In Kazakhstan, the people's anger against the government and the country's situation of poverty and oppression flared up in recent days. Protests began earlier this week when the price cap on gas was lifted and the price doubled. This is despite the wealth of natural gas that the country has. The protests have spread to many parts of the country, but the country's largest city, Almaty, has become the centre of the fighting.
Meanwhile, dozens of protesters and at least 13 security forces have been killed in the fighting, according to authorities. According to the Kazakh Ministry of Health, more than 1000 people have been injured, of whom a good 400 have been taken to hospitals, with another 60 needing intensive care. The city commander of Almaty announced that more than 350 police officers and soldiers were among the injured. In addition, numerous police stations and government buildings were reportedly attacked. The presidential palace was set on fire and Almaty airport was occupied by protesters.
President Kassym-Shomart Tokayev dismissed the government and declared a state of emergency for the whole country. The Kazakh military is now fighting the rebellious people. Russia, which keeps Kazakhstan in a semi-colonial dependency and is mainly responsible for the exploitation of the country's raw materials, also announced that it would send so-called peacekeeping troops. Thus, Russia already deployed soldiers to the central Asian country this morning. Paratroopers had been sent, several Russian state agencies reported. As recently as Wednesday, Russia had declared that no one would be allowed to interfere in Kazakhstan's affairs. Kazakhstan is part of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), which is a Russian-led military alliance comprising various former Soviet republics. So now the Russian military is also going to beat back the uprising of the Kazakh people in a bloody way.
The uprising shows the revolutionary situation in uneven development in which we find ourselves. Everywhere the situation for the peoples is getting worse and so everywhere and again great uprisings are sprouting like mushrooms. Because the intensified oppression is the accelerant for rebellion and resistance.
