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UNCLAS ASTANA 001104 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KDEM KCRM KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN:  ALMATY NOTES, JUNE 15-26 
 
¶1.  The "Almaty Notes" series from U.S. Office Almaty focuses on 
developments in civil society, the media, and the opposition in 
Kazakhstan's "southern capital." 
 
LUKEWARM RESPONSE TO AZAT'S CALL FOR A MERGER 
 
¶2.  Bulat Abilov, the leader of the opposition Azat party, publicly 
hailed the recently-formed block of opposition parties, which is 
comprised of the National Democratic Party (OSDP), the unregistered 
Alga Party, and the Communist Party.  He stressed his priority is 
Azat's full merger with OSDP, and claimed that negotiations about 
the merger are already underway.  His opposition colleagues, 
however, do not seem to share his enthusiasm.  Communist leader 
Serikbolsyn Abdildin told the newspaper "Obshestvennaya Pozitsiya" 
that Abilov simply "wants other parties to join Azat."  It is 
difficult for the Communist Party to find common ground with the 
"bourgeois Azat," asserted Abdildin, adding that the newly-formed 
opposition bloc is a compromise that works for all involved. 
 
WORKERS GO ON STRIKE OVER UNPAID WAGES 
 
¶3.  On June 22, about 1,500 employees of the Almaty Railroad Car 
Repair Factory suspended their work for two hours to protest against 
unpaid salaries.  The employees protested their low wages and a 
recent cut in vacation time, as well as a lack of proper work 
equipment.  The protest action ended before noon but the workers 
promised to resume the action if their demands were not satisfied. 
 
 
NGO COALITION AGAINST TORTURE 
 
¶4.  Several NGOs -- including the Kazakhstan Bureau for Human 
Rights, the Charter for Human Rights, the Legal Policy Research 
Center and the International MediaNet Center -- have established a 
new coalition called "Fight against Torture."  The coalition will 
provide consultations for free and assist victims of torture in 
filing complaints.  During this past year, representatives of the 
Charter for Human Rights plan to conduct inspections of police 
detention cells.  According to the new coalition's statistics, from 
April 2007 through January 2009, there were 586 cases when detainees 
were subjected to torture. 
 
DIRTY ROAD POLICE EXPOSED 
 
¶5.  On June 23, the Almaty department of the National Security 
Committee (KNB) reported the uncovering of a criminal ring in the 
ranks of the city road police.  Members of the ring were involved in 
forging driving licenses and accident records.  The KNB has revealed 
63 forged records filed by 53 police officers.  A probe has been 
launched. 
 
HOAGLAND