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DCK. THE BEGINNING FROM THE SERIES "Kazakhstan's Recent History"
GALYMZHAN ZHAKIYANOV Dear fellow citizens, today we announce the creation of a public association, the "Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan," the purpose of which will be to defend the democratic values, rights and freedoms of our people.
We appeal to all to whom democratic ideals are dear. We believe in our people and our country. We believe in a democratic Kazakhstan.
We have clearly set out our objectives and, I think, time will tell whether or not the movement becomes a party. Whether it will withstand the test of time.
"DCK. The Beginning"
Oraz Aliyevich, why did you have such an absent look on your face as you read out the text of the declaration? And how did you end up in that company, anyway?
You had always purposely stayed clear of politics. What happened?
ORAZ ZHANDOSOV I'm happy to explain. The absent look was due to the fact that I had read it before, as you guessed. I do not like filling my brain with the same information twice.
I believe that the first ten years of our history are now coming to an end. And, in fact, I don't know - someone may have celebrated it. I always tried to think of what lay in store for us in the future.
And, I think that if it we don't move forward now and establish a public movement on the right, in a few years the achievements in the economic sphere and other areas will be at risk.
Do you see this declaration as a challenge to the President and, let's say, the authorities?
As far as I can see, your question could be unpacked like this: "Was this approved by the President or not?"
I will tell you - no. For the simple reason that the President is not aware, at least, of our declaration or our documents.
You are the first to hear of it publicly.
Abdildin: I later met with Nursultan and he even...when we touched upon the DCK, he stood up and said, "They nearly overthrew me."
We feel that power today is to concentrated and centralized.
And we see de-centralizing power as a noble deed, as long as this balanced, both at various levels - from top to bottom, as well as between its branches.
I mean that there needs to be a balance between the legislative, executive and judicial branches.
Oraz Aliyevich, what do you think the Prime Minister will have to say to you, when he sees you after this conference?
ORAZ ZHANDOSOV: I'm here, first and foremost, as a citizen, like you. I'm here as a citizen of Kazakhstan, not as the Deputy Prime Minister. I don't think that's what's written on there
Right, it's not written there.
MUKHTAR ABLYAZOV: I would still like to ask a question in response. Why is today's meeting seen in some kind of negative light? The questions are all about extreme measure, the Prime Minister's attitude to all of this.
I'm talking to the journalists here. The thing is, if you take a careful look at the declaration, you will see that these are common human values:
human rights, democracy, elective politics, etc. etc. – these are common human values.
If we declare them and say that we are going to follow these principles, why is that negative and why should this lead to extreme measures, yes, extreme measures, or negative emotions?
VIKTR KOVTUNOVSKY, POLITICAL SCIENTIST: Everyone who was involved when Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, perhaps, had his or her own personal motives and impetus for taking part in this movement.
However, despite these varied motives, there was a single, overarching motive:
everyone understood that we could no longer live as we were and that we had to try to change something.
In fact, this was the movement's driving force.
1 Declaration of Prime Minister of the RK Tokayev, 20.11.01
Declaration of Prime Minister of the RK Kasymzhomart Tokayev: Some citizens, members of the business elite and even civil servants, having become wealthy over the ten years since independence, have decided to declare an information war against their own state, insulting and blackmailing the government and parliament.
This is why I believe that democracy is not a plaything for political wunderkinds.
Today, I proposed to the head of state that he dismiss Deputy Prime Minister Zhandosov, Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Baimenov, akim of Pavlodar Region Zhakiyanov and Deputy Minister of Defence Ertlesov from the positions.
I will decide on the fate of the other members of the movement.
I urge the head of state to dismiss the non-professionals and intriguers working in his circle.
They told me that the usual active core group had held a meeting that afternoon at three o'clock, where the Prime Minster announced the President's order.
Well, as they say in these cases, orders are not to be discussed, but to be executed.
No! We forbid you to do this!
Let's hold our own meeting
I wasn't in Pavlodar then and I was not notified that a shuffle was coming, or that the order even existed.
Kasymzhomart Kimelyevich, could you provide some comment?
At least let the city akim through! You can't! You can't!!!
I don't believe that he has the moral right to serve as Prime Minister. I think that he must resign.
He's a cunning man. On the first day, Nazarbayev came out in support of the DCK.
Then, he calmed them and started hacking away at them.
He even met their demands. He dismissed Tokayev as Prime Minister and, I see this as a timely, crafty and treacherous maneuver.
Yesterday's declaration by the President and Rakhat Aliyev influenced the decision to announce the creation of the movement today
It gave us some impetus
I want to explain my position on an issue that has arisen in our society. Especially since it concerns one of my relatives.
