Cameron and Blair's support for Kazakhstan regime blasted

The following letter was printed in the Guardian on 2 July; it was sent in response to an article about prime minister David Cameron's trade deals with the repressive regime in Kazakhstan.

I continue to be astonished at the hypocrisy of both David Cameron and Tony Blair in their dealings with the Kazakh regime of Nazarbayev.

Your article correctly highlights the lack of human and democratic rights that exist there.

I visited Kazakhstan last November as part of a trade union delegation to investigate the killing of oil workers at Zhanaozen.

The official number of workers shot in the back by the police and killed is 12 as your article reports.

However, after speaking to eyewitnesses and survivors, I am convinced that the actual number of those killed is nearer to 70.

This figure does not include those who, a year after the attack, are still too injured to work. Neither does it include those who were rounded up and imprisoned for the 'criminal' offence of publicly opposing the regime by being on the square at Zhanaozen.

Many of these, including the lawyers that tried to defend them, like Vadim Kuramshin, are still held in Kazakh jails.

The Kazakhstan state officially sanctions the repression of any opposition elements. This ranges from threats and intimidation right up to murder.

The activists that I spoke to claim that the situation is getting worse not better. Blair and Cameron are experienced politicians who are acting as apologists for one of the most repressive and corrupt regimes in the world.

Blair's friendship with the Kazakh regime might have something to do with an alleged salary of millions of pounds sterling from Nazarbayev for his 'advice'.

Cameron shows that he is more interested in getting deals for the 1% than securing human rights for the 99% - in Kazakhstan as in the UK.

Trade unionists in the UK and across Europe will continue to campaign for human and democratic rights in Kazakhstan.

Mike Whale, Secretary, Campaign Kazakhstan

While David Cameron is building links with Kazakh dictator Nursultan Nazarbayev and his cronies, workers in Britain were linking up with their counterparts in Kazakhstan.

The recent RMT transport union conference agreed unanimously to support Campaign Kazakhstan and donate £1,000 to support the work.

At the 29 June National Shop Stewards Network conference it was agreed to send a message of support to Kazakhmys workers in their dispute with management.

For more information see www.campaignkazakhstan.org

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.