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Repression in Kazakhstan—your support is needed now!

From International Solidarity with Workers in Russia, 21 March 2001

Dear brothers and sisters of the international labour movement

In Kazakhstan the restoration of the market system has led, as elsewhere in the ex-USSR, to the collapse of industry and mass poverty. Here big business have already put into practice the blueprint for controlling workers in Russia and other parts of the ex-Soviet Union - a regime of severe repression, where workers who organise strike actions are beaten and sent to prison. Sometimes they do not come out alive.

Due to the seriousness of the repression conducted by the regime of the obscenely rich President Nazarbaev, Kazakh trade unionists have had to hold their conferences in neighbouring Russia. In January, two active trade union organisers in Uralsk, Ainur Kurmanov and S.Sultangaliev, were severely beaten, and now miners' leaders and other militants of the labour movement such as G. Nikitin, S. Zhunusova and R. Mingazova are coming under increasing threat.

On 24 March 2001 there will be a demonstration outside the Kazakh embassy in Moscow. We urge you to add your voice to the protest by emailing or faxing the model letter below to President Nazarbaev, and by forwarding this appeal to at least three other people. Thank you for your support.

Lisa Taylor for
International Solidarity with Workers in Russia
(ISWoR-SITR-MCPP)

ps. Background information on the Kazakh struggle may be found on the following websites:

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/4580/rdks.html http://republic.kz/members_RNPK/rds/inx.htm

And also on ISWoR website: http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/news/kazakh1.html http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/news/kazakh2.html

Dear President Nazarbaev,

I am writing to let you know that I and other members of the international labour movement are aware of and totally condemn the inhumane and repressive treatment your government is currently inflicting on workers who are exercising trade union rights that are enshrined in international law. In January this year, your government presided over the serious assault on trade unionists Ainur Kurmanov and S. Sultangaliev in Uralsk. Now you are threatening G. Nikitin in Kentay, S. Zhunusova and R. Mingazova in Karaganda, and many other activists of the labour movement in your country.

On 24 March there will be a demonstration in Moscow in solidarity with the victimised trade unionists. We demand you halt this repression immediately. Hands off the workers of Kazakhstan!

Sincerely,

TOWN:
COUNTRY:
Union/organisation:

Please EMAIL YOUR PROTEST to President Nazarbaev at: president@gov.kz

Please also EMAIL A COPY to the following so that we can monitor the response and convey your solidarity to Kazakh workers:

kuznskt@mail.ru
(Russian protest organisers, care of Igor Kuznetsov, co-chairman, Zaschita union)

ISWoR@aol.com
(International Solidarity with Workers in Russia)

The RUSSIA INFO-LIST
puts out information and analysis from a wide range of sources.

If you want to help in our practical solidarity work, contact:
<ISWoR@aol.com>
Box R, 46 Denmark Hill,
London, SE5 8RZ, England