An everyday event has taken place. Having assessed the situation, Rakhat Aliyev has resigned as First Deputy Chairman of the KNB.
I think that he has acted as an officer should in the situation. He did satisfactory work. No one had any complaints regarding his service.
Given his experience, I appointed him Deputy Head of the Presidential Security Service. It is up to me to decide who protects me. That is all I wanted to say
RAKHAT ALIYEV: Let us fight against all of the evil forces preventing healthy forces in society from working and breathing freely in peace.
VIKTOR KOVTUNOVSKY, POLITICAL SCIENTIST: Rakhat Aliyev was a very serious catalyst. His role cannot be overestimated, nor can it be diminished.
It is worthy of note that, when Rakhat Aliyev made that speech, the founders of the DSK met at a suburban house here in Almaty. I was a witness to how they greeted this speech, this declaration from Rakhat Aliyev.
It truly caused a storm of discontent and, two days later on the Sunday, Galymzhan Zhakiyanov, Oraz Zhandosov and Mukhtar Ablyazov announced the creation of the movement at a press conference.
It was a shock. And the fact that they conflict immediately went public led immediately to a series of processes. Processes of consolidation for the democratic forces.
The thing that I remember most - it sounds like a paradox - is that the entire thing was broadcast live. This was the first and last time in the history of Kazakhstan's independence that an opposition meeting was shown on-air, moreover live.
This was unprecedented. Nothing like this had ever happened nor, it appears, will it ever again. It was nothing but entrancing.
Dear participants! This meeting has representatives of all of the Republic's regions and the cities of Astana and Almaty in attendance.
It total, 900 people are taking part.
Upon the instructions of the organizing committee, allow me to declare this meeting of representatives of the democratic society of Kazakhstan open.
We had actually booked a theater, but they did not let us have it. Ablyazov then owned the circus, so we met there.
Well, it's funny on the one hand, but sad on the other. We had to find accommodation for people in the circus and find places for people with delays…. But the meeting went on until night.
NURBOLAT MASANOV: The President is not accountable to the courts, cannot be controlled, cannot be criticized, neither by the media, nor by the public or political parties.
One of the founding fathers of the United States of America, one of the drafters of the U.S. Constitution and the 4th President of the U.S.A., John Madison, wrote on this subject, stating,
"The accumulation of all powers, Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny."
This is the first time in ten years. The Forum of Democratic Forces. This is a gathering of people who hold certain principles and who do not agree with the way that these principles are being observed in practice.
We agree with what is written in the Constitution, that Kazakhstan is a democratic state, but we want it to be truly democratic.
Gani Kasymov: We don't need that constitution. We need a new constitution! That's what we need to put to the people!
Murat Aueyezov: I think that we are coming to a new starting point for Kazakhstan. Clearly, democracy cannot be turned back now.
BULAT ABILOV, EX-LEADER OF THE AZAT PARTY: It's a political project. You can lose your head in a political project. I have always said that.
You can lose your head. Now we want to pull ourselves together and get our heads in there, but we are not ready.
Joining up with the old opposition and taking joint action equals radicalization. We were against the DCK meeting in the circus on January 19. Categorically against it.
– "We," meaning who? - Me, Oraz Zhandosov and others. We didn't want it.
We unambiguously associated that meeting with the old opposition.
- You weren't there. - We weren't. We didn't go.
There was a meeting the next day, on the 20th, at Sary Arka. We will all together. It was an amazing situation. A lot of people attended. People were hoping for change.
05 We think we will support them in the future. And the people will support them. I am certain of it.
I listened to that program yesterday, watched it all day. And I think we are here for a reason. I believe that we are hoping for things to be truly better.
Young people, young businessmen, people like these must govern Kazakhstan.
I came here to fight for a brighter future for my grandson Farkhat.
Akims must be elected and thereby accountable to their people.
Until we make the authorities accountable to the people, we will never actually be able to beat corruption.
We want to see the country enact a new media law, in order for freedom speech not to be a merely declarative clause in the Constitution, but for it to become an inalienable right, to the same extent as the right to breathe freely.
I support the young people who have found their conscience and honor and, therefore, ask that all normal people support them.
I want to believe. We are going there on belief alone. That's what I think.
We demand that the persecution o DCK members be stopped! Is this democracy, when criminal charges are laid against the DCK leaders - is this democracy?
I think that we elderly people must support these fellows. They are our children.
Let's support our children!!!
First of all, I greeted the DCK announcement will all of my heart, because we have already long... The people have already know for a long time that we have a problem.
The only thing was that these leaders were not around. We knew that they people alone couldn't do anything against this system.
