Clashes in Kazakh town as independence day marked

ALMATY, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Sacked workers of oil company KazMunaiGas Exploration Production (KMG EP) clashed with police on Friday in a town in western Kazakhstan on Friday, when the Central Asian country marks Independence day, prosecutors said.


A statement by Kazakhstan's prosecutor-general's office said two police officers had been injured during clashes in the town of Zhanaozen, and asked residents not to gather in public places.
The statement gave no figure for the protesters, but said that "mass disorders occurred today as a result of criminal actions of a group of people in the town of Zhanaozen of the Mangistau region".

Clashes in Kazakh town as independence day marked | Reuters

Click to expand...

I haven't had time to look into this but a friend has said:

"In Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan 70 oil workers and local residents have been killed by police who fired on a mass meeting of 3,000 striking workers and their families. At least 500 injured. Many more arrested. City up in arms!"

I was hoping it would turn into a flash dance mob routine. Those guys are pissed. What caused the incident?

They were outraged that the administration was preparing a holiday for the town's residents ... and they started pelting stones at people walking by," Zhanna Oishibayeva, an aide to the Mangistau governor, told Reuters.

Click to expand...

That seems short of what the quote from the article is, and the result on youtube.

Blue_state said:

What caused the incident?

Click to expand...

"In Zhanaozen, Kazakhstan 70 oil workers and local residents have been killed by police who fired on a mass meeting of 3,000 striking workers and their families. At least 500 injured. Many more arrested. City up in arms!"


Also, an update. CWI Kazakhstan correspondents have reported that a young woman, 15 or 16, is among those killed by state forces. Health centres in the Aktau region are appealing for blood donations to help treat those wounded. The "Akimat", the local administration office building, has been completely burned down. Rallies and protests are planned for tomorrow all over the country.

Up to 70 workers shot dead. All social media and mass media has been blocked by the Nazarbayev regime. 1500 marines have now entered Zhanaozen. People are rallying in the main square.

Today, at Kazakhstan's independence day, more than 3000 people assembled peacefully in Zhanaozen, to promote the demands of the oil workers who have been on strike since May. Police and special forces attacked the meeting and opened fire on the strikers and their families. By around 10AM, London time, 50 had already been killed, with at least 500 more wounded. Administrative buildings and the Christmas tree in the center square have been set on fire. One of the buildings of the oil company, Uzenmunaigaz, was blown up. An information blockade has been set up. At around 10:15 London time reports of tanks and military forces approaching from the city of Aktau.

News reports are claiming only 10 dead, but they are getting this figure from the "official" sources of the Kazakh regime (i.e. the regime of those that did the shootings). Strikers are claiming 70+ dead and hundreds wounded. Electricity has also been shut off in Zhanaozen and there are helicopters patrolling the skies while military forces including troops and vehicles are in the city.