KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, MARCH 14-27

UNCLAS ASTANA 000556 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM SOCI KDEM KZ SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, MARCH 14-27 ¶1. The "Almaty Notes" series from U.S Office Almaty focuses on developments in civil society, the media, and the opposition in Kazakhstan's "southern capital." OPPOSITIONISTS RESERVE THE OPTION TO PROTEST ¶2. On March 17, the leaders of the opposition parties Azat, the National Social Democratic Party (OSDP),and the Communist Party issued a statement rejecting the ruling Nur Otan party's "memorandum on stability" -- a proposal that all parties refrain from public protest actions until the economic situation stabilizes. The three opposition parties called the proposal "impractical." Alikhan Baimenov's Ak Zhol party -- which the other opposition parties consider to be the government's "pocket opposition" -- previously signed on to the memorandum. COMMUNISTS AND ALGA FORM A BLOCK ¶3. The Communist Party and the unregistered Alga party announced on March 20 their intention to establish a political block called "Narodovlastiye" (People's Power). In a statement, they said that the goal of the block is to unite the resources of both parties and to raise awareness of urgent problems the nation is facing. The parties claim that at a time when there is a clear crisis in the governance of the state, society needs a constructive opponent of the ruling authorities to protect people from arbitrariness and lawlessness. UNITED OPPOSITION? ¶4. In an interview with the opposition newspaper "Taszhargan," Asylbek Kozhakhmetov, the leader of the Shanyrak movement, outlined his vision for uniting all opposition parties into a single union. In his view, opposition parties should learn from the ruling Nur Otan party, which united many pro-government forces, and form their own block in advance of the country's parliamentary and presidential elections (which are both scheduled to take place in 2012). Kozhakhmetov said that he passed a detailed proposal for such a union to the leaders of Azat, OSDP, and the Communist Party. Asked for his predictions on whether the proposal will be adopted, Kozhakhmetov admitted that while "negotiations are underway, it is difficult to presume that they will lead to an agreement." AFGHAN WAR VETERANS DEMAND RESTITUTION ¶5. On March 20, 60 members of the Afghanistan War Veterans Union picketed the building of an Almaty district court demanding a fair review of the sale of their organization's property. The protesters allege that several years ago, the chairman of the Afghanistan War Veterans Union illegally sold the organization's property, including a land plot and office buildings. Members of the Union challenged the deal in the courts, but hearings on the matter have been continuously postponed. HOAGLAND