ALMATY – Kazakhstan’s veteran leader, facing the biggest challenge to stability in his vast oil-producing nation, has flown to a western region hit by violent riots and has sacked some of the country’s chief energy officials.
The arrival yesterday of President Nursultan Nazarbayev in the heart of Kazakhstan’s oil industry coincided with growing international pressure on the country to investigate the violence.
Mr Nazarbayev’s press service said he had sacked the governor of Mangistau, the oil-rich region on the Caspian Sea where protests for higher wages earlier this month by striking oilmen escalated into deadly clashes with riot police.
At least 16 people died in and around the oil town of Zhanaozen on December 16th, according to official data, but witnesses have said the death toll could be higher.
The United States, the European Union and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe have all expressed concerns about the violence and have urged Kazakhstan to carry out a transparent investigation.
The head of Kazakhstan’s mission to the EU and Nato said the country had invited UN experts to take part in an investigation, but a group of Mr Nazarbayev’s opponents said they had been denied entry to Zhanaozen.
An Aktau resident said the square in front of the local government headquarters, occupied for days by sacked oil workers and riot police, was yesterday empty of protesters for the first time since the weekend.
The authorities say police were forced to open fire after being attacked by “criminal elements” and “hooligans” who were threatening civilians. A 20-day curfew is in force in Zhanaozen until January 5th. – (Reuters)