>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2000 06:02:41 EDT >Subject: Protests Needed as Jailed Kazakh Workers Leader Begins Hunger Strike > >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >MIME-Version: 1.0 >X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 32 >Status: > >RUSSIA INFO-LIST >from International Solidarity with Workers in Russia - ISWoR >*********************************************************** >If you appreciate receiving this mail please distribute it to your friends and >post it to internet forums; if not, send a "no more" message to: >International Solidarity with Workers in Russia - email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >*********************************************************** >URGENT - PROTESTS NEEDED! > > >Leader of Kazakh Workers Movement Begins Hunger Strike in Jail > > >Madel Ismailov, chair of the Kazak Labour Movement Solidarity which has been >opposing the appalling conditions of life and work as well as the massive >state repression against trade unionists in Kazakhstan, has begun a hunger >strike in prison after being arrested a week ago. > >Its not the first time he has been jailed by Nazerbaev���s government. Last >time Madel was jailed, along with close comrade Sergei Kolokolov for >anti-capitalist graffiti., both became ill due to atrocious prison >conditions, and after 5 months the 28 year old Kolokolov died. Madel later >described the prison to ISWoR as "a concentration camp". There is no doubt >that despite the formal sentence of only 15 days, the government will be >using this period to threaten Madel with far worse if he does not abandon his >political activity. > >In March, Madel went to the US where he met a wide range of representatives >of the workers movement, including ISWoR. On the 5th April Ismailov held a >press conference in Alma-Ata where he talked about the international workers >solidarity that was building in support of the impoverished and repressed >Kazak workers. > >He also talked of plans to hold an All Kazak Workers Movement Congress in the >summer, to which delegates from other ex-CIS countries would be going (and >ISWoR is invited) too. The Congress may have to be held in Russia because of >even worse internal repression in Kazakhstan. > >The day after the press conference Ismailov was arrested by the Kazak >authorities, allegedly for holding an ���illegal��� meeting back in January! >This was a demo protesting the terrible poverty of pensioners, where police >attempts to arrest Madel then were physically thwarted by the demonstration. > > >In Kazakhstan a gulf has opened up between the Kazakh capitalist ruling class >represented by the President, who is the 8th richest man in the world, and >the US capitalist interests in the area, similar to the situation in Russia. >As a result the US government would like to manipulate the independent Kazakh >trade union movement in its favour - as with Russia. Ismailov, has spoken and >written on numerous occasions about the appalling suffering that selling off >eneterprises to western companies has caused. It is up to us, grass-roots >trade unionists of the world, to show our real solidarity now with militant >Kazak workers so that all attempts of American fatcats to take control of the >fightback against repression fall flat, and so that the greedy monster >Nazerbaev is not allowed to starve and terrorise Kazakhstan���s workers into >submission. The spark of resistance that could become a blazing inferno must >not be silenced nor extinguished. > >Please protest immediately to the Kazak embassy in your country, with copy of >your letter to us at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >protest to: > >United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (also Irish Republic, >Norway, Sweden) >33 Thurloe Square >London SW7 2SD >UK >tel: +44171-581 4646 >fax: +44 171-584 8481 >E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >United States of America (also Canada, Mexico) >3421 Massachusetts Ave. >N.W.Washington D.C. 20007 >tel: +1 202-333-4504 >fax: 333-4509 >E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >for others, see: >http://www.zoo.co.uk/~kazakhstan/Dipmissn.html > > > >Lisa Taylor - Steve Myers >for ISWoR - International Solidarity with Workers in Russia > >Background Information can be found at: > >http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/news/kazakh1.html > >http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/news/kazappeal99.html > >http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/4580/rdks.html > > >Updated info will be posted at >http://members.aol.com/ISWoR/english/news/kazakh2.html > >as it comes in. >************************************************** > > >*********************************************************** >The RUSSIA INFO-LIST >puts out information and analysis from a wide range of sources. >If you have something you would like to distribute on Russia Info-List, or >want to help in our practical solidarity work, contact: >[EMAIL PROTECTED]< >Box R, 46 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8RZ, England >*********************************************************** > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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