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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASTANA 000853 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM ECON SOCI KZ
SUBJECT: KAZAKHSTAN: ALMATY NOTES, APRIL 27 - MAY 8 
 
¶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. 
 
AZAT'S ABILOV -- THE CHOSEN ONE? 
 
¶2. Rumors are swirling around Azat party leader Bulat Abilov and his 
opposition "credentials."  In a recent interview, President 
Nazarbayev's advisor Yermukhamed Yertysbayev said that he could see 
Abilov as the leader of a united opposition.  Some people took these 
words as his personal opinion, but others took it as "spilling the 
beans."  Although Yertysbayev has been known to speak off the cuff, 
it is understood that he would never say anything that runs 
completely counter to the views at the Presidential Administration. 
Moreover, the President's advisor must be aware of the skeptical 
attitude of other opposition leaders toward Abilov's ambitions to 
lead a united opposition.  During a recent public appearance, Abilov 
told the audience that he is ready "to lead the opposition and be a 
candidate for president."  (NOTE: Abilov's self-nomination did not 
receive much public support from other opposition parties, however, 
and in private conversations, opposition leaders dismissed Abilov's 
ambitions; National Social Democratic Party (OSDP) deputy head 
Amirzhan Kosanov joked that he too would not mind being president. 
END NOTE.)  Political analyst Andrey Chebotaryev told opposition 
paper "Respublika" that Yertysbayev's words could just be his 
personal opinion, or he could be intentionally floating this idea to 
provoke a split within the opposition.  And according to some 
rumors, the Azat party is supported by Bulat Utemuratov, a close 
Nazarbayev confidante and former head of the management side of the 
Presidential Administration.  If one adds in the opinion of some 
experts about the President's plans to have a pocket opposition 
party in Parliament as a sparring partner for the ruling Nur Otan 
party, then Yertysbayev's slip of the tongue may turn out to be a 
prophesy. 
 
ALMATY ELECTION COMMISSIONS GET NEW MEMBERS 
 
¶3. On April 29, deputies of the Almaty City Maslikhat (local 
legislature) selected members for territorial, district, and 
precinct election commissions.  The term in office of members of the 
current election commissions is due to expire on June 1.  The 
Maslikhat deputies elected more than 3,500 new members for 512 
election commissions.  Seven political parties and three public 
associations nominated their candidates.  As a result of the voting, 
512 members each were elected from the ruling Nur Otan Party and the 
People's Communist Party; 511 members each from the Auyl (Village), 
Adilet (Justice), Patriots, and Rukhaniyat (Spirituality) political 
parties; 34 members from the opposition Communist Party of 
Kazakhstan; 33 members from the Union of Afghan War Veterans; 68 
members from the Zheltoksan-86 nationalist movement; and 376 members 
from the Ariptes Confederation of Almaty NGOs.  Three major 
opposition parties -- Azat, OSDP, and the unregistered Alga party -- 
refrained from nominating any candidates. 
 
PROTESTS FROM RETIRED OFFICERS CONTINUE 
 
¶4. On April 27, a group of retired officers from the BOMZh Union 
held a protest action in front of the Almaty Garrison Military Court 
to demand that the government fulfill its promises to provide them 
with free apartments.  (NOTE: "BOMZh" is a Russian acronym which 
stands for "without a permanent place of residence" and is used to 
refer to homeless people.  END NOTE.)  The officers held placards 
with a picture of the Goddess of Justice dressed in military uniform 
and in a gas mask.  "For several years we have been striving for 
apartments prescribed by the law," the leader of the Union 
Vyacheslav Olenchenko said in his comments to journalists.  "Once we 
retired, it was like we did not any more exist for the Ministry (of 
Defense)," he complained.  Some officers who received the apartments 
owed to them by the government joined the action to support their 
friends.  After a while, the officers dispersed, promising to resort 
to more radical actions in case their claims were not satisfied. 
 
ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS -- DEMOLITION OUTPACES LEGALIZATION 
 
¶5. The Almaty Land Commission continues its work analyzing 
 
ASTANA 00000853  002 OF 002 
 
 
applications for legalizing ownership of land plots in Almaty's 
Alatau district.  The Commission's preliminary plan to legalize 
3,500 land plots has been disrupted somewhat by an ad-hoc group 
called the "People's Committee of Alatau District," which has been 
calling on district residents not to apply for legalization because 
it will allegedly do nothing to stop demolitions of illegally-built 
houses.  Those who do choose to go forward with legalization have to 
confirm in writing that they began building on their land plots 
illegally and are then given the opportunity to lease the land. 
 
¶6.  Meanwhile, district authorities demolished about 20 
illegally-built houses in Alatau on May 5.  About 90 residents of 
the affected microdistrict filed a complaint with the Almaty 
Procurator General's Office (PGO), asking to bring to account the 
officials and police officers involved.  According to the complaint, 
the demolition was carried out without advance notification and 
without producing court rulings to this effect.  Almaty Deputy Akim 
Maulen Mukashev defended the demolition campaign, alleging that the 
demolished houses were built only "two or three weeks before." 
While city administration had promised to legalize 3,500 houses, 
maintained Mukhashev, new settlements are continuing to appear at 
the site.  "We cannot endlessly continue with legalization.  Those 
who have been registered will be legalized, but the rest will be 
demolished," said Mukashev. 
 
MILAS