How Kazhegeldin will come back to homeland

Bakytgul Makimbay, Erik Khvatal

Readers have been calling our editorial office often of late to inquire why Akezhan Kazhegeldin is not involved in the activities of the democratic forces' coordination board. We will try to contact him and will shortly advise our readers of his opinion on current developments in Kazakhstan.
Today, we publish a related interview with Vladimir Chernyshov, former member of the Kazakhstan's Supreme Soviet.

- Mr. Chernyshov, today is a Democracy Day. Why, in your opinion, this holiday is celebrated on January 19?
- January 19, 2002 is regarded as a starting point of a true democracy movement in Kazakhstan. Generally speaking, those who have launched this initiative, undertake too much. The brairds of true democracy emerged in Akezhan Kazhegeldin's interview in the Caravan newspaper in 1997 when he openly said about the need to change the Kazakhstan's political system. This was a first attempt to wake up the Kazakh nation, to tell the people where they were going, where they were being led. After that, persecution and trial in absentia of Akezhan Kazhegeldin followed. As a result, he became the first political expatriate of the so-called Republic of Kazakhstan.

- Why are you ironic about this?
- I say so because after the January 17 trial, which I attended, there is no longer Constitution in Kazakhstan, the laws and president's decrees have lost effect. That's why I have finally come to a conclusion that Kazakhstan is not a republic any longer but a place that abides by a number of postulates.
- What kind of postulates?
- Provisionally, the first postulate is as follows: - Kazakhstan is nothing else than a limited (so far?) monarchy. The second postulate: all-Kazakh autocrat Nazarbayev represents the entire power in Kazakhstan. The third postulate: Nazarbayev is always right, and, finally, the forth postulate - if someone doubts anything, he or she has to refer to postulate No. three.
Though the power is now concentrated in the hands of one person - in Nazarbayev's hands - I cannot call him a president. In accordance with the Law on President of April 27, 1990, the president's term in office is five years and the president can serve no more than two terms in a row. This law and only this law covers the Nazarbayev's term in office. Under this law, his term expired on April 27, 2000. From the year 2000 on, Kazakhstan has had the all-Kazakh tzar who has appointed himself as the head of state.
Kazakhstan is the only state in the former Soviet Union where previously the people used to elect khans and judges, i.e. Kazakhstan had age-long brairds of democracy. But Nazarbayev came, and all that was lost.

You are in the know of Akezhan Kazhegeldin's destiny. But he didn't work in vain. He was the first to start waking up the Kazakh nation. He signaled that we were heading the wrong way, and paid for it. The next attempt was made by a large group of people when on January 19, 2002, held a meeting to initiate referendum on the election of heads of regional administrations (akims) at all levels. Those who launched that civil movement, was the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan, one member of which is in political exile in Moscow, the other in Shiderty settlement.
Sergey Duvanov attempted to tell people the truth. He didn't hesitate to speak out about what was going on in Kazakhstan, and eventually was sentenced for allegedly raping a minor - a charge trumped up by the law-enforcement agencies.
I wonder whether we still have a state if all the branches are embodied in one person now. In fact, there are no authorities in Kazakhstan. The autocrat goes along with an institution of courtier buffoons acting in three directions. They are the legislature buffoons, the judiciary or law-enforcement buffoons and the executive buffoons. None of the three directions has any real power. They fulfill the President's will.
A prosecutor can't possibly be ignorant of laws, but this person have got no idea of law terms, since the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan was charged in line with the buffoon laws. Only deeds are subject to prosecution. They intended to turn to citizens to initiate a civil disobedience act. Which means, they were sentenced for the intent. Now the entire buffoon team represented by the law-enforcement agencies, the executive and judiciary authorities strictly carry out their monarch's will, and they will continue to do so until Kazakhstan turns into a true republic.
- Today, both the authorities and opposition are reluctant to recall the name of Akezhan Kazhegeldin in Kazakhstan. They seem to be afraid of him...
- He said in his interview, "We have come into this world naked, and will leave it naked. The name will remain, either clean it or not." The opposition is afraid because Akezhan Kazhegeldin is on the right path. He discerns the evil associated with the usurpation of power by one person. He was the first to suggest that the Kazakh president be elected to one term only. Therefore, even opposition does not like him. They would like to have it at least for two terms. The authorities do not like him - or rather fear him - because Kazhegeldin knows too much, and he knows the main thing - what should be avoided. I personally would welcome Akezhan Kazhegeldin's coming to power in Kazakhstan for five years just for one reason.
- What is the reason? It's no secret that lots of people coming to power on the post-soviet territory are reluctant to say goodbye to it. There are plenty of examples at various levels.
- Absolutely. He, even if this opposition disappears, he would create it artificially. Since any opposition is good. Opposition prevents the authorities from making bad mistakes. It timely warns: you are going a wrong way, keep your eyes wide open, this could end in a poor way. To remain in power, Akezhan Kazhegeldin would have to conduct half of his activities as opposition says, and he realizes this. The main thing, why a dislike? He was one of those who first realized that he is needed only in Kazakhstan and nowhere else. He is a stranger elsewhere; he has no other homeland. Unfortunately, the authorities in the person of one person, Nazarbayev, do not see this.

