Voice of Democracy / forum

Voice of Democracy
Published by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation Washington, D.C. Dec. 22, 2000

IMF lashes Kazakh restrictive economy -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) this week urged the Kazakhstani government to take advantage of the country’s improving economy to institude badly needed reforms, according to the Bloomberg news agency. The IMF called for structural reforms, including making oil export sales more transparent and encouraging competition in the trade sector. It was highly critical of the regime’s “ad-hoc trade restrictions,” calling recent constraints on imports and exports counter-productive; it “urged the authorities to open all sectors of the economy to international competition.” The fund noted “recent trade policy measures may be harmful to economic efficiency, regional integration, the investment climate, and sustained long-term growth."

Not-so-merry go round -- President Nazarbayev continues his dizzying game of musical chairs with cabinet seats. It’s getting hard to tell the players without a program. In today, out tomorrow. Cabinet posts are shuffled, deputy premiers come and go too fast to list. To find out who’s in and who’s out (some are way out in the provinces) check the NewsWire website, but be sure to fasten your seatbelts first.

Hiding behind the flag -- President Nazarbayev used Independence Day to call on the people of Kazakhstan to be more patriotic and said 2001 should be a year of friendship among the country’s various ethnic groups, reported Khabar television, which is run by his daughter. "The time has come to speak openly and work on encouraging a feeling of overall patriotism in all our citizens," He denied that his regime’s current ethnic policy favors one group over another and said Kazakhstan is the most ethnically harmonious state in the CIS. The president said nothing about whether he had ever bothered reading reports by Human Rights Watch, Freedom House, OSCE -- or the next item.

No praying allowed -- Kazakh authorities have begun a crackdown on Jehova’s Witnesses. A meeting of more than 500 followers in the city of Aktobe was broken up by police on the grounds that it was unsanctioned, according to Interfax-Kazakhstan News Agency, and the leader of the group was arrested and fined.

Make up your mind -- That’s the message from Washington delivered by Elizabeth Jones, the newly appointed US special advisor to the Caspian region, to President Nazarbayev. Are you committed to the Aktau-Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline project or playing us for fools? Washington is increasingly frustrated with Nazarbayev’s refusal to make an explicit commitment and stop flirting with competing pipeline plans through China and Iran, reports Khabar television.

Oxymoron Day -- In Kazakhstan, independence means the government is independent of the people, unresponsive and unaccountable, a leading opposition figure declared in marking the country’s Independence Day, according to published reports. Amirzhan Qosanov, vice chair of the Republican People Party's Executive Committee, told a meeting sponsored by the Soros-Kazakhstan Foundation that one man controls both the parliament and judiciary. His views were echoed by Seydakhmet Quttyqadam, leader of Orleu Movement, who said the absences of real independence, liberty and democracy have impeded Kazakhstan’s growth.

Shutting up critics, literally -- Sakhip Zhanabayeva, a leader of the Kazakhstan's Workers Movement and the independent "Solidarnost" trade union, was jailed for five days this month apparently to make sure she didn’t organize any demonstrations in Almaty during a visit by President Nazarbayev, RFE/RL reported. She was grabbed off the street by police, given a quick trial and put in jail; she said she was not presented with a written copy of the verdict until after she was released, one of several violations of the law by the authorities. Another was the prohibition on imprisoning the mother of a child younger than 12; her son is 10.

Iraq wants Kazakh embassy -- Saddam Hussein wants to open an embassy in Kazakhstan, which has had full diplomatic relations with Iraq since 1995, according to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. A Kazakh foreign ministry spokesman said no official request has been received, but he didn’t rule out agreeing when the request does come in. Until then Kazakhstan’s interests will be handled by the Russian embassy in Baghdad. Iraq also wants to open diplomatic posts in Ukraine and Belarus, RIA Novosti said.

Muammar to Nursultan: "Y'all come see me." -- Now that he's been to London to see the Queen, what's next? A trip to Tripoli to visit a pariah. Libya's notorious and mercurial dictator Muammar Qadaffi has invited Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to come to Tripoli to talk to him about building economic and political ties, reports Interfax news agency.

Best wishes for the holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year

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.

Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation, 22 December 2000