Opposition unites
The authorities failed to disrupt the press conference

Kazakhstan's three leading opposition parties — the democratic party Azamat, the party People's Congress of Kazakhstan and the Republican People's Party of Kazakhstan — have taken a decision to unite into a single political party. This decision was announced at a joined press conference by Petr Svoik (Azamat), Gulzhan Yergaliyeva (People's Congress) and Amirzhan Kosanov (RPPK). Their press conference was held in the National Press Club, where, despite the holiday, came the Kazakh and foreign journalists, representatives of embassies and international organizations.

Along with them the National Press Club was visited by officers of the General Prosecutor's Office and the police who came in an attempt to foil the press conference. They tried to do so under the pretext of checking the Club's finances. The financed proved to be all right, while the authorities' provocation underscored the importance of the information that the opposition members were to announce to the public.

"It's not today that the idea to unite opposition parties was born," said Ms. Yergaliyeva. "It was suggested to unite as early as in April, during the round table on the election law reform. All this time we have been negotiating with other parties and movements." The decision to unite and the basic document were drawn up and agreed upon in Washington, D.C. during a recent visit оf the opposition parties' leaders. Foreign policy offices of the leading western countries were informed of these plans beforehand.

Participants in the press conference told journalists of their program goals, the structure and the immediate plans of the new organization. The United Democratic Party (UDP) sees building of true parliamentarism as its priority task. "The Nazarbayev political regime is no longer viable. Recent events have become yet another testimony to this," the opposition members told their audience. Petr Svoik highlighted the program platform of the United Democratic Party. He said some hopes were still pinned on the current parliament. "If members of the existing parliament have got stamina and civil courage, the new party is ready to cooperate with them to democratize the existing political system."

As for the new party's structure, it will not have a traditional communist-era leader, the Political Council will lead the organization. "In this respect our party will be very different from all other parties", said Gulzhan Yergaliyeva. "There are such parties in the West and Russia." All bodies of the three parties will be united starting from the lower to the upper level. Amirzhan Kosanov said he visited Kazakhstan's western regions not long ago. "During my meeting there, many said we should join the opposition parties' efforts," said Mr. Kosanov. All regions will have their branches, for, as the RPPK leader put it, "every party is strong if it has strong representation in the regions." As members of the Interim Political Council said, they intend to build the most structured, organized and mobile party in Kazakhstan. "The united new democratic party is open to all willing to join it," said the opposition members at the press conference.

Besides Ms. Yergaliyeva, Mr. Kosanov, and Mr. Svoik, the Interim Political Council will consist of the RPPK chairman Akezhan Kazhegeldin and other members of the three parties.

The issue of opposition parties' union aroused widespread interest not only among journalists. Christmas holidays have already begun, but the press conference was attended by officials from all embassies and international organizations. They asked many burning questions regarding potential contacts with other public and political forces, concrete actions in order to further democratization of the political system, and government persecution. We understand that the government pressure on us will increase, said the speakers. "We will inform the international and domestic media of any of such facts," they assured the journalists.

By the way, the fact that the Medeu district prosecutors and officers from the Almaty office of the Kazakhstan's Interior Department came to the National Press Club was regarded as the beginning of such persecution. However, the attempts to disrupt the opposition forces' event was not a success.

Below follows the full text of the Statement of the opposition parties of Kazakhstan adopted at the meeting in Washington, D.C. on December 10, 2001, which was distributed at the press conference in Almaty.

We, representatives of the opposition parties of Kazakhstan - the democratic party Azamat, the party People's Congress of Kazakhstan and the Republican People's Party - held December 8-12, 2001 a working meeting in Washington, D.C. (U.S.). At that meeting we discussed the political situation in Kazakhstan triggered by a full-scale crisis of the Nursultan Nazarbayev's authoritarian regime; what actions the opposition forces should take to prevent the country from collapsing and to return it to the track of democratic development.

1. The decade of independence has turned out to be the years of losses and disappointment for Kazakh people. The events that took place in November and December of 2001 clearly prove that the political crisis is now in its crucial stage. Due to continued violation of the Constitution, Nursultan Nazarbayev has usurped the legislative, executive, and judicial powers. He has created a government system, which has allowed him, a narrow circle of his associates and his numerous family members control both chief economy sectors and chief government institutes in Kazakhstan.

The period of the active seizure of property in Kazakhstan is over, and now the time has come for an active struggle for power within the Nazarbayev regime. Nazarbayev's relations and cronies have been fighting with each other; they use government bodies to fight their business rivals and public economic resources to struggle with their political opponents. Realizing that the Nazarbayev era is coming to an end, each of them strive to get hold of as much power as possible, which would guarantee them security and leave their property intact.

