Using New Tactics in Kazakhstan

The human rights struggle in Kazakhstan is multi-faceted, encompassing challenges as diverse as corruption, freedom of the media and gender equality. But activists face many of the same problems in Kazakhstan as they do elsewhere, including difficulties with government authorities. Although authorities are supportive on certain issues–such as the rights of disabled people or reform of the penitentiary system–they can also hinder progress. "In 2005," recounts Yuliya, "a wave of state inspections harassed many international and local NGOs, [and] the parliament approved two laws (later declared unconstitutional) aimed to severely restrict the activities of the civil society."


A dedicated trainer, Yuliya views connecting and developing activists as an important goal: "I find it great when I feel that a positive spirit of mutual trust and collaboration is established, and when I can see that I brought my contribution to raise awareness on human rights and create a new generation of defenders."

Yuliya attests to the wide applicability of sites of conscience. "People usually have little understanding of the shadows of the past," she says, "and governments do their best to encourage their citizens not to think of the awfulness of the totalitarian regime." She suggests the city of Karaganda as a powerful site of conscience. Founded in 1926, Karaganda is the administrative capital of a region twice the size of France but inhabited by only 1,400,000 people. Under Stalin, the territory encompassed up to 350 labor camps collectively known as "Karlag." The city of Karaganda itself was built mostly by forced labor from among the 100,000 prisoners in these camps. In 1954 a protest at the Kanarka and Sengir camps and subsequent intervention by tanks resulted in the death of 700 prisoners, attesting to the brutality of the Karlag system.

In her training, Yuliya has also made use of other New Tactics resources, including "Weaving New Tactics" and several other tactical notebooks, notably Making the State Pay (Romania) and Educating the Next Generation (Albania).

Yuliya Vasilyeva is a lawyer, trainer, educator and human rights advocate in Kazakhstan.

For more information about human rights in Kazakhstan, Yuliya recommends these links:

www.internews.kz
www.bureau.kz
www.freedomhouse.org
www.medialaw.kz
www.presscenter.kz
www.hrpenal.org
www.handsoffcain.org 

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