Brutal attack by company thugs on CWI members in Almata

Last Friday afternoon, members of the ‘Socialist Resistance’ in Almata city, Kazakhstan, organised a peaceful protest outside the Head Office of the giant construction and oil refinery company, Kuat Corporation. They were protesting against companies, such as Kuat, which are behind the forcible evictions of tenants from the outlying areas of Almata, so that elite new housing complexes can be built in their place. The Socialist Resistance comrades held placards saying, "We won’t allow the destruction of Almata" and "Hands off Shanyrak!"

With minutes of the protest starting, Kuat company security guards approached the picketers. Initially, the guards were restrained by the presence of over a dozen journalists. But after a short wait, the head of security suddenly attacked Socialist Resistance member, Ainur Kurmanov, twisting his arm behind his back and frog-marched him into the company’s premises. Two other comrades, Daniyar Yenikeev and Yakov Federov were thrown to the ground and badly kicked.

According to Ainur, who managed to use his mobile to speak to journalists, the three Socialist Resistance members were badly beaten. Yakov has a broken nose and is badly bruised. The ambulance called by the comrades arrived after | ten minutes but the security thugs came out to the doctors and "had a quiet chat" encouraging them to leave. The three Socialist Resistance members were then transferred to the local police station, where apparently, the police were reluctant to take them in, fearing that then they would be accused of the beatings.

Email protests can be sent to the company’s office, demanding the sacking of the security thugs and a public enquiry into the actions of the construction companies in Almata.

Update 13 Sept:

CWI comrades in the CIS sent the following update on the case of three comrades who were attacked and badly injured by oil company thugs, in Almata Kazakhstan, last Friday (for details, see above):

Journalists who witnessed the beating of three comrades (Ainur Kurmanov, Daniyar Yenikeev and Yakov Federov) during a protest outside the Head Office of the giant construction and oil refinery company, Kuat Corporation, issued a public statement attacking the company. After this condemnation was aired on TV, the General Director of Kuat was forced to apologise for the brutal attack on the three comrades!

Given this, it seems the police are not sure what to do next (in the 'normal' course of things, the police would arrest and charge the security thugs responsible for the attack and investigate the role of the company bosses in the attack).

Following our appeal, we understand that over a dozen international protests went to the Kuat Corporation (undoubtedly more were sent; please make sure forward protests to the CWI email address given below). These have also had an effect.

Please continue to send protests, demanding the sacking of the security thugs responsible for the attacks and calling for a public enquiry into the actions of the construction companies in Almata, such as Kuat, which are behind the forcible evictions of tenants from the outlying areas of Almata, so that elite new housing complexes can be built in their place.