Kazakhstan has just experienced the most important events since its independence in 1991, according to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, referring to the riots that killed at least 164 people. He’s talking about ” coup attempt “. These riots were added to the peaceful demonstrations, which began on January 2 to protest against the doubling of the price of fuel.
From our correspondent in Central Asia,
Although Kassym-Jomart Tokayev does not seem to want to go into details just yet, the riots would be an attempted coup made by part of the clan of ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev. The latter ruled the country from 1991 until Wednesday, January 5, since he was still the head of the Security Council of Kazakhstan after leaving his place as president in 2019.
The members of this clan would notably be nephews of the former president, who do not want to lose control of the country, in order to keep the immense fortune they have accumulated. Kassym-Jomart Tokaïev nevertheless comes from Nursultan Nazarbaïev’s team, but in authoritarian, autocratic and corrupt regimes, this is not enough. You have to hold the reins of power yourself.
An increase in fuel to get Tokayev out
The protests that begin on January 2 were prompted by the doubling of the price of liquefied petroleum gas, a vehicle fuel widely used in the oil-producing west of the country. However, the drastic increase in this price has, it seems, been decided on purpose, to provoke popular anger against the current president and lead him to resign.
Moreover, according to our information, President Tokayev was asked to resign on Wednesday January 5 through Karim Massimov, head of the KNB -the security services-, but he did not do so. On the contrary, he has finally become the real leader of the country, since he has announced that he now heads the Security Council. This Council had been the real heart of power in Kazakhstan since March 2019, when Nursultan Nazarbayev left the presidential chair in a sort of sketch of the power transition. The former president had assigned himself a number of powers normally devolved to the Head of State.
Moreover, from January 2, those demonstrating against the increase in the price of fuel attacked Nursultan Nazarbayev, and not the president. No doubt they knew that it is he and his clan who control the energy sector of this country of 18 million inhabitants very rich in oil, gas and minerals.
Their slogan was ” Shal ket ! “(Old man, go away ! in French). Very quickly their demands became more political, and they denounced the corrupt governance of the country.
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A coup attempt to regain the advantage
To regain control, the coup attempt focused mainly on Almaty, the economic capital of the country whose region is the stronghold of the Nazarbayev clan. But President Tokayev speaks of 11 regions of the country which have been ” assaulted »Of the 14 in the country.
According to the local press and several sources, one of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s nephews, Kairat Satybaldy, would have mobilized various forces to sow chaos in Almaty. Extremist religious groups, criminal organizations, individuals came from abroad for money, prisoners were reportedly released for the occasion. Very poor people from the villages and suburbs around Almaty were also present even though they did not know what they were participating in.
There was looting of shops and banks; public buildings were taken, such as the town hall of Almaty or police stations; armories were robbed. And then the international airport of Almaty was also invaded and ransacked.
An ex-adviser to Nursultan Nazarbayev, Ermoukhamet Yertysbayev, assured on television that the forces which usually guard this airport had been ordered to evacuate 40 minutes before the rioters arrived. What they did. The members of the Nazarbayev clan, helped by religious extremists and criminals – a famous leader of a mafia group has also been arrested in Almaty these days -, therefore had the support of part of the police. .
And this would explain in particular the arrest for high treason Thursday, January 6 of Karim Massimov, a former Prime Minister and who was head of the KNB, the National Security Committee.
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