On Friday 16 December a massive clash broke out between oil workers in Kazakhstan and the police where the police attacked the protesters killing numbers of people and injuring many others. There are different reports as how many workers were killed: one report puts the number at 10 but the Kazakhstan Left wing activists in Europe reported the number of dead as 40. Workers resisted the police assaults and attacked some government buildings and sat police cars on fire.
The brutal attacks by the police against the protesting oil workers happened on the day of celebration of the 20th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence from the Soviet Union.
Workers of the oil producing city of Zhanaozen have been protesting for wage hikes and better working conditions for more than 6 months. Through out this time, they have been suppressed by the reactionary Kazakhstan's government. A number of workers and activists have been arrested or condemned to imprisonment accused of “undermining national security”. One of the solicitors defending the workers has been given a custodial sentence of 6 months.
Worker-communism Unity Party condemns the brutal police attacks against the striking oil workers. We also condemn the reactionary and anti-worker government of Kazakhstan. The working class in Iran is by the side of the striking workers in Kazakhstan. We support the oil workers in their struggle against the bourgeosie and its governments everywhere that suppress, imprison and persecute workers.
