Thanks to Tom Toomey for pointing out that recently the New York Post published Cindy Adams’ latest column where she does Kazakhstan. Disclaimer for those who don’t know Cindy Adams: she’s a gossip journalist and scandalizing is her job and her style. Don’t be too offended. She has to say bad things about everything she writes about; that’s why people read her. And incidentally the article has many good things to say about the nation.

The article is funny in bits. I thought she got some things very wrong though, even allowing for her style.
She wrote: “FASHION: For a man, black tie is a T- shirt worn outside the pants. But the local ladies are nifty.”

You do occasionally see business men out on the town in appallingly informal clothes. I recently spotted a big man on the town in an old sports suit and no T-shirt underneath. The zipper was pulled way down so all the chest hair showed. But it is much more common to see dark suits and colorful ties. Kazakhstani dress extremely formally by US standards, even when going out to a cafe. Sunday I see people walking in the park with their kids wearing khakis and an Oxford shirt. Especially in Astana.

She says: “Kazakhstan is the world’s ninth largest country, and the 375th ending in the suffix stan.”
OK, it does get old hearing about -stan. There are plenty of countries that end in -land (Iceland, England, Poland) and a fair number that end in -ia (Albania, Romania, Latvia). Why does -stan bother people?

The highlight of the article, I thought, was this bit on her first taste of beshbarmak. Or her first non-taste.

ANIMALS: This is the beginning of the horse family, 55 million years ago. They began on the archeological site Krasnyi Yar in northern Kazakhstan. I don’t know how to break the news . . . but in the mountain region of Borovoe, they served it to me for lunch. With noodles. I had a salad.

Thanks to Net News Publisher for bringing this to my attention.

However as a resident of Astana it was hard to miss the fact that the newly inaugurated Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, was recently here. Roads were blocked off, Russian flags were hanging from hotels and planted outside Bayterek. Black Mercedes and Land Cruisers with government plates were to be found everywhere.

It is however significant that not only did the President’s visit inconvenience residents, it also marked the importance of Russia-Kazakhstan relations. The RFE/RL article points out that Putin’s first State visit as President was to Uzbekistan. Now Kazakhstan has become the main regional power with a stable society, a stronger economy, and more international respect and prestige. Kazakhstan also has more economic and political ties with Russia, partially due to geography and partially due to its large Russian population.

It should also be noted that Medvedev’s choice to visit Kazakhstan (and to make a visit so soon after his inauguration) reflects an interest in Central Asia over Europe or the US or other Asian nations. Recently Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in particular, have negotiated quite a bit over oil distribution and pricing. Medvedev clearly is interested in continuing this cooperation and seeing these deals come to fruition. His visit is a signal that Kazakhstan is very much a priority in his foreign policy.

Of course, the President will likely not bother to come to the US until after January 19th, when his new counterpart will be inaugurated–President Bush is a lame duck and there’s not much point in continuing negotiations especially as Bush and Putin recently signed a memorandum of sorts laying out where the US and Russia agree and where they disagree.

So it is notable, but not surprising that Medvedev took a chance to climb Bayterek first.

I got a few annoyed emails about my last post, See? Kazakhs Do Have a Sense of Humor.

One emailer pointed out the long tradition of comedy and humor of the Kazakh nation. I can only agree and point them to my post on Kazakh Humour.

Most however were upset with my use of the word Kazakh to refer to the Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko [Note: his name is not Vladimir, this is not a type]. This is a common linguistic confusion. Technically, the word Kazakh refers to people of Kazakh ethnic descent. Kazakhstani or Kazakhstany means people who live in or are from Kazakhstan. For those who think this formulation (-i or -y) sounds strange in English, you can always use a longer phrase, such as “people of Kazakhstan”.

However you will find many exceptions, where Kazakh is used to refer to Kazakhstan. There is the Kazakh-Russian university (where students of all ethnicities are welcome to apply). There are various Kazakh associations of sport, or politics which are open to Russians, Ukrainians, Germans, and so on. In other words, sometimes we get lazy and say Kazakh when we mean Kazakhstani. It is an issue to be aware of, because some people are extremely sensitive about their nationality.

Perhaps some think that Borat can get away with mocking Kazakhstan because it is not a particularly powerful country and because it is pretty remote from the US and the UK, where Sascha Baron Cohen does most of his filming. But when Mr. Cohen was spotted by a world champion in boxing from Kazakhstan, things got a little up close and personal.

