The Workers Party of Ireland extends its solidarity to the workers of Kazakhstan in their struggle for labour, social and political rights and condemns the state brutality and repression against strikers and protesters. Despite the wealth which has been created for the foreign monopolies, the regime and its allies, the people of Kazakhstan have endured massive poverty, mass job losses, wage cuts and increasing prices for food and fuel. Despite the regime’s attempts to portray the protests as the actions of “criminals” and “terrorists” this is in reality a class-based popular uprising against the capitalist state and its privatisation pro-capital agenda which has been pursued for many years in conjunction with various imperialist forces and the monopolies.

Mass protests over the rise in liquified gas prices commenced early in the New Year. Subsequently, the protesters raised a number of additional demands for a reduction in food prices, for measures against increasing unemployment and mass layoffs, and for higher wages, pensions and social security benefits. The response of the regime was to attempt to criminalise legitimate protest and to suppress the demands of the workers with force. Many protesters were killed and injured. There have been mass detentions and forcible suppression of demonstrations and strikes.

This is a regime with a history of repression. Hundreds of trade unions have been outlawed, workers’ organisations and political parties have been banned and a decade ago a workers’ strike in Zhanaozen was brutally suppressed with 15 workers killed and hundreds injured.

The Workers Party of Ireland applauds the struggle of workers in Kazakhstan and their demands for the nationalisation of the mining and oil industries under the control of the workers; condemns the state repression of the strikes and protest demonstrations; demands the release of all protesters and political prisoners detained by the state, the right of workers to form trade unions and political parties and to engage in open trade union activity, including strike action, and the legalisation of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and the Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan.

End the repression!

Solidarity with the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and the Socialist Movement of Kazakhstan!

Ted Tynan, President

Gerry Grainger, International Secretary

Workers Party of Ireland