Nonviolence in Kazakhstan

Recent protests and civil unrest in Kazakhstan have drawn attention to the conditions that have led to discontent with the country’s socio-economic conditions, with calls not only for lower fuel prices (the seeming cause for the initial protests) to something much farther reaching: an ouster of the unchallenged government which has ruled the country since 1991. While the media reports on mostly actions that include chaos (fires, storming airports, causing injury), we are certain that if we look more closely, we can find and support the nonviolent efforts taking place. We keep our faith in those movements, and they rarely get the international support or attention they need when large-scale anger breaks loose. That said, here are two articles from Waging Nonviolence that explore how Kazakhstanis have been drawing on nonviolent action to challenge the status quo:

Wave of creative protests threaten Kazakhstan’s elite ahead of elections

As press freedom shrinks in Kazakhstan, journalists are standing up for civil liberties

If you have concerns that nonviolence wouldn’t work to press the demands of the protestors, as one commentator put it, “sometimes waving flags and ribbons and being peaceful doesn’t do it…” understand that this is a very misleading representation of what nonviolence is or how it works. Please see our Frequently Held Misconceptions of Nonviolence for more information.