Thousands Detained In Kazakhstan Over Violent Protests The Organization for World Peace – The Organization for World Peace

Authorities reported on Monday that nearly 8,000 people in Kazakhstan were detained by police during protests that turned violent due to a sudden increase in gas prices in the region. Arrests began after President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ordered the military to shoot and kill those who he deemed terrorists involved in the violence. Although the government lifting its cap on the price of fuel was the initial trigger of the protests, deeper reasons for the violence include long standing anger with government corruption and economic inequality according to CNN. The National Security Committee has announced that the situation has been neutralized, however wider unrest with Kazakhstans leadership has yet to be addressed.

Tokayev claimed the demonstrations were instigated by terrorists with foreign backing, saying that peaceful protests were hijacked by terrorist, extremist and criminal groups. In conversation with international media, protestors argued against this characterization, stating that the only thing flourishing here is corruption. From the humanitarian perspective, the protests are being viewed as a reaction to a widespread violation of basic human rights. Amnesty Internationals director, Marie Struthers, said for years, the government has relentlessly persecuted peaceful dissent, leaving the Kazakhstani people in a state of agitation and despair.

President Tokayev has rejected calls from the international community for a peaceful resolution, as he continued to incite more violence by calling for harsh dissent on the protests. His actions speak to ongoing concerns on behalf of organizations such as Human Rights Watch, who now urge Kazakhstan to respect and uphold international human rights obligations. Kazakhstan has a long history of restricting the fundamental rights of its citizens under a single, powerful ruler, and the nature of these protests must not be confused as merely a crisis over oil prices. Its deeper roots lie in ongoing discontent with government corruption and inequality within the region, making the crisis one of an economic and humanitarian concern as well.

The events that took place on Monday have been marked the worst point of unrest that Kazakhstan has faced since gaining its independence thirty years ago. However, even prior to 1991, the countrys politics have been overwhelmingly dominated by a single authoritarian figure. Prior to Tokayev, President Nursultan Nazarbayev ruled for three decades, and turned the international communitys head with his harsh crackdowns on dissent and frequent stifling of press freedoms. The U.S. State Departments 2018 human rights report noted that Kazakhstans 2015 election was marked by irregularities and lacked genuine political competition, adding to observations that there have never been elections of a free and fair nature in the region as judged by the international community.

In addition to the thousands detained earlier this week, 164 people, including three children, were killed during the demonstrations. While violence on both sides is not the solution to deep rooted corruption, it is ultimately the governments job to promote the well being of its citizens and protect the lives of those that are most vulnerable. When security forces are firing on protestors by order of the government, the question of a deep violation of human rights must be brought to the forefront of everyones minds. Long-standing international concerns should be vocalized now more than ever, and the outside world should be responsible for backing the reports of human rights organizations with action on behalf of those suffering from ongoing violent oppression.

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Thousands Detained In Kazakhstan Over Violent Protests The Organization for World Peace - The Organization for World Peace