Wladimir Klitschko, 220 pounds and 6 foot 6 inches tall (3 inches taller than Mr. Cohen), was born in Kazakhstan although he now lives in the Ukraine. When he spotted Borat and his wife, Isla Fischer, dining in the same LA restaurant, Mr. Klitschko decided to have a little fun. According to The Daily Star, Klitschko said:

“As he walked past me I turned to face him and said, ‘Hey, I think you are an arsehole for what you said about Kazakhstan’.
“Unbelievably, he started to defend himself – but before he could continue I stood up and was towering over him.
“I said, ‘I have broken people’s necks for less than what you have done’.
“He looked frightened – like he had picked a fight with the wrong man. And then I owned up and told him I really think his Borat character is amazing.
“He looked pretty relieved!”

Something a dear friend send me that’s going around the Russian Internets 20 phrases in Russian That Will be of Use to English Football Fans during the Champion League Finals in Moscow. It appears to have originated with Prosports a popular Russian sports journal, but I can’t find it linked there. It’s very funny and obviously a joke, but also actually useful for learning some slang. It is however quite useless if you don’t already speak Russian.

I liked this one about swearing:

CHYORT POBERI! [CHORT pa-bee-REE] - expression of disappointment.
Synonims [sic]: Blin gorely! [BLEEN ga-REHlyl, Mat’ moya zhenshchina [MAT ma-YAH ZHENshchee- nal, Vot zhopa, obidno, da? [vot ZHO-pa, a-BEED-na, DAH?].

and

MATRYOSHKA [mat-RYOSH-ka] and USHANKA [ooh- SHAHN-ka] - most popular Moscow souvenirs. As soon as your suitcase is filled up with wooden dolls and big ‘hairy’, hats, you will need a phrase: ’spasibo, mne bolshe nichego ne nuzhno v vashei strane’ [spa-SEEba, mne BOL-sheh neeche- GOH ne NOOZH-na v VAH-shei strah-NEH].

The last phrase translates as: Thank you. I don’t need anything else from your country now.

And of course,
“If your suitcases have been lost, if your hotel room has a view over a rubbish heap and in all of Moscow you can’t find an English speaking person, say bardak and you immediately will feel better.”

It’s true. It does make you feel better.

As Parliament debates a new law “On Religion”, Forum 18 reports on religious leaders’ complaints. Most religious leaders were hesitant to speak publicly, in itself a sign that the atmosphere in Kazakhstan is not as tolerant as the government often claims. However, Lutheran Bishop Yuri Novgorodov, whose church has 52 congregations in Kazakhstan characterized the law as “a Law on Non-Freedom of Conscience.”

Among its controversial articles, the law currently in the drafting stage, would require all religious organizations to reregister meaning that even religious organizations fully registered at this time and in full compliance of all laws would have to go back through the registration process. It would mean that 1) all religious organizations would become illegal until they reregister and it would also allow the law to have retroactive force. In other words, a religious organizatio fully established in Kazakhstan which didn’t meet new requirements would have to pack up and leave.

The draft law would allow registration for religious groups which “conduct divine services, religious rituals and preaching and other religious ceremonies”, meaning that the government is defining what is legitimate religion and what it not . Religious leaders have taken offense to this provision of the law. Some have pointed out that Buddhists, who do not necessarily meet this description, could have issues in registering. Any religion or sect that spurns religious ritual or preaching or collective services in favor of individual meditation will likely have issues registering.

Religious organizations will also be required to submit a description of:

“basics of their faith”, the history of the faith as a whole and the particular community, as well as their attitude to marriage, the family, education, the health of their adherents and their attitude to their adherents’ civil obligations. It remains unclear why this information is needed, how much information is required on each point or who will decide whether information supplied is acceptable or not.

For many this requirement is highly intrusive. It can also lead to an ungainly registration process as Muslims, Christians and Jews may need several hundred pages to fully explain the history of their faith, let along the fundamentals.

Furthermore the law allows the state to conduct expert evaluations of religious groups. The experts may be state officials, lawyers, or members of other religious groups. Religious groups can be denied registration or have their registration cancelled on the basis of these inspections.

These requirements appear to be put in place to weed out groups with anti-social beliefs such as sects that believe in violent overthrow of the government, or isolation from society, polygamy, child marriage. However the registration requirements are formulated in such a way that the burden of proof seems to fall on the religious organizations–all religions are guilty until proven innocent.

Further provisions of the law severely restrict the rights of religious organizations to collect donations, print or distribute literature, proselytize, or even organize centrally. The latter issue is likely to create problems for main stream Christian churches which are traditionally organized on the basis of local parishes or dioceses which in turn are part of larger regional dioceses.

The new law, which amends the current law “On Religion” was approved as open for consideration in Parliament on 2 April. Prime Minister Karim Massimov has given his approval to the Draft Law.

