Monday, January 10, 2022
Military alliance consults
Kazakhstan’s authorities report 8,000 arrests
What’s next in Kazakhstan? After days of violent unrest, President Tokayev issued a nationwide mourning ceremony to commemorate the many dead. And while the authorities announce thousands of arrests, the Kremlin and its military allies are planning the next steps.
The unprecedented rioting with many dead in the Republic of Kazakhstan in Central Asia resulted in almost 8,000 arrests. The country’s interior ministry said that morning 7,939 people had come into custody. 207 people were arrested in two markets in Almaty, a city in the south-east of the country that was particularly hard hit by the unrest.
On Sunday there was confusion in the country about the number of deaths, which state television had cited as more than 160, citing the Ministry of Health. This message was later deleted without giving reasons. Today, Monday, there is a nationwide state mourning in the ex-Soviet republic. According to the state agency Kazinform, all flags were set at half-mast. President Kassym-Shomart Tokayev had ordered by decree to commemorate the “many victims of the tragic events in some parts of the country”. In addition, a Russian-dominated military alliance is meeting to discuss how to proceed. The leadership in Nur-Sultan now wants to inform the international community about the events and their development.
According to the Kremlin from Moscow, the member states of the Organization of the Collective Security Treaty (CSTO) will hold a video link on the situation on site. President Tokayev had previously asked the organization for help, which sent thousands of soldiers to the ex-Soviet republic. That sparked concern in the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin will also take part in the conversation. Accordingly, “measures to normalize the situation” are being discussed. In addition to Russia and Kazakhstan, the alliance also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It is unclear whether a decision will be made at the meeting about when the deployment of the 2,500 soldiers will end.
According to its own statements, the organization wants to remain in the situation until the situation has “stabilized completely”. On the other hand, a spokesman for Tokayev said on state television that the troops could leave the country “within a week”. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on CNN on Sunday that the US had asked the government in Kazakhstan to clarify why it had called the CSTO for support. According to experts, Putin’s military operation is not inconvenient. With the support for Tokayev, he could maintain a Russia-friendly system in Kazakhstan.
Internet usable again
Kazakhstan, which borders Russia and China, has not been able to calm down for more than a week. Displeasure over the rise in fuel prices at petrol stations in the oil- and gas-rich country turned into protests against the government. In addition to peaceful demonstrations, there were also violent riots, especially in the metropolis of Almaty. According to the latest official figures, more than 2,000 people were injured across the country.
In the morning, people in the economic metropolis of Almaty were initially able to use the Internet again, as a resident of the German Press Agency in Moscow confirmed. The internet was switched off again and again for days. So it was difficult to get independent information about the situation in Kazakhstan.
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