We publish below a statement of solidarity to the people of Kazakhstan that have risen against the dictatorial regime of their country. It is signed by organizations and individuals in almost 40 countries (see the full list below).
Solidarity with the uprising in Kazakhstan (Statement issued 12 January 2022)
We, socialists, trade unionists, human rights activists, anti-war activists and organisations have watched the uprising in Kazakhstan since 2 January with a sense of deep solidarity for the working people. The striking oil workers, miners and protesters have faced incredible repression. The full force of the police and army have been unleashed against them, instructed to ‘shoot to kill without warning’. Over 160 protesters have been killed so far and more than 8,000 have been arrested.
We reject the propaganda of the dictatorship that this uprising is a product of “Islamic radicals” or the intervention of US imperialism. There is no evidence of that whatsoever. It is the usual resort of an unpopular regime – to blame ‘outside’ agitators.
Instead, the trigger of the protests was the rise in fuel prices. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back, in a country where immense oil wealth exists side by side with terrible poverty and exploitation. It is also the result of the crushing weight of a brutal dictatorship on people’s backs. This regime has liquidated all opposition parties, imprisoned and tortured trade union and human rights activists, and was responsible for a massacre of striking oil workers in Zhanaozen ten years ago.
The position of all the major capitalist powers is clear. Putin stands full square behind the regime. The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) has sent 3,000 troops to Kazakhstan to intimidate protesters. Chinese President Xi Jinping also announced his support for the Kazakhstan government and claimed the unrest was the deliberate result of “outside forces.”
The US administration has called for “restraint by both the authorities and protestors”. The EU has similarly called on protesters to “avoid any incitement to violence” and called on authorities “to respect the fundamental right to peaceful protest and proportionality in the use of force when defending its legitimate security interests”!
Unsurprisingly, they all prioritise ‘stability’ for their oil companies who are benefiting from the exploitation of the natural resources and Kazakh workers.
In response to the class solidarity of the capitalist regimes, we respond with working class solidarity and commit to raise the following demands in our trade unions, parliaments and organisations:
- Solidarity with those rising up against the dictatorship in Kazakhstan
- End the repression of the protests
- Release all the detained protesters and political prisoners
- No to Russian and CSTO intervention – withdraw the troops now
- No to the hypocrisy of the EU and US who equate the revolt of the masses with the brutal violence of the regime
- Down with the dictatorship
- Support the call from oil workers for nationalisation of the oil wealth and major industries under workers’ control
- Support the building of an independent trade union movement and socialist movement in Kazakhstan
Albania
Redi Muci
Aotearoa / New Zealand
International Socialist Organisation
Joe Carolan, Unite Union, Senior Organiser
Argentina
Christian Castillo, por la Dirección Nacional del Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (PTS)
Nicolás del Caño, Diputado Nacional por la Provincia de Buenos Aires por el Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores – Unidad, dirigente del Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (PTS)
Myriam Bregman, Diputada Nacional por la Ciudad de Buenos Aires por el Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores – Unidad, PTS, Abogada del CEPRODH – Centro de Profesionales por los Derechos Humanos
Alejandro Vilca, Diputado Nacional por la Provincia de Jujuy por el Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores – Unidad, dirigente del Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas (PTS)