One part of the president's family, first of all his children, openly claim the position of the president which they could get as a result of a dynastic transfer of power or a palace revolution. The other part of the family and the bureaucratic apparatus are actively opposing these intents. As a result, the family conflict has triggered an overall crisis of presidential power. For the first time, Nursultan Nazarbayev has been facing opposition within his own family and has openly clashed with a part of his own administration and business elite.

He has failed to cope with the situation and found himself in isolation. The international graft scandals, in which he is involved, and foreign policy fiascoes have shattered confidence in him as a leader able to efficiently lead the country.

2. This disgraceful situation has become possible solely because the true democratic institutions are lacking or paralyzed in Kazakhstan. The parliament elected in the course of rigged elections has no real authority and is unable to influence the situation. The government is a president's puppet and can not make any important decisions. The judicial system is controlled by the president and is dependent on him. Due to the absence of the Constitutional Court in Kazakhstan, the public is unable to turn to the Basic Law for protection from the government outrage. Local authorities at all levels obey the president and are appointed by him, which deprives the people of their right to self-government. The media outlets have been privatized by the president's family members and affiliated with them business companies. The freedoms of speech, political activity, association and assembly are curtailed.

Activities of the opposition forces in the country, criticism by western governments, parliaments, renowned international organizations and the press make the Nazarbayev regime maneuver and imitate democratization.

However, there is no other possibility to get the country out of the deadlock of authoritarianism and the accompanying total corruption, to ensure justice and prosperity for the people of Kazakhstan except building a true democracy, which means elected, removable and accountable authorities at all levels, equality for all, freedom of the press, and the independent judiciary.

The parties Azamat, People's Congress and RPPK have been striving to achieve these goals all along, despite harassment of the government, physical attacks, provocations, and court convictions of their leaders. We have consistently stood for the right of Kazakhstani people to independently decide it's own fate, use the country's ruches, choose leaders and make laws. Thanks to our efforts and the efforts of our partners - members of the Forum of Democratic Forces of Kazakhstan the authorities fear to start massive oppressions or introduce the heritable khan rule. Our activities on the international arena have drawn attention of the global democratic community to all the facts of outrage and coercion.

3. Amidst the growing political crisis in Kazakhstan, on the verge of deep changes, we believe it necessary to unite our three parties into a single United Democratic Party (UDP). Taking this important step, we demonstrate our readiness to jointly fight for democracy and prosperity of the people of Kazakhstan.

At the forthcoming unification congress the new party will be set up in accordance with the Kazakh law and will be registered. We are ready to relinquish our personal leader's ambitions and join our efforts for the benefit of our native country. That's why we have agreed that the UDP's leadership will be collegiate. It will consist of a Political Council and an Executive Committee. During the period preceding the congress, an Interim Political Council and an Interim Executive Committee will be in charge of the new party's establishing.

The ideological and political platforms of our three parties are so close that it is not a great problem for us to formulate our common program to implement which we will use all the individual resources that our parties possessed. The program commission will draw up and submit for the congress's consideration the drafts of basic documents that will govern the activities of the UDP.

We intend to strive to transform Kazakhstan into a parliamentary republic, to give more authority to territories and self-government to cities and towns, to ensure true equality among people irrespective of their nationality or region of origin. All honest Kazakhstani people, including those who worked for the Nazarbayev regime in administrative or law-enforcement agencies, can be sure that the United Democratic Party does not aim to persecute them or deprive them of their posts.

We believe that the OSCE and other international organizations should play a very important role in the process of Kazakhstan's democratization. They should organize and control the elections and the drafting of a new legislation. Kazakhstan should become a fully-fledged and reliable member of the democratic community. It must meet the standards of the modern world and its commitments accepted in the years of sovereignty.

We declare that we are ready to struggle for power by lawful and democratic means. We promise our fellow citizens that we will use this power for the benefit of the people and national prosperity. Nepotism, corruption, violation of freedoms, and inequality must be left behind forever. Law and justice must triumph in Kazakhstan.

We declare that the United Democratic Party is open to new members from other democratic groups and all those who share the ideals of democracy and justice. The UDP will strive to establish such a political system in Kazakhstan, which will never make possible the distortion and violation of the law that have become a norm under the President Nazarbayev rule.

Kazakhstan needs democracy, Kazakhstan needs the United Democratic Party.

Citizens of Kazakhstan, fight for your rights and freedoms! Join the United Democratic Party!

Gulzhan Yergaliyeva
People's Congress

Petr Svoik
Azamat

Yermurat Bapi
Bigeldin Gabdullin
Akezhan Kazhegeldin
Amirzhan Kosanov
Republican People's Party

Washington, 10 December 2001