Kazakhstan's Democratic Forces Forum

National Dialogue Could Reverse Totalitarian Trend In Kazakhstan
Speach of independent journalist, leading human rights activist Sergey Duvanov at an RFE/RL briefing

In an effort "to prevent the restoration of totalitarian rule" in the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, "the opposition is proposing a national dialogue" with the ruling regime. This was the message of independent journalist and leading human rights activist Sergey Duvanov, speaking at an RFE/RL briefing on March 16. Duvanov, director of the "Polyton" independent news agency and a founding member of the Forum of Democratic Forces of Kazakhstan (FDS), said that all democratic processes are in steady decline in the country. In response to growing public unrest, Duvanov said, the democratic opposition has proposed a national dialogue "to remove the confrontation from the streets and allow all parts of society to meet at the roundtable." He added that this proposal for dialogue is particularly important because, if implemented, "the opposition agrees to shoulder some of the responsibility." FDS has proposed an agenda for the national dialogue which includes: reform of the electoral system, human rights issues, addressing Kazakhstan's social and environmental crises, the establishment of local self-government, and media freedom. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has ignored FDS's proposal, although his government has countered with an offer to meet on separate issues on May 29. FDS leaders are concerned that the government will attempt to "neutralize" the May 29 meeting by "diluting the true opposition" with people loyal to the government, Duvanov said. A second concern is that the government will send low ranking officials without decision-making authority to the session, making any discussions an empty exercise. Duvanov noted that FDS has invited representatives of the OSCE to participate in the national dialogue and hopes that democracies such as the United States will support their efforts, because "Kazakhstan needs a strong and stable state, not a strong regime." Acknowledging the difficulty of the opposition's goal, Duvanov added that "it is our duty, it is our path...otherwise there will be a second Milosevic" for the world to confront.

Washington, DC, March 17, 2000