Raúl Godoy, ex Diputado provincial de Neuquén por el Frente de Izquierda. Dirigente del PTS, ex Secretario General de SOECN (Sindicato de Obreros Ceramistas), obrero de la fábrica ex–Zanon recuperada por sus trabajadores
Eduardo Ayala, trabajador de Madygraf (ex Gráfica Donneley recuperada por sus trabajadores), PTS
Claudio Dellecarbonara, dirigente por la minoría de Asociación Gremial de Trabajadores del Subte y Premetro (AGTSYP) y referente de línea B de Subterráneos Buenos Aires. Diputado Provincial (Buenos Aires) electo por el Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores Unidad, PTS
Australia
Caitlin Doyle-Markwick, Solidarity (IST), Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance
Miroslav Sandev, Solidarity / Teacher’s Federation
Luke Alexander, NTEU
Dani Cotton, National Tertiary Education Union, Branch Committee, University of Sydney
Susan Price
Mick Armstrong, Socialist Alternative, National Executive
Austria
Christian Zeller, Netzwerk Ökosozialismus, Global Ecosocialist Network, Professor of Economic Geography, University of Salzburg
Manfred Ecker, Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellten GPA, Member
David Heuser, Linkswende
Heidi Specht, Arbeiter*innenstandpunkt
Karin Wilfingseder, GPA (Trade Union), Shop Steward
Belgium
Daniel Tanuro, Gauche anticapitaliste, Ecosocialist author
Jean Vogel, Marcel Liebman Insitute, President
Eric Toussaint, Fourth International, international activist & historian
Freddy Mathieu, FGTB, Ancien Secrétaire Régional
SAP – Antikapitalisten / Gauche anticapitaliste
Britain / England and Wales
Simon Hannah, Lambeth UNISON, Joint Branch Secretary
Fiona Lali, Marxist Student Federation (MSF)
Anne Alexander, Middle East Solidarity magazine, Co-editor
Labour Representation Committee (LRC)
Neil Faulkner, , Archaeologist, historian and writer
Kazakh Solidarity Campaign
John McInally, Public & Commercial Services Union, Former Vice-President
Socialist Appeal
Workers Power
Ukraine Solidarity Campaign
Alex Callinicos, Emeritus Professor of European Studies, King’s College London
Andy Richards, UNISON, Brighton and Hove Branch Chair
Donny Gluckstein, SWP, Educational Institute of Scotland, EIS Council
Gareth Jenkins, SWP
Jon Woods, Portsmouth City UNISON, Chair
Gilbert Achcar, UCU, Professor
Michael Tucker
Ian Parker, Unite
Andrew Kilmister, Oxford Brookes University UCU (Universities and Colleges Union), Branch Secretary
Rowan Fortune, Anti*Capitalist Resistance, EC Member
Penny Foskett, SWP. NEU
Campbell McGregor, Scottish Socialist Party / UNISON
Tony Foley, NEU, England
ACR, Anti*Capitalist Resistance, England and Wales
Costa Rica
Paola Zeledón, editora de La Izquierda Diario Costa Rica.
Fernanda Quirós, dirigente de Pan y Rosas Costa Rica
Esteban Fernández, dirigente de OSR, profesor de filosofía UCR.
Cuba
Frank García Hernández, Comunistas Cuba blog, member of the Editorial Board
Cyprus
Athina Kariati, NEDA – New Internationalist Left
New Internationalist Left, NEDA
Denmark
Søren Sondergaard, Red-Green Alliance, Memmber of Danish Parliament, spokesperson on European Affairs
Dominican Republic
Movimiento Socialista de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores, MST
France
Christian Mahieux, International Labour Network of Solidarity and Struggles
Malewski Jan, Inprecor (révue), rédacteur
Penelope Duggan, International Viewpoint, Editor
Michael Löwy
Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste / New Anticapitalist Party
Germany
Yaak Pabst, , Redaktion marx21-Magazin
Michael Findeisen, Fellow
Joachim Ladwig, Verdi
Daniel Behruzi, ver.di TU Darmstadt (Trade Union), Shop Stewards Speaker
Alexander Keim, LiK/ die Linke/Verdi
Internationale Sozialistische Organisation (ISO)
Dr. Winfried Wolf, Lunapark21 – Zeitschrift zur Kritik der globalen Ökonomie, responsable in the editorial board of LP21-Magazine
Aron Amm, Lernen im Kampf
Martin Suchanek, Gruppe ArbeiterInnenmacht, Germany section of League for the Fifth International, Editor of journal “Revolutionärer Marxismus”
