Kazakhstan Reverses Restrictive Amendments to Religion Law

Jesse Morales
13 February 2009
4:35 pm

Recently, the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan passed amendments to a "religion law" calling for increased curtailment of the freedoms of religious minorities. This was called for in part by constituents of Kazakhstan's two dominant religious groups, Muslims and Eastern Orthodox Christians. The amendments were followed by the imprisonment of two minority religious leaders. Subsequent "international outcry" by human rights and religious freedoms groups as well as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe caused Kazakhstan's government to reconsider the amendments. Two days ago, a spokesperson for the government announced that these amendments were unconstitutional; they were subsequently revoked. The article goes on to say that Kazakhstan is a large producer of oil and a key US ally in its area. The country provides a stepping-stone through Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan, in which (as is commonly known) the US is carrying out military operations. For this reason, "Kazakhstan's back and forth on religious freedom" is uncomfortable and embarassing to the United States, who is unwilling to lose such a key ally as this (an ally into whom, for various reasons, the US has lately poured billions of dollars).

It is interesting to me that a former Soviet nation like Kazakhstan would have two equally dominant religious groups, namely Islam and the Eastern Orthodox Church, which claim nearly the same number of adherents. It seems odd for such a balanced schism to exist. The relations between the two groups seem complicated and interesting -- particularly their collaboration in attempt to pass amendments to the religion laws. If the two mega-entities of religion in Kazakhstan cooperate (at least sometimes), why cannot they cooperate with members of minority sects? Also, it would be of interest to me to research the relationship each of these religious groups has with the Kazak government. Why is the government (seemingly) so easily influenced (whether it be by in-country religious leaders or foreign human rights groups)? What threat are minority groups to the current Kazak regime? Also, what is the relationship between the US and Kazakhstan? I certainly don't know these things, but my interest is piqued.