The Organisation of Turkic States is ready to support protest-hit Kazakhstan.
JEDDAH, Jan 06, (Asia Free Press): The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), have showed a great concern and called for the ending of nationwide demonstration in Kazakhstan, where massive riots have been staged against high fuel prices which have led to a state of emergency and the resignation of the government.
The top Muslim body in a written statement expressed grave concern over the developments taking place in the Central Asian country and sadness over the acts of violence that have caused dozens of deaths and damage to public property, reported Anadolu Agency.
Calling on the Kazakh people to practice restraint and for an end to acts of violence, the organisation also affirmed its solidarity with the Kazakh government in preserving peace, security and stability.
The Organization of Turkish States, formerly called the Turkic Council or the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, also has issued an official statement on the current worsening situation in Kazakhstan, where massive riots have been staged against high fuel prices which have led to a state of emergency and the resignation of the government.
In a statement, the said organization stressed the importance of peace and stability in the wake of recent events in Kazakhstan, a member state of the organization, and its readiness to provide necessary assistance to tackle down the on-going deteriorated situation.
“We have confidence in the wisdom of the brotherly Kazakh people and their desire to return to a normal life. Believing that the Kazakh government is capable of easing tensions and restoring order and peace,” according to the official statement.
The Organization in a statement also expressed readiness to support the people and government of Kazakhstan if necessary by mentioning that, “We wish a swift recovery to those injured in the protests and offer our condolences to the victims”.
In Kazakhstan, the protests broke out on Jan. 2, when drivers in the city of Zhanaozen in the country’s oil-rich Mangystau region staged demonstrations against huge price hikes for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which later spread to the city of Aktau.
The protests in the western cities of Atyrau, Aktobe and Oral, where the country’s petroleum and natural gas reserves are located, spread to other corners of Kazakhstan and turned into public demonstrations.
As the protests spread across the country, Kazakh President Tokayev declared a state of emergency in the city of Almaty and the Mangystau region from Jan. 5-19 to maintain public security. He also imposed a curfew in Almaty, the country’s former capital, where thousands of people had taken to the streets.
After the situation in the country worsened, Kazakh President sought help from the Russia led military alliance the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which agreed to send an unspecified number of peacekeepers to normalize the tense situation in South Asian country.