Wilhelm Schulz, Gruppe ArbeiterInnenmacht, German Section of the League for the Fifth International
Jaqueline K. Singh, REVOLUTION – international communist youth organisation Germany
Matthias Fritz, former TU converer (VK-Leiter) IG Metall Mahle
Yunus Özgür, Delivery Worker, Berlin
Charlotte Ruge, Hebamme, München
Tabea Winter, Studentin, Freie Universität, Berlin
Thies Gleiss, Die Linke, Member of National Party Executive
Greece
Panos Garganas, Sosialistiko Ergatiko Komma (SEK), Editor Workers Solidarity weekly
Editorial Team of Elaliberta.gr, www.elaliberta.gr, Athens
Serafeim Rizos, Chania city/Union of Teachers-Chania, councilor Chania/member of board of Teachers Union Chania
Thanasis Diavolakis, Peiraus city/Teachers Federation of private schools, councilor Peiraus city/member of board of OIELE
Katerina Thoidou, Nikaia-Renti city, councillor
Maria Styllou, Sosialismos apo ta kato Review, Editor
Thanasis Kampagiannis, Athens Bar Association Board, Elected councillor (personal capacity)
ANTARSYA, Front of the anticapitalist Left
Xekinima – Internationalist Socialist Organization
NAR, New Left Current
Manthos Tavoularis, Docker, trade unionist
Tassos Anastassiadis, member of General Council of POESY (Federation of Greek journalists)
TPT (Fourth International Programmatic Tendency, Greek Section of 4th International)
Petros Constantinou, Athens city/KEERFA-Movement United Against Racism and Fascist Threat, councillor Athens city/coordinator of KEERFA
Aphrodite Fragkou, Marousi city, councillor
Dimitris Zotos, Lawyers Association of Athens, Civil action Golden Dawn trial
India
Rohini Hensman, Internationalism from Below, Writer, researcher and activist
International
International Marxist Tendency International
Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (www.thecommunists.net)
Iran
Morad Shirin, Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign, International Organiser
Maziar Razi, Iranian Revolutionary Marxists’ Tendency, Spokesperson
Ireland
Bríd Smith, People Before Profit, TD (Member of Parliament)
Paul Murphy, People Before Profit, TD (Member of Parliament)
Gino Kenny, People Before Profit, TD (Member of Parliament)
Richard Boyd Barrett, People Before Profit, TD (Member of Parliament)
Gerry Carroll, People Before Profit, MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly)
Mick Barry, Solidarity and Socialist Party, TD (Member of Parliament)
People Before Profit
Socialist Democracy
Goretti Horgan, People Before Profit
Jess Spear, RISE, National Organiser
John Molyneux, People Before Profit, Unite The Union., Editor, Irish Marxist Review.
Ailbhe Smyth, Le Cheile: Diversity Not Division, Member
Eddie Conlon, Teachers Union of , Member/Former National Hon Secretary,
Emilio Maira, People Before Profit
Memet Uludağ, Unite the Union, Union Rep
Shaun Harkin, People Before Profit, People Before Profit Cllr Derry City and Strabane District Council
Mark Price
Italy
Giacomo Turci, La Voce delle Lotte, editor
Scilla Di Pietro, Il Pane e le Rose feminist current, spokesperson
Mary Rizzo, Le Voci della Libertà, Activist / Translator
Japan
Tsutomu Teramoto, Japan Revolutionary Communist League (JRCL)
JRCL (Japan Revolutionary Communist League)
México
Jose Manuel Aguilar Mora, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México & Member of La Liga De Unidad Socialista (LUS), Professor-Researcher, Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores
Edgard Sánchez, Partido Revolucionario de los Trabajadores
Nigeria
Salako Kayode, Revolutionary socialist movement, Spokesperson
Dimeji Macaulay, Revolutionary Socialist Movement, National Organiser
Poland
Andrzej Żebrowski, Pracownicza Demokracja (Workers Democracy)
Agnieszka Kaleta
Michał Wysocki, Pracownicza Demokracja (Workers’ Democracy), worker
Filip Ilkowski Associate Professor, Polish Teachers Union at the University of Warsaw, Member of the Presidium of the Council for Higher Education and Science of the Polish Teachers Union
Russia
Daria, IST Russia,
Semyon, Trotskyist
Socialist Tendency (IST)
Denis Zagladkin, Socialist Tendency
