Residents resist brutal police repression
Shanyrak shanty town in revolt
Last Friday, 14 July, police attacked shanty town dwellers in the Shanyrak area of Alma-Ata city, in Kazakhstan. Residents bravely fought back and scores were injured.
The Alma-Ata City authorities want to destroy the homes of settlers who built living quarters on the outskirts of the city. The authorities want to build ’entertainment complexes’ and elite flats for Kazakhstan’s ’new rich’ on the land.
The latest police operation follows similar action against Shanyrak residents in April. Police, backed up by ’rapid response’ riot police, the KNB (former KGB) agents, the City Procurer, fire fighters, and bailiffs, turned up at the Shanyrak district of Alma-Ata city, to destroy the homes of landless residents.
In April and again last week, local residents women and pensioners, courageously resisted the police for hours. Socialist Resistance (CWI) supporters supported the residents.
The Shanyrak residents need international support. Worldwide protests in April jolted the Alma-Ata authorities and helped to hold back attempts to demolish homes. Now new protests are urgently needed.
Please continue to send protests to the Mayor of Alma-Ata, demanding:
- All attempts to evict the resident of Shanyrak are immediately stopped
- An end to the repression of all activists
- Alma-Ata city resources to be allocated to build decent homes for Shanyrak residents and all shanty town dwellers
Send protest letters and faxes to:
Administration of the City Akim (Mayor)
050000 Republic of Kazakhstan,
Almata
Ploshad Respubliki dom 4,
Akimat, Akimu Imangali Tasmagambetovu
Telephone: +7 3272 716557
Fax: +7 3272 934710
Or email protests, via the Akim’s (Mayor’s) website: www.almaty.kz (email [email protected].)
Please send copies of letters and emails sent, to: [email protected].
And: [email protected]. (They will be translated into Kazhak, and distributed to the Shanyrak residents)
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