Conflict in the Soviet Union
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Conflict in the Soviet Union: The Untold Story of the Clashes in Kazakhstan October 1990 A Helsinki Watch Report 485 Fifth Avenue 1522 K Street, NW Third Floor Suite 910 New York, NY 10017-6104 Washington, DC 20005 (212) 972-8400 (202) 371-6592 Fax (212) 972-0905 Fax (202) 371-0124 Copyright (c) September 1990 by Human Rights Watch. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. ISBN: 0-929692-72-1 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 90-84550 THE HELSINKI WATCH COMMITTEE The Helsinki Watch Committee was established in 1979 to monitor and promote observance of internationally-recognized human rights in the Helsinki signatory countries. The Chairman of Helsinki Watch is Robert L. Bernstein; Vice Chairmen are Jonathan Fanton and Alice H. Henkin; Executive Director is Jeri Laber; Deputy Director is Lois Whitman; Washington Representative is Catherine Cosman; Staff Counsel are Holly Cartner and Theodore Zang, Jr. HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Human Rights Watch is composed of five Watch Committees: Africa Watch, Americas Watch, Asia Watch, Helsinki Watch and Middle East Watch. Executive Committee: Robert L. Bernstein, Chairman; Adrian W. DeWind, Vice Chairman; Roland Algrant; Lisa Anderson; Peter Bell; Dorothy Cullman; Jonathan Fanton; Jack Greenberg; Alice H. Henkin; Stephen Kass; Marina Kaufman; Jeri Laber; Aryeh Neier; Bruce Rabb; Kenneth Roth; Orville Schell; Sophie C. Silberberg; Gary Sick; Nadine Strossen. Staff: Aryeh Neier, Executive Director; Kenneth Roth, Deputy Director; Holly J. Burkhalter, Washington Director; Ellen Lutz, California Director; Susan Osnos, Press Director; Allyson Collins and Joanna Weschler, Research Associates; James Goldston, Orville Schell Intern. Executive Directors Africa Watch Americas Watch Asia Watch Rakiya Omaar Juan E. Méndez Sidney Jones Helsinki Watch Middle East Watch Jeri Laber Andrew Whitley INTERNATIONAL HELSINKI FEDERATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Helsinki Watch is an affiliate of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, a human rights organization that links Helsinki Committees in the following countries of Europe and North America: Austria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, the Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United States, Yugoslavia. The Chairman of the International Federation for Human Rights is Karl Johannes von Schwarzenberg; the Secretary General is Gerald Nagler; the Executive Director is Yadja Zeltman. IN DESPERATE STRAITS: Human Rights in Peru after a Decade of Democracy and Insurgency July 1990 An Americas Watch Report Embargoed for Release Until: Table of Contents Introduction................................................................................................................................................... 1 The December 1986 Events: Underlying Issues.......................................................................................... 5 An Inter-Ethnic Conflict Between Kazakhs and Russians?............................................................. 5 A Local Political Protest Against Control by Moscow?.................................................................. 6 Kazakh Power Struggle?.................................................................................................................. 6 A Chronology of the December 1986 Events ............................................................................................... 9 Mid-September, 1986: Kolbin's Appointment Becomes Known ................................................... 9 December 16, 1986: Kolbin Arrived in Alma-Ata .......................................................................... 9 December 17, 1986: The Battle Lines Are Drawn ......................................................................... 9 The Protestors Gather ......................................................................................................... 9 Official Reaction on Brezhnev Square ............................................................................. 10 Early Sparring................................................................................................................... 10 The Local Militia.............................................................................................................. 11 The Kazakh Auxiliary Police............................................................................................ 12 The Military Cadets.......................................................................................................... 12 The Military Line Up........................................................................................................ 12 The Dark Night of December 17 - 18, 1986 .................................................................................. 12 Troop Deployment............................................................................................................ 12 Demonstrators versus Troops ........................................................................................... 13 December 18, 1986: In the Throes of Battle.................................................................................. 13 The Russian Auxiliary Police........................................................................................... 13 The Military Cadets.......................................................................................................... 14 The Final Battle ................................................................................................................ 14 The General Role of the Military ..................................................................................... 15 Disturbances in Other Cities.......................................................................................................... 15 Official Reaction and Responsibility.......................................................................................................... 17 Temporary Restrictions on News and Travel ................................................................................ 17 "A Kazakh Nationalist Manifestation" .......................................................................................... 17 A Central Committee Recantation................................................................................................. 17 Official Responsibility?................................................................................................................. 18 Crowd Control ............................................................................................................................... 18 Recent Restrictions on Freedom of Assembly............................................................................... 19 Nature of the Violence................................................................................................................................ 21 Violence by Demonstrators ........................................................................................................... 21 Violence by the Armed Forces ...................................................................................................... 21 Sappers' Shovels ............................................................................................................................ 22 Beatings ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Initiation of Violence..................................................................................................................... 22 Provocations?................................................................................................................................. 23 The Human Toll.......................................................................................................................................... 25 Official Medical Records............................................................................................................... 25 Medical Treatment......................................................................................................................... 25 Fatalities......................................................................................................................................... 25 Injuries ........................................................................................................................................... 26 Statistics on Detentions ................................................................................................................. 27 Individual Arrests .......................................................................................................................... 27 Convictions .................................................................................................................................... 27 Conditions of Detention................................................................................................................. 28 Other Punitive Measures................................................................................................................ 28 Criminal Charges ........................................................................................................................... 29 Prison Conditions..........................................................................................................................