month.
The OSCE mission expresses its gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan for the support and cooperation during the election.
Conclusions
In the first preliminary statement sounded on October 11, 1999 the OSCE mission came to conclusion that the election held on October 10 was an unconvincing step towards democratization of the country. Thanks to some improvements the potential was created in three regions for Kazakhstan to be able to fulfil obligations before OSCE stipulated in the Copenhagen document of 1990. (1) The Central Election Commission approved a number of instructions, which are supposed to significantly improve the legislative basis for elections. (2) 10 political parties to participate in the election by the parties� list and about 550 candidates in one-mandate districts were registered. This promoted pluralism. (3) Observers from parties and candidates as well as independent observers watched voting process at most election districts.
Despite the above-mentioned facts, the legislative basis was seriously undermined with: (1) illegal interference of the executive authorities; (2) unjust methods of pre-election fight by parties close to the present authorities; (3) bureaucratic, administrative and juridical pressure, which may prevent free operations of the mass media; (4) preconception of local election commissions supporting candidates and parties supported by regional authorities and local functionaries; and (5) threatening and impeding the opposition parties and candidates. In particular, during the first round of the election a lot of infringements revealed while calculating votes and summing up the voting results. Transparency of the election was seriously compromised. Since the first round, election commissions and courts failed to react effectively to these infringements.
Events following the first preliminary statement
The first statement of the OSCE mission containing preliminary data and conclusions was made when calculation of votes had not been completed.
A week before the second round of election held on October 24, the Central Election Commission announced the introduction of improved and more transparent calculation procedures during the second round. The Central Election Commission initiated additional workshops to train circuit commissions. This was done to avoid possible falsifications and is appreciated. Nevertheless, the results of the first round are still questionable, as far as ten deputies elected by the parties� list and 20 deputies elected in one-mandate districts are concerned. Moreover, candidates who participated in the second round in the rest 47 circuits had to fight under conditions of public distrust and skepticism.
Second round
�Instruction on transparency� published by the Central Election Commission for the second round of the election, as well as workshops organized for election commission positively influenced the second round in some districts and circuits. In the rest ones had the same infringements, as during the first round. One of the serious infringements in Atyrau was the refusal of the commission chairman to adopt international observers to calculation of the voting results. In one of the Almaty circuits members of the circuit commission held a meeting with the Akim shortly before the voting results were calculated. This time again persons identified as representatives of Animates were present while voting, and calculating of votes. They often instructed commissions.
Thus, improved procedures of the second round could not influence the total results of the election.
ASTANA, Oct 25
(THE GLOBE)
�There is democracy in Kazakhstan, though it is very complicated. 50% of voters included in the lists voted on October 24, it is 10% less than on October 10,� the chairman of the Central Election Commission announced on October 25 in Astana.
Zagipa Balieva said, according to preliminary data, at present the Central Election Commission had data on 44 circuits of 47 ones. The Central Election Commission sends a commission to three election circuits. Results of these three circuits (Kurmangazi circuit No. 16, Boguchinsky No. 8 of Almaty region and Abai circuit in southern Kazakhstan) will be known in a week. The commission is supposed to investigate infringements. If there were any, the Central Election Commission will consider them and take proper measures.
She said the Central Election Commission had received a lot of application, some of them had been considered. �Possibly, according to the election legislation current in force, after the election the commission may admit elections in some circuits invalid, in case of any serious infringements,� the chairman of the Central Election Commission stated.
�If infringements are confirmed, possibly, the Central Election Commission will admit the election in some circuits invalid. I consider it as a sign of democracy,� she emphasized.
According to Mrs. Balieva, in the Kurmangazi circuit of Atyrau region, where Gaziz Aldamzharov and the present deputy Irak Yelekeev were nominated, criminal actions were registered (the broken ballot-box). At present the district commission considers refuses to sign the protocol. The commission sent to the region considers similar infringements in the Abakai district No. 53, where Kalima Kulbatchaeva and Umerzak Meldekhanov were nominated. In this place agitation was held on the day of the election. The commission checks the Bulkuchinsky region, where the election started on October 23 at 3 p.m. Serik Abrakhmanov and Shamshiya Birkimbaeva were nominated in this circuit.
�We have a serious problem in Almaty. Pyotr Svoik brought 700 bulletins to the circuit commission, which were given to him by a voter. At present the law-reinforcement organizations have joined the work of the Central Election Commission. Many people are being questioned now,� Mrs. Balieva said. According to the chairman, all bulletins were calculated when proxies of both candidates were present. No bulletins missing. Mr. Alimzhanov won in this district. He has collected by 20% of votes more than Mr. Svoik has.
Tatyana Muzhchil, (the Supreme Court recommended to withdraw her candidature) won in Astana.
�Even if the international community does not estimate properly the election, the Central Election Commission will treat it calmly, as we have just started democracy in Kazakhstan. Mentality of our electors cannot be changed within one night, and even for a half of a year. We will improve our legislation, we will work with deputies to make the process more democratic and transparent. It will take 5 to 10 years to speak confidently that democracy has been established,� the chairman of the Central Election Commission emphasized.
