Voice of Democracy
Identity crisis

Voice of Democracy
Published by Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation · Washington, D.C. · Jan. 2, 2002

IDENTITY CRISIS -- President Nursultan Nazarbayev is apparently having an identity crisis -- or the American media is having one when it comes to describing the Kazakh dictator. To the Washington Times editorial page he is "the Grinch," for the mean Dr. Seuss character who stole Christmas. The Houston Chronicle sees him as the man who gets no respect, Rodney Dangerfield. To the White House he is...well judge for yourself after reading about the conflicting versions of is discussions with President Bush. To his puppet parliament he is a "hero" but just the opposite to a journalist driven out of his homeland by Nazarbayev.

GRINCH VISITS -- President Bush's White House "welcome...for Kazakhstan's corrupt dictator, Nursultan Nazarbayev, was appalling," declared the Washington Times, one of Mr. Bush's most staunch supporters. In a scathing editorial the conservative newspaper excoriated the leader of the free world for "turn(ing) a blind eye to the violation of democratic values -- for the sake of oil" and for sending away his visitor with "a new strategic partnership...(and) U.S. support for his country's accession to the World Trade Organization." Mr. Bush, said the Times, conveniently overlooked the facts that "Mr. Nazarbayev [has] shown no tangible evidence of how he will support the war on terrorism...that he is currently being investigated by the Department of Justice for his role in money-laundering and bribery...[that] [H]e has repressed his country's media and trafficked arms to rogue states....[and] has allowed increasing human rights abuses in Kazakhstan." Mr. Bush's welcoming of Nazarbayev to the White House "sent a message that will hurt the people of Kazakhstan." http://www.washingtontimes.com/op ed/20011227-28859698.htm

TO TELL THE TRUTH -- Who can you believe, George Bush or Nursultan Nazarbayev? The Joint statement by the two presidents following their December 21 White House meeting stated, "We also reiterate our mutual commitments to advance the rule of law and promote freedom of religion and other universal human rights as promoted by the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, of which we are both members." But Nazarbayev told David Sands of the Washington Times that Bush never raised the subject. Wrote Sands, "Mr. Nazarbayev dismissed criticisms of his country's human rights record, citing the large number of political parties and media outlets available in Kazakhstan. He said the topic of human rights had not come up in his talks with President Bush." http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/12/20011221-10.html, http://www.washtimes.com/world/20011222-42433544.htm

NURSULTAN DANGERFIELD -- Kazakh dictator Nursultan Nazarbayev "did his best Rodney Dangerfield imitation" when he told a Texas, audience last month that his former Soviet Republic get's no respect, according to the Houston Chronicle. He said Kazakhstan is five times the size of Texas and has oil reserves to make the Lone Star State envious. But he missed the meaning of respect. He failed to tell his audience at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy that he is the reason Kazakhstan gets so little respect. His regime has come in for widespread international condemnation for its corruption, abuse of human rights, rigged presidential elections, suppression of the media, persecution of the political opposition, nepotism and dishonest legal system. Nazarbayev, who is reportedly under investigation by American and Swiss authorities for corruption and bribery involving oil deals, noted that Houston firms are among the largest investors in the development of Kazakhstan's enormous oil and gas fields and the construction of pipelines to transport energy resources to market. http://www.chron.com

NO JUSTIFICATION FOR VISIT -- The is no justification for inviting President Nazarbayev to the White House, according to a Kazakh editor who was forced to flee his country after his oppsition newspaper was firebombed and he was arrested for "insulting the honor and dignity" of Nazarbayev by publishing material critical of the government. Bigeldy Gabdullin told the Washington Times "We are aware that the United States needs help after what happened September 11, ...but it is also important that our people know about their leader. We don't know of any burning issue that would cause the U.S. president to give a photo opportunity to President Nazarbayev." Nazarbayev "dismissed criticisms" of his widely condemned repression of human rights, the media and his critics. http://www.washtimes.com

DANCING ON A STRING -- On the eve of his Washington trip, President Nazarbaev's puppet parliament named him a "People's Hero" to mark the 10th anniversary of the dictator's control of the government strings. For some unexplainable reason, the parliament held the vote in an emergency session after several presidential sycophants gave glowing speeches praising him securing the country's independence. There were no indications he was hailed as the father of democracy, protector of civil liberties and defender of free expression. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/top_stories/

For the full stories, see the web citations above or contact us at News@Kazakhstan21.org. The Kazakhstan 21st Century Foundation promotes democracy and human rights in Kazakhstan through public affairs and educational programs in the United States and Europe.