Many opposition members do not realize that Akezhan Kazhegeldin has made a great contribution in the emergence of opposition. He possessed almost absolute executive power, and if he had bowed low and had obediently fulfilled the President's will as head of the cabinet, he would have been in office till now and have luxuriated here, though tarnished himself as an honest person. But he didn't, that's why neither the authorities nor opposition like him.
Some believe that if we do not take radical measures today, Kazakhstan would cease to exist as a state. Why has this happen? I deeply respect Akezhan Kazhegeldin, but what he openly said in 1997, I have started to say since April 1990. That's why I was the most "criticized" figure in Kazakhstan.
- Did Akezhan Kazhegeldin react to your criticism?
- Since 1990, I have said that Kazakhstan is sliding into the abyss. But Akezhan Kazhegeldin was the first to hear me. Many have forgotten that he came to us in the 12th session of the Supreme Soviet of Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic in the summer of 1993. In a couple of months, he was appointed as a deputy of prime minister Sergei Tereshchenko. The moment the government took the wrong path, Nazarbayev had to replace Tereshchenko by Akezhan Kazhegeldin under the pressure of the Supreme Soviet in 1994.
- Nazarbayev made the right choice then, didn't he?
- Yes, and the things began improving. But later Akezhan Kazhegeldin understood where Nazarbayev was leading the country; he was the first to see what a debtor pit awaits Kazakhstan. His first speech in February in 1997 was very courageous though few noticed it then; he openly said that he was an international broker rather than a prime minister. For some reason, only few heard him. He was working for the future. And today the intellectual Kazakhs have understood what he had been talking about, and what he had been calling for.
-Today the authorities lay the blame for all privatization faults on Kazhegeldin only. Why only prime ministers are responsible for faults if the President runs the state single-handedly in Kazakhstan?

- On Nazarbayev's initiative, the 1995 Constitution was drafted and adopted, which has stripped the government of all its rights. Akezhan Kazhegeldin's responsibilities were to manage the executive branch made of courtier buffoons. Look, it is written in the Constitution, "President shall formulate the domestic and foreign policy". The others are to pursue his will. There is a postulate of incompetent ruler - I am not afraid of such a definition - everything which is good in Kazakhstan is the Nazarbayev's merit, while everything which is bad is a prime minister's fault. And the postulate works. Premiers are guilty, not the President. No matter, that they were pursuing President's will as prescribed by the Constitution. It will take time to understand whose fault it is, and you can lay the blame on anyone. But actually the time has gone but not for Kazhegeldin but for the Nazarbayevs. Over the years in exile, Akezhan Kazhegeldin has been increasingly and deeply understanding what he mustn't do in case he comes to power. And he would prevent this.
- But the people think - there is no difference whatsoever, one will go, another will come. Everything will rest unchanged. What is your opinion?
- I would like to assure the readers of your newspaper - it will not. Why so? Because any leader to come in Kazakhstan cannot be an autocrat, it is very dangerous, and first of all, personally for him. He himself will be building opposition to warn him what he must avoid.
- I see from your words that you have been communing with Akezhan Kazhegeldin very closely.
- Once we were talking for a long time, and I liked very much his idea why he stood for a single presidential term. Your term expired; your rival wins. He or she would learn your lessons what a leader mustn't do. There is a slogan "The power perverts, and absolute power perverts absolutely." That is why Akezhan Kazhegeldin doesn't want absolutism, he is afraid of it; he stands for the removable authorities. He would like to reside in people's memory as a good person.
- In his statement, Akezhan Kazhegeldin calls Kazakhstan's democratic community to join efforts under the banner of Ak Zhol. Not all opposition members respond to his call. Do you think this proposal is still in force?
- A very good question. It is not the opposition's fault, it is its problem. In human's nature is to seek more than you bring in. Having understood that the authority is unstable and no one needs it, that the surname Nazarbayev have become an invective, everyone attempts to get as much as possible. I am a secretary of the Communist Central Supervisory Commission and many Communists ask me openly what we have in common with the "bourgeoisie". I answer that that is our single goal - to make Kazakhstan a Republic of Kazakhstan instead of a monarchy. To get rid of the tsar and to make all the branches removable and accountable. As soon as we remove the tsar, everything will dry straight. Democratic election will be held. Winners will rule, losers will look and learn.

Akezhan Kazhegeldin has contributed a lot to the development of our democracy. And no one would make a greater contribution to the establishment of the coordination board. This is because the international support is provided through Akezhan Kazhegeldin. Information on the opposition in Kazakhstan is provided worldwide through him. If each of us accomplishes just 10 per cent of what Kazhegeldin has been doing, in a year we will reverse the situation and establish a normal state.
- Don't you think that the opposition in Kazakhstan is somewhat afraid of Kazhegeldin? He is unable to actively participate even in the activities of the coordination board. Maybe, they fear that he, as a smart and competent person, would lay hands on leadership in the opposition.
- There is no danger. Akezhan Kazhegeldin is a smart man enough to claim all the benefits. He realizes only too well that he will not cope with running the state all alone. He is among a few politicians, and he is a prominent politician, and he realizes that head of state should be the laziest person. I will explain why. A lazy, but intellectually developed person realizes that he is unable do all the work all alone, and he will form a team that will work. And Akezhan Kazhegeldin realizes this only too well.
- You do hope that he will come back to Kazakhstan. Are you really sure that he will have such a chance?
- I will explain. Some time ago, I prepared and introduced into the Kazakhstan's Civil Code the article that I had been holding back for a decade, and few know about it. This Article, along with Art. 9 and 43 of the Civil Code, will enable Akezhan Kazhegeldin to return by means of the judiciary. I will not discuss the article on purpose, I have worked hard to develop it, it is my child. It will enable each of us, including the party that Akezhan Kazhegeldin heads, to get back everything. The article is very subtle, and if the government had been clever, it would have annulled it altogether. But it is still in effect. And I have employed it. I have forwarded a letter to the coordination board. On January 28, I will address the plenary meeting of the communist party central committee of Kazakhstan. We will refer to it. It is too late to revoke it. Consequences are already in place.
- Thank you for your sincere answers.

"DATа Nedeli", No. 11, 2005