Switzerland
Hannah, Bewegung für den Sozialismus
Scotland
Paul Inglis, Radical Independence Campaign, Glasgow City Branch Unison, Clydeside IWW, Partick Living Rent, Member
Connor Beaton, Republican Socialist Platform, Secretary
Allan Armstrong, Republican Socialist Platform, Educational Institute of Scotland (life member)
Frances Curran, Former member of parliament and member of Socialist for Independence
Pete Cannell, Scot.E3 (Employment, Energy and Environment), Secretary
Bob Goupillot, Radical Independence Campaign Edinburgh, (Personal Capacity)
Ecosocialist.scot (organisation), ecosocialist.scot
South Africa
Mametlwe Sebei, President, General Industries Workers Union of South Africa
South Korea
Workers’ Solidarity
Spanish State
Anticapitalistas
David Karvala, Social movement activist and member of Marx21.net, Catalunya
Carlos de Pablo Torrecilla, UGT de Catalunya , Secretari de Política Institucional, Catalunya
Gerardo Pisarello, Unidas Podemos-En Comú Podem, member of the Spanish Congress, and First Secretary of the Bureau of the Congress
Miguel Urbán Crespo, Anticapitalistas, Member of the European Parliament
Marx21.net
Santiago Lupe, portavoz de la Corriente Revolucionaria de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras – CRT, historiador
Lucía Nistal, doctora en Teoría Literaria Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), impulsora de Referéndum UAM y portavoz de CRT
Juan Carrique, abogado laboralista, miembro de la Asociación Libre de Abogadas y Abogados, afiliado a CGT
Josefina L. Martínez, periodista, historiadora, escritora, editora revista Contrapunto
Asier Ubico, presidente del Comité de Empresa de Telepizza por CGT – Zaragoza
Juan Carlos Arias Sanz, delegado por UGT de la Consejería de Políticas Sociales y Familia de la Comunidad de Madrid
Cynthia Lub, doctora en Historia, escritora, editora de Esquerra Diari.cat y afiliada a CGT Lleure
Maria Dantas, ERC, social movement activist in Catalunya, Member of the Congress of Deputies
Switzerland
Manuel Sepulveda, Mouvement pour le Socialisme, Militant actif
Stéfanie Prezioso, Ensemble à Gauche, Member of Parliament
Jean BATOU, Ensemble à Gauche, Member of parliament (Geneva)
Philipp Schmid, Movement for Socialism, teacher and union activist
Christian Zeller, Network Ecosocialism and Global Ecosocialist Network, Professor of Economic Geography
Sweden
Jonas Brännberg, Rättvisepartiet Socialisterna – International Socialist Alternative, Member of Luleå City council
Syria
Jackal, Revolutionary Left Movement
Taiwan
黃梓豪, International Socialist Forward
Turkey
Sosyalist Demokrasi için Yeniyol, Turkish section of IV. International
Ecehan Balta, Sosyalist Alternatif
Nihat Boyraz, Sosyalist Alternatif
Sosyalist Alternatif
USA
Andrew Berman, Veterans for Peace, Peace and Solidarity Activist
Brandon Madsen, Democratic Socialists of America / AFGE 2157
Reform & Revolution, Caucus of Democratic Socialists of America
Dan La Botz, New Politics, Co-Editor
Tyron Moore, Washington Federation of State Employees, Organizer
Phil Gasper, New Politics, Co-editor
Richard Burton, Montgomery County Education Association (ID purposes only), UniServ Director/Organizer
Tempest Collective
E. Reed, Boston Revolutionary Socialists, Coordinating Committee Member
David McNally, Editor in Chief, Spectre Journal, Professor of History, University of Houston
Steve Leigh, Seattle Revolutionary Socialists (*for identification purposes only)
Joel Geier
Sherry Wolf, Tempest Collective, author, Sexuality and Socialism
Socialist Resurgence
Charles Post, Tempest Collective, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), member of editorial board of Spectre: A Marxist Journal
Zachary Levenson, Editor, Spectre, Assistant Professor of Sociology, UNC Greensboro
Ashley Smith, Tempest Collective, Democratic Socialists of America*, National Writers Union* (*for identification purposes only)
Venezuela
Angel Árias, dirigente de la LTS, trabajador estatal
Suhey Ochoa, Pan y Rosas, trabajadora de Apps
Zimbabwe
Tafadzwa A Choto, ISO – Zimbabwe, Member
