Kazakh Police and Army fire on striking oil workers killing 70, wounding hundreds

international | workers issues | opinion/analysis Saturday December 17, 2011 01:14 by Jolly Red Giant - Socialist Party / CWI

Today, at Kazakhstan’s independence day, more than 3000 people assembled peacefully in Zhanaozen, to promote the demands of the oil workers who have been on strike since May. Police and special forces attacked the meeting and opened fire on the strikers and their families. By around 10 a.m., London time, 50 had already been killed, with at least 500 more wounded.

Administrative buildings and the christmas tree in the center square have been set on fire. One of the buildings of the oil company, Uzenmunaigaz, was blown up. An information blockade has been set up, the Socialist Resistance Kazakhstan website was blocked (Socialist Resistance is a sister party of the Socialist Party and affiliated to the Committee for a Workers International CWI). The Kazakh government have attempted to block social media in an effort to keep reports of the atrocities under wraps. At around 10:15 London time reports of armoured vehicles and military forces approaching from the city of Aktau. Paul Murphy Socialist Party/ULA MEP recently visited Kazakhstan and participated in negotiations with the Kazakh government on behalf of the striking oil workers. The Kazakhstan government has since declared Paul Murphy persona-non-grata banning him from re-entering the country. CWI reporters have been issuing regular updates of events in western Kazakhstan when possible. The reports can be found here -