[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 155 (Saturday, September 27, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2081-E2082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY IN KAZAKHSTAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. G.K. BUTTERFIELD

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2008

  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today before you to draw 
attention to an issue which concerns our continued efforts to establish 
democratic principles around the world. The recent conflict between 
Russia and Georgia has highlighted the acute need for the U.S. to 
maintain and strengthen its resolve to support and strengthen the 
former Soviet Republic countries.
  Kazakhstan is among these countries and it is an important partner in 
many ways. Kazakhstan is a key energy-producing ally where a large 
number of U.S. corporations are doing business as part of the global 
effort to meet our domestic energy needs.
  While I certainly appreciate that Kazakhstan has worked closely with 
the U.S. on matters of nonproliferation, I have become increasingly 
concerned by reports indicating that Kazakhstan's governmental system 
lacks the basic rights of democracy: elections are neither free or 
fair; political opposition faces physical danger; there are few 
independent media outlets; the wide-scale corruption which has begun to 
affect major U.S. companies doing business in Kazakhstan; and, there is 
no respect for human rights, religious freedom, freedom of speech or 
economic liberalization.
  Last year's election in Kazakhstan was far from democratic. Kazakh 
President Nursultan Nazarbayev's reelection in 2005 with 91 percent of 
the vote prompted widespread complaints of vote fraud. The Nur-Otan 
party which supports President Nazarbayev won all 98 contested seats in 
the country's parliamentary election last August. Pledges to institute 
overhauls have failed to move forward according to recent reports by 
the U.S. Department of State and Freedom House.
  In fact, a number of opposition parties have decided to boycott 
Kazakhstan's upcoming Senate elections with one of the opposition 
parties stating that ``we do not intend to give a veneer of 
`competition' to a forthcoming farce and to become a pseudo democratic 
entourage''.
  As part of an agreement that allows Kazakhstan to ascend to the 
Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE), a multilateral organization devoted to European Security, 
Kazakhstan pledged to implement an opposition party law and other 
reform measures by the end of this year. To date, little has been 
achieved and opposition parties assert that they are not consulted with 
on formulating an opposition party law.
  I applaud my distinguished colleagues Chairman Alcee Hastings of 
Florida and Co-

[[Page E2082]]

Chairman Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland for holding a hearing hosted by 
the Helsinki Commission on July 22, 2008, titled ``Promises to Keep: 
Kazakhstan's 2010 OSCE Chairmanship''. In maintaining the Commission's 
monitoring duties, the hearing focused on allegations of corruption, 
human rights abuses and religious intolerance in Kazakhstan. This was 
the second in a series of hearings during which my colleagues 
questioned the selection of Kazakhstan as the next leader of the OSCE 
and its commitment to reform measures. Kazakhstan's Chairmanship has 
been a controversial issue as many human rights groups and lawmakers 
have cited a poor human rights record and lack of democratic reform in 
Kazakhstan. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher testified that 
political and economic overhauls are needed in Kazakhstan, adding 
``That is the only way to get away from corruption''.
  A month prior to this hearing, Chairman Hastings and Co-Chairman 
Cardin led a bi-partisan delegation to Kazakhstan in order to attend 
the OSCE's 17th Annual Session, which took place in Astana, 
Kazakhstan's capital city. Additionally, Members of the delegation met 
with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Prime Minister Karim Masimov and 
Secretary of State Kanat Saudabayev.
  Clearly Members of the Commission remain concerned not only by the 
promises made to establish democratic reform by year's end, but also by 
``very serious allegations'' of corruption in the oil-rich nation which 
could further complicate its relations with the U.S. and the West, as 
well as human rights abuses, human trafficking, freedom of religion, 
freedom of the press and rigged elections. When democracy fails that 
spills over into every other walk of life and the people of Kazakhstan 
are the ones who suffer.
  I know my colleagues in the U.S. Congress share my concern and I 
encourage our collective support of the Helsinki Commission in calling 
on the government of Kazakhstan to uphold its commitment to establish 
democratic reforms as it has promised to do.

                          ____________________