Expressing Support for Democracy In Kazakhstan

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY IN KAZAKHSTAN -- (Extensions of Remarks - September 27, 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-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.

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