The current law is unpopular for its ban on unregistered religious activity, a provision that led to the fining and expulsion of a Norwegian and a Japanese missionary from the Christian Brothers Church this week. No other criminal charges or complaints were laid against the two missionaries. The Baptist Church has also been long entrenched in court cases with the Kazakhstan government due to the Church’s belief that registration with government organizations is “absolute intrusion into the inner life of believers”, in the words of one believer. The draft law does nothing to amend the registration requirement.

Or my blog. Or the Roberts Report. Days after The Wall Street Journal reported that Dariga Nazarbayeva had commissioned a report on the Kazakh Gate trial and that the document (hundreds of pages long) was in Rakhat Aliyev’s hands, Mr. Aliyev has announced his willingness to give evidence in the Kazakh Gate trial.

Rakhat Aliyev has shown his interest in embarrassing the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and his colleagues. In the months between the call for his arrest and his trials in absentia for treason, kidnapping, assault, and illegal business practices, Aliyev released a number of phone calls of high political officials, members of the Nurotan party, and businessmen. Perhaps his interest in appearing in the Kazakhgate trials is to embarrass the powers that be in Kazakhstan further, either out of revenge or in the hopes of brokering a deal so that he can return to power.

Azat (formerly Nagyz Ak Zhol) announced this week a plan to resolve the financial crisis.

The opposition party highlighted the crisis as resulting in a decline in industries unrelated to oil and mining, a stagnant retail market, a decrease in real income for 70% of the population, and causing issues in tax collection. They have called for the Prime Minister, Karim Masimov, to step down due to his “incompetence”.

They also called for the end of unnecessary expenses. The president made a similar request in his Address to the People of Kazakhstan earlier this year. However, the opposition includes construction of prestige projects in Astana on its list, as well as special military organizations. They say this will lead to $2 billion in savings which can be put into salaries and pensions. Another $7 billion they suggest should be taken from the National Oil Fund (which was created to be used in the case of financial crises but as yet has not been touched) and put into the economy.

The government should also pay for renovation of infrastructure, repairs of apartment buildings and highway construction, according to Azat. At the moment much of that work is done by government contract to private companies. However PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) have plagued the government for years because there is no clear understanding of what it means. The Prime Minister recently called for a brainstorming session on this topic.

Finally the opposition party called for the National Bank to cancel its requirements for commerical banks to hold reserves equal to their credit, so that more loans and credit can be accessed by the people.

For a mostly negative review of this plan, see Adam Kesher’s post on Neweurasia.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, Dariga Nazarbayeva hired private consultants to collect information about the Kazakhgate trial. One of the companies she controls, World Media Corporation, hired private consultants to investigate the case, in which the Justice Department alleges that businessman James Giffen bribed President Nazarbayev with a total of $84 million in order to gain access to Kazakhstan’s oil supplies for US oil companies. Giffen has claimed that he did provide bribes at the request of the CIA. The government of Kazakhstan has not contested the claim and has publicly ignored it.

GlobalOptions Management was hired by Ms. Nazarbayeva to collect information. Their report includes financial details and names of key witnesses. GlobalOptions apparently did not violate any laws because it did not seek to influence the outcome or collect classified or secret information. However, if this report, which was apparently viewed by members of the Kazakhstan government, fell into the wrong hands one wonders what damage it could do.

We may well find out. Rakhat Aliyev, former husband of Dariga Nazarbayeva and recently convicted in-absentia of plotting to violently overthrow the government, apparently has the report now. He has not been shy about posting what he claims are phone calls between high government officials and businessmen on the web. One wonders what he plans to do with this document. Sean Roberts has a few speculations and I can’t think of anything to add to his list.

Patrick Frost at Central Asia Foreign Policy Blog recently posted a disturbing article about violence against minorities in Russia. Of course, most of the non-Slavic residents are from Central Asia and the Caucacus. Around 50 people were killed in clear hate crimes in the first three months of 2008, according to human rights groups. That’s four times more such attacks than last year in the same period. It’s also around one attack every other day!

It’s also been noted that the attacks are becoming much more violent, frenzied and organized:

These types of attacks have occurred in recent years in Russia, but they are becoming more organized and severe. Many of the victims have been stabbed 20-30 times during an attack and far-right websites warn that future attacks may include the use of bombs and guns. Semyon Charny, an expert at the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights, said the situation in Moscow was ‘like a safari.’

While Kyrgyzstan has made official complaints to the Russian government, Kazakhstan as far as I know has been silent. Any number of Kazakh friends of mine have been victims of blatantly racist remarks such as being told to go back home, or referred to as “darkies” in Moscow. One hopes that the Central Asian governments will put some pressure on Russia, or lend resources to put an end to the larger and more organized right-wing nationalist groups.

Central Asians make up around 850,000 of Moscow’s 10 million inhabitants.