At the same time Western countries are yearning for alternatives to Russian oil and gas, and dealing with peak energy prices, many countries in Asia have the opportunity to become a supplier to the West.
Kazakhstan could be at the top of the list – but the administration is too busy with political imprisonments.
Kazakhstan's self-sabotage
The ordinary European and American citizen probably shares little to no concern regarding their knowledge about Kazakhstan. Still, they sure do know that the countries they live in are dealing with an energy crisis, and peak prices for gas and electricity. The Central-Asian country can be a solution for the French. Still, the current Kazakh government is crossing red lines that even ordinary Western people will not accept.
Kazakhstan’s current administration doesn’t miss an opportunity to show the world they cannot be a part of the game.
Demonstrations met with violence
In January, a wave of protests swept the country. While demonstrations are common for readers of this article, whether you are from the US, Europe, or Israel, you are probably aware that demonstrations are part of democratic life. The person or institute who is being protested against needs to contain them. However, the president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, took a different approach.
Tokayev responded with repressive and violent actions, killing hundreds of protesters and arresting thousands. In addition, Tokayev didn’t hesitate to only publicly jail politicians or anyone who publicly criticized his regime, but also those politicians who were among his supporters just because they were becoming too powerful in the eyes of Tokayev.
Imagine yourself marching in the street, protesting against your president, holding a sign and chanting slogans, and getting shot. Imagine speaking your mind on social media and arranging a get-together to bring the change you desire and have your representative arrested. And suppose a president instructs live fire on citizens.
You don’t have to be Syrian to acknowledge the war crimes of Assad and you don’t have to live in Moscow to see the tyranny of Putin.
Killing and arresting protesters, including political rivals, is a sign of dictatorship. If the Kazakh government wants the progress and prosperity their citizens deserve, they must change their orbit.
Kazakhstan maintains diplomatic relations with western countries. If they want to keep it, and even gain world fame and significant funds in exchange for their oil, they must play by the laws of democracy. Immediately release all the political prisoners, and allow opponents of the administration to demonstrate. It’s that simple.
The writer is a research economist at the World Bank.