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RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 7989
RUEHAH/AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT 7213
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2201
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UNCLAS ASTANA 002098 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, JULY 2007 
 
 
¶1. The "Almaty Notes" series is intended to maintain focus on 
developments in civil society, the media, and the opposition in 
Kazakhstan's "southern capital" following the move of the Embassy to 
Astana. 
 
Government Reshuffle Expected after Elections 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. An Almaty political analyst, Andrey Chebotaryev, predicts a 
government reshuffle after the Mazhilis (Parliament) elections. 
According to Mr. Chebotaryev, Prime Minister Masimov may announce 
the resignation of the government or the president himself may 
initiate a reshuffle.   Masimov would likely be reinstated in his 
position.  The candidates for resignation are Vice Prime Minister 
and Minister of Economy Aslan Musin, Minister of Culture and 
Information Yermukhamet Yertysbayev, Minister of Labor and Social 
Protection Gulzhana Karagusova and Minister of Justice Zagipa 
Baliyeva.  They have been placed on the party list of Nur Otan to 
take party seats in the Mazhilis.  There are various reasons for the 
expected moves; for example Aslan Musin has made slow progress on 
administrative reform, Yetysbayev has been involved in conflicts 
with mass media and journalists and  Karagusova has been blamed for 
poor social protection of some categories of Kazakhstanis and for 
failure to fight poverty and unemployment.  The other candidates for 
resignation are the Interior Minister, Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov, and 
some oblast akims. 
 
Nationalists demand Aliyev's Extradition 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. A group of representatives of the "Zheltoksan" nationalist 
movement picketed the consulate of Austria in Almaty on July 20 
demanding that Austria extradite Rakhat Aliyev.  The protesters 
handed over their demand in writing to a representative of the 
consulate.  (Interfax, July 20) 
 
Hunger Strikes against Demolition 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Six residents of an apartment building on Seyfullin Street in 
Almaty went on hunger strike in protest against the planned 
demolishment of the building.  According to the protesters, the 
compensation they have been offered is too low to buy apartments in 
the central districts of the city.  The conflict has lasted for a 
year.  A construction company, which wants to build a hotel on the 
site, has bought all but three of the apartments.  (Vremya daily, 
July 19) 
 
¶5. In the settlement of Karasu, located on the outskirts of Almaty 
City, on July 23 ten local residents announced a hunger strike in 
protest against the  demolition of their houses. On July 6 this year 
the city court in Almaty approved a plan to demolish 13 illegal 
houses in this settlement.  According to Dametken Alenova, who is 
defending the owners of these houses, all 13 owners have permits 
signed in 1998 by the former akim of the Zhetysu district.  However, 
the current deputy akim of the district asserts the lands have not 
been legalized and the residents began to seize these lands only 
last year.  (www.kub.kz, July 27, 2007) 
 
Almaty Police Fighting Drug Trafficking 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. In the past six months the police in Almaty have seized 170 kilos 
of illegal narcotics, the press service of the city police reported 
on July 19.  Since the beginning of the year the city police have 
conducted five operations and closed down several drug delivery 
channels.  Seven thousand drug addicts, most of them minors, are 
registered with the city drug addict treatment center.  (Liter 
daily, July 20) 
 
Illegal Migrants in Almaty 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. For the first half of this year the migration police in Almaty 
reported 15,000 illegal migrants, mostly from Uzbekistan, 
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia.  According to the law, illegal 
migrants should be deported and the migration police should impose a 
ban on their travel to Kazakhstan for five years.  According to the 
Almaty Migration Police, illegal migration to Kazakhstan, including 
Almaty, is rising.  (Liter daily, July 24) 
 
MILAS