Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Shomart Tokayev is trying by all means to stay in power. More than 4,400 people have now been arrested. The state television reported on Saturday, citing the Ministry of the Interior. The state radio of the ex-Soviet republic held back when it came to new information about the dead. The authorities had previously spoken of more than 40 people killed – including security forces.
Tokayev ordered the police and army on Friday to shoot protesters “without warning”. In his eyes they are all “terrorists” and “bandits”. It was feared that there could be many civilian deaths – especially in Almaty, a city of millions in the southeast of the steppe, which was badly shaken by the riots. The situation has calmed down again, said Tokayev’s office on Saturday. However, the “terrorists are still active”. Therefore, decisive action will continue to be taken.
Also because the authorities have switched off the Internet in Almaty and the cell phone connection keeps breaking down, it was still hardly possible to get secure information from there. Photos show armed security forces leading protesters away. Shots can be heard on videos on social networks, allegedly from Almaty. The so-called anti-terrorist operation continues, reported the state broadcaster Khabar 24.
Purges of old cadres
Tokayev had already declared a state of emergency. Now the 68-year-old ordered a national mourning for Monday to commemorate the victims. At the same time he clears the state leadership of cadres who were apparently too close to his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev. According to the state media, he dismissed the deputy secretary of the influential Security Council, Asamat Abdymomunov. A man who had been appointed Nazarbayev a few years ago.
Tokayev had previously withdrawn Nazarbayev himself from the chairmanship of the body – and taken it over himself. Nazarbayev himself is Tokayev’s political foster father. This week, 81-year-old Nazarbayev was sidelined after more than 30 years at the levers of power. Tokayev seems to be emancipating himself from his sponsor in order to save his own head.
So he sacked the entire government on Wednesday. On Saturday he also replaced the secret service management with his own confidants. Ex-head of the secret service Karim Massimov was arrested. The charge: high treason. He was taken into custody with other senior officials, the security committee said on Saturday. No further details were given. Massimov is considered a confidante of Nazarbayev. He was Prime Minister twice and, under Nazarbayev, also head of the presidential administration.
USA and Russia pull each other on
Tokayev also dismissed the deputy secretary of the influential Security Council, Asamat Abdymomunov, the Kazakh state television reported. According to the presidential office, Abdymomunov had been appointed deputy secretary by Nazarbayev more than six years ago.
Tokayev also thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin. Finally, a Russian-led military alliance sends around 2,500 foreign soldiers to help. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) also includes Armenia, Belarus and Kazakhstan’s neighbors Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The “peace soldiers” are supposed to support the Kazakh security forces.
In view of the tense situation, the US is withdrawing unnecessary staff from its consulate general in Almaty. Statements by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken led to an exchange of blows with Russia. Blinken questioned the sending of Russian soldiers to Kazakhstan. “Sometimes it is very difficult to get Russians out of the house once they are inside,” said Blinken on Friday. Recent history would have shown that.
Russia accused him on Saturday of making fun of the tragic events in Kazakhstan. “If Antony Blinken is so fond of history lessons, he should consider this: If there are Americans in your house, it will be difficult to stay alive and not be robbed or raped,” the Russian Foreign Ministry wrote on its Telegram channel. “This is what not only has recent history taught us, but every 300 years of the State of America.”