That's why we needed leaders. I think they are strong...and some say that they are wealthy. Sure, they're wealthy and all should be wealthy. That is what we a striving for. And, overall, the meeting went great!
That's why we needed leaders. I think they are strong...and some say that they are wealthy. Sure, they're wealthy and all should be wealthy. That is what we a striving for. And, overall, the meeting went great!
The congress and today's meeting are different things. If people from yesterday's congress wanted to come, they likely did.
What do you think, can you celebrate a victory, did the people support you or not? Can you declare victory?
It's probably too early. And, anyway, victory here is... Our victory will lie in Kazakhstan as a strong, independent state
We're not mountain climbers, this is not Everest and there's still a long way to go!
I knew Nursultan Nazarbayev well, knew that he would put his own man in there, but would not let him work.
And these doubts, alas, turned out to be grounded.
- Can you name these people? - No, I can't, but he did mention, as did his wife, that it was Baimenov.
Or, let's say, meetings are held, a political show. Who is funding them?
What mechanisms are they using? Lawful or unlawful? Where is the money coming from - abroad, or where?
If it's all lawful, then it's fine, but if they are cynically paying people off, paying them cash, then it's a different matter.
This is why am publicly telling all law enforcement agencies that there is no connection between his (Ablyazov's) political activity and the case, where is being investigated by law enforcement.
Regardless of the individual, all of the cases must be completely investigated
Mukhtar Ablyazov, a businessman renowned in the Republic and one of the leaders of the movement Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, was arrested in Almaty today.
I talked with him prior to the trial; I even remember the date - January 23. He then warned me that, unless I renounced my beliefs, my membership in the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, they would lay criminal charges against me, that I would be imprisoned and my business taken away.
Moreover, he said, "Your fate and that of Galymzhan Zhakiyanov are under my personal control!" Well, I see that it's true that it's under his personal control.
Don't push, don't push! This is a deputy of the Senate, after all!
Here, according to our information, our colleague Galymzhan Zhakiyanov was hiding last night. An unprecedented event took place last night. The building of these two embassies were surrounded by OMON.
Last night, according to our information, the ambassadors of five foreign states were summoned by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to hand Zhakiyanov over.
We came here to show the foreign embassies that they need not obey they current authorities and that they mustn't hand over leaders of the Kazakh opposition.
The current ridiculous actions on the part of the regime bear witness to the panic reigning among the political elite.
It proves that Nursultan Nazarbayev does not actually control of the situation and is taking ridiculous decisions. Only fear and panic
We are against him! Against Zhakiyanov, against him!
He robbed you! He robbed the people! He robbed the pensioners!
Grandmothers, grandfathers! Do not fall for provocations! Comrade journalists! Stand with the democrats! Remember that this is the hand of the authorities!
We all have the right, don't we boys?? One, two, three! Nursultan - Kazakhstan! Nursultan - Kazakhstan!
Nursultan - Kazakhstan! Nursultan - Kazakhstan!
If Nazarbayev hadn't acted so harshly, hadn't used various methods to break up the movement- the carrot and the stick; of course, it would be a different country today.
Probably, yes. But, of course, we would be different, we would be people with experience. Obviously, we would have done our utmost to find a compromise.
Today, the situation in terms of freedom of speech, democracy and human rights is worsening.
But then the process would have gone in the opposite direction. It would have gotten better, possibly, not so rapidly, but it would have been a process, a gradual growth.That would have been a transition.
But what we have now is not a transition: what we have now is a reincarnation of totalitarianism.
We would be living in a different society. We would have had options for development.
We now only have one option - whatever one man says. And then, the people's creative growth would have been significantly greater!
I would like to say hello to my parents, all my relatives, family and friends. And to tell them that I am all right, am not pessimistic and have not lost heart. Everything is all right with me.
Time will sort everything out.
Mukhtar Ablyazov was President of Astana Holding in 2001. Imprisoned from 2002 to 2003.
Currently an active opponent of N. Nazarbayev, under arrest in France at the request of the Prosecutors-General of the Russian Federation and Ukraine.
Ablyazov faces a 13-year prison term and confiscation of property in Kazakhstan.
Oraz Zhandosov was Deputy Prime Minister of the RF in 2001. He is currently the Director of the Rakurs Center for Economic Analysis.
Zhannat Ertlesov was Deputy Minister of Defence in 2001. At present, he is a Member of the Board of Directors of CJSC Kazyna Foundation for Sustainable Development.
Kairat Kelimbetov was Chairman of the Strategic Planning Agency in 2001 He is currently the Chairman of the National Bank of Kazakhstan.
Nurzhan Subkhanberdin - in 2001, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kazkommerzbank.