National-Patriots Create a Party in Kazakhstan
Culture and History, Kazakhstan5 Comments
A new political project emerged in Kazakhstan, reports blogger sarimov, political observer of “Zhas Alash” Kazakh-language newspaper. The party unites national-patriots and was a new government project, which was under way for almost five months, according to sarimov.
We decided to create this democratic party “Khalyk Rukhy”, which means “The Spirit of the People”. This party will not be purely nationalistic, and will differ from other parties because it will put the development of the spiritual wealth of the Kazakhstani people first”, said M. Shakhanov, a leader of the party at the press-conference on 15 May.
Several movements will be united within this party: “The State Language”, “Bolashak” (“The Future”). M. Shakhanov himself is an MP and a writer, long time advocate for the revival of Kazakh language and culture. Dos Koshim, the head of the movement “Ult Tagdury” said that “the party can become an important part of the political process in the country” and that there is a niche for it at the moment.
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This may be a random tangent, but the discussion of new political parties of a “spiritual” nature reminded me of the Uighar-Anti-Semipalantinsk-Sulemenov party of the early ’90s. What are the Uighar nationalists up to in Kazakstan these days? I remember there were a few rabble rousers lobbying the US embassy but no word of them in the press these days.
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And, is Olzhas Sulimenov still alive? If yes, what is he doing?
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Hi Andrew, the movement led by Suleimenov in the 90s was not Uighur nationalist movement at all. It advocated for the closure of Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. It partnered with American Nevada movement. It was one of the successful initiatives.
Suleimenov is still alive, at some point in his political career in Kazakhstan he was appointed an ambassador to Italy. Currently he is a Kazakhstani ambassador to the UN.
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Hi Leila. Thanks for the informative respnse.
Good to know Suleimenov is still active. Right, Nevada-Semi was primarily an environmental protest movement, but I was under the impression that Uighar nationalists were a strong presence in the movement (as the Uighars took the brunt, in China and in Kazakstan) of the down wind fall out from the above ground tests. Perhaps not openly, but they were part of the coalition?
In any case, are members of the movement still active in Kazakstan, or have they gone deep underground?
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Hi Leila. Thanks for the informative respnse.
Good to know Suleimenov is still active. Right, Nevada-Semi was primarily an environmental protest movement, but I was under the impression that Uighar nationalists were a strong presence in the movement (as the Uighars took the brunt, in China and in Kazakstan) of the down wind fall out from the above ground tests. Perhaps not openly, but they were part of the coalition?
In any case, are members of the Uighar movement still active in Kazakstan, or have they gone deep underground?
Reply