A new left impulse in Kazakhstan

Alisher SAGADIYEV

The activization of the Left in global dimension has its echo in Kazakhstan as well. But the Republic has many local peculiarities. Authorized left parties of the country — The Communist Party of Kazakhstan and the Communist popular party of Kazakhstan marginalize progressively, and at the same time the Government denies registration to the more adequate political power — Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan. Nevertheless it is the latter which has the best potential for growth.

The present camp of national and international socialist organizations is really mixed and variegated. In addition there is a great concurrence of ideas and different doctrines in the socialist camp itself. This concurrence frequently becomes a real confrontation. The members proper of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan stand on the positions of Trotskyism. The Committee for a Workers' International (headquarters in London) is the organization, which in the heterogeneous camp of socialism unites tens of big and small organizations all over the world similar to Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan in spirit, goals and values. Lev Trotzkiy entrusted his followers with World Revolution, because he didn't believe in possibility of creation of a real state of a new type in conditions of capitalist encirclement. Contemporary Socialist-Trotskyites don't accept market economy and market relations as such. The self-destructed USSR was in their opinion a state capitalism country, so they don't accept the movement of Stalinists or Maoists.

But the idea of a state of workers and peasants on a world scale, a system without exploitation of man by man and without state in its contemporary form is the idea of Future. At the present point in time the members of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan struggle for the rights of oppressed by means they think to be the best on this stage. In their opinion this struggle would be great because of socio-economic problems (unemployment, exploitation, unequal salary for equal work, social vulnerability, deterioration of standard of knowledge and public health, decrease of their accessibility various strata of society and so on) and political problems (absence of freedom of speech, mechanism of fair elections), which are not resolved by the Government. These problems are hided and underestimated by the Government and so create conditions for different conflicts.

According to members of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan the elections to the Majilis of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2004 could be regarded as the reference point of formation of this system. At that time the representatives of «Generation of Perestroyka» (people, who have suffered from it — their definition) have found themselves in situation, when even the left beliefs were insufficient to vote for The Communist Party of Kazakhstan or for the Communist popular party of Kazakhstan.

The members of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan don't like concerning themselves the word «young people», however this is exactly this age group, which dominates in organization. Young people of left beliefs began to organize themselves and at present Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan is yet a real appreciable power on the political scene of Kazakhstan. Organization in its plans for the future wants to occupy a dominant place on the left wing of political system and to move away the organizations which name themselves «socialist», but which are socialist only nominal. In addition members of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan want to move away different phantom-structures, which have no real resources.

At the same time they can't associate with democratic parties because of some reasons. These are ideological faction, (it is difficult to defenders of workers' rights to form a part of movement, which sticks to the capitalistic principles) (right-wing ideas) and also a great disappointment in leaders of «old» opposition.
According to members of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan nearly all leaders of modern democratic opposition of the country were in the past the representatives of authority. The causes of how they have left the ruling elite — was it a «purge» or consequence of intrigue or faction of principle — are on the second place. As a result, many of democratic leaders are in part guilty of modern situation in the country and society.

But the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan is ready to form a bloc on tactical questions almost with all opposition parties if they have any common goals. «New Left» have shown a great skill to «celebrate one's wedding» on example of last presidential elections in Kazakhstan (2005). Resources were directed at the support of joint democratic candidate — Jarmachan Tujakbaj. Only after the end of election campaign the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan began to play its own political game.

A full-scale presentation of the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan took place in 2006. This juristically non-existent organization has direct or indirect participated in all main conflicts, which took place in the country (from conflict in suburbs of Almaty (micro-districts «Bakay» and «Shanyrak» to the confrontation of labor and employers in the Karagandinsky region (Shachtinsk, Temirtau)). Its distinguishing features were activity, mobility, ability to work in difficult conditions of lack of necessary resources and in hostile environment, rather fast organization growth.

Organizational structure of the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan is an original interpretation of democratic centralism in the time of Internet and network technologies.

On the one hand nearly every member of Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan is an autonomous tactical unit, from the other hand, when after great discussions the conceptual decision is made, all the members should act within the framework of general conception.
The organization has a leader — Aynur Kurmanov, but he is a nominal figure and performs just the representative function, more exactly under the Kazakh inclination to personify political parties. For example in 2006 after the explosion in a Lenin's mine and death of 41 miners and following protest actions in the territory of enterprises of «Mittal Steel», Aynur Kurmanov went to Karagandinsky region. At the same time his associates have organized near the Department of the interior in Almaty a picket in support of defenders of Shanyrak, who were under arrest. The leader of the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan has known the details of this action in South Capital only after his return from Karaganda.

As the majority of left organizations the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan functions in the conditions of lack of resources. But this lack is taken as normal, and on the base of this lack is planned all the organization's work. For example the members of organization take an active part in different internet forums and thus are in constant contact with foreign partners and party nucleus (or individual members) in regions. Internet is the main means of communication with colleagues from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan where the independent organizations in the network of The Committee for a Workers' International haven't formed yet. By this virtual mode the organization receives assistance in the form of letters of solidarity and international net pressure on governmental press services from Akimats to the President Administration. By the way, the statement that after every political organization in Kazakhstan should stay a reach sponsor (sponsors) for a long time didn't make possible for special services to identify the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan. Its organizational structure and principles of activities differ cardinally from other opposition parties, which act openly.

The organization hasn't a real absolute leader, it can continue its activity even without any funds, it hasn't an independent media resource (bulletin «Comrade Mauser» doesn't count) and hasn't clear decision-making center.

Work in aggressive environment (in the first instance counteraction on the part of governmental organizations and special services) is usual to the members of the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan. At times the impression is that the law enforcement agencies would watch socialists of this format even if there were only 3-5 members, simply because they bring other ideas and know how to work with people. If you try to examine the motives of majority of arrests and detentions, you will see that they are absent.
Socialist-Trotskyites say that their general goal on this stage is «to enlighten». They recruit followers, open new departments, in other words they develop their organization. At the same time they are pressed by the governmental organizations and special services. The public agents try to «convince» the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan of refuse of such a model of activity under the treat of possible sanctions. For the time being the progress is not great. Due to this strong pressure the Authorities kick out the members of the «second» circle, but the main body is stable.

At the present time the Socialist Resistance of Kazakhstan works actively by means of its departments (for example — public association «Talmas»). Thereby it earns political authority and coordinates the efforts with defrauded investors (participants of participatory construction), people, who have no possibility to pay the debts and other categories of unprotected population.

Even today the left wing of Kazakh politics has an organization of high quality, which has good prospects. For the present its activity is concentrated in Almaty — objectively the main center of political activity. But the appreciable presence in regions is very-very near.

And call signs, which the organization sends in political life of the country, are more and more evident for totally different political players.