As far as candidates� claims and announcements regarding falsifications on October 10 are concerned, (THE GLOBE # 82(400)), Mrs. Balieva said the Office of Public Prosecutor was considering them. In addition she said: �Let me be a doll for Tursumbaev.�
(Read the detailed information on the election on p. 4.)
Peter NOVIKOV
ALMATY, Oct 26 (THE GLOBE)
On October 23 Pyotr Svoik appealed to the Al-Farabi circuit election commission with an announcement that the Akimat of Bostandyk region forced chairmen and members of elections districts to falsify voting results in favor of Isakhan Alimzhanov.
The Azamat co-chairman stated that during the same day he was repeatedly called by members of election districts from Al-Farabi and had said that the Akimat of Bostandyk region pressured the election commissions to falsify results of the second round in favor of Isakhan Alimzhanov.
Unidentified members of the commission said they had been given 300 �additional� bulletins filled in for I. Alimzhanov, which they would have to put into the ballot-box. Later after calculated bulletins are sealed they were supposed to replace bulletins for P. Svoik.
These people said �additional� bulletins had been given to at least 30 districts. Members of the election districts called Pyotr Svoik did not wish to mention their names.
�In the evening when I came home I found some packs of bulletins near the door and in a post-box. Then I called the operative officers on duty at the Department of Internal Affairs and National Security Committee and asked them to send an authorized person to take these bulletins. They promised me to send somebody, but nobody came. Two portable cars from the Regional Department of Internal Affairs arrived, but they refused to take the bulletins and went. Then I gave the same through my proxy B. Kopbaev to the city election commission. The rest I gave to the circuit election commission,� Mr. Svoik said.
P.S. According to the official data of the circuit commission, in the second round of the election in Al-Farabi district, Isakhan Alimzhanov won.
Newspapers and electron mass media have been actively discussing different infringements during the first round of the Parliamentary election.
On the last Sunday the second round was held I n Kazakhstan. The authors of this article decided to visit some election points in the Al-Farabi circuit in �Orbita� micro-district. We did not pretend to be observers and this article does not pretend to be a serious research. We just wished to share our impressions with the Reader and to tell about some infringements noticed in this distant corner of the southern capital.
The two candidates � a businessmen Isakhan Alimzhanov and a famous representative of the opposition Pyotr Svoik � struggled for a deputy�s sit in this circuit.
Yusup Kolmaev, Mr. Svoik�s observer in the election district No. 163 said:
- By 4 p.m. 545 electors of 1754 have voted. During the first round the situation was the same. Voters are mostly active from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Members of the election commission submit preliminary data too late. As a result, our calculations differ. In the first round the difference was 300 persons.
No one knows for whom these votes were. We would like to mention one more circumstance: according to many observers, qualification of technical personnel of election commission is often low. This may cause different mistakes.
Kumadiyar Kasenov, an observer from district No. 153 of Isakhan Alimzhanov�s headquarter said the following:
- By the present moment about 30% of electors have voted. Work is normal at our district. I noticed no infringements, which may influence the election results. Some people came without passport, and members of the election commission asked us whether they could vote. We sent them home.
As far as we know, an observer has no right to interfere the voting process. It is competence of election commissions to prohibit people without ID to vote. So, Mr.. Kasenov�s answer is not clear.
For a short time spent by us at districts, when we questioned observers, we noticed different minor infringements such as voting without passport and for relatives and neighbors.
It seems that such minor infringements have become usual in our country. It seemed strange to us that we questioned observers at six districts, but only at district No. 154 we were asked to show certificates and written task of the editorial staff. It is another proof that some members of commissions are not prepared for the election. Moreover, they do not know elementary provisions of the election legislation.
Of course, infringements noticed by us are minor. Infringements able to influence the results of the election are done at another level, where neither observers nor journalists are adopted to. But this is a theme for a more serious analysis.
Askar DARIMBET,
Sergei MATYUSHENKO
ALMATY
Oct 22
(THE GLOBE)
�According to the latest information workers of paid car parking sites distributed agitation leaflets a day before the first round of the election (when any agitation was illegal),� the co-chairman of �Azamat� announced on Friday.
According to Pyotr Svoik, they were entitled to distribute leaflets in the building of the city Akimat, where each person received about 1.5 thousand copies.
One of the above-mentioned workers who appealed to �Azamat� states that he, as well as other workers, was ordered by his chiefs.
Beside all leaflets contained false information about candidates (Svoik, Kuttykadam and Kasymov), organizers of this pre-election event also put names of persons composed these writings.
Representatives of Communist party whose names were printed on leaflets insulting honor and dignity of Pyotr Svoik, officially refuted their concern in the incident.
Mr. Svoik said that except the above-mentioned ones, leaflets agitating against him and persuading people to vote for Isakhan Alimzhanov signed by members of Veteran�s Union of Almaty had been also distributed.
Pyotr Svoik laid a case to the court. However, force organizations ignored the appeal, and in fact, they do not take any measures to investigate the case.
P.S. According to our information, similar leaflets appeared between the first and the second rounds of the election in the Priaral circuit. One of the candidates was named a FBI agent. Probably, due to the far location of this circuit anti-agitators considered it unnecessary to do their best and decided to apply to a standard soviet wording well-probated during the struggle of ideas.
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