While the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev authorized the police to “shoot to kill” the demonstrators, his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called for an appeasement of the situation this Friday, January 7.
During a press conference given jointly between the French head of state at the head of the European Union since the beginning of the year and the president of the European Commission, the two political leaders appealed for calm concerning the escalation of violence in Kazakhstan.
“I call for an end to violence and restraint, the rights and security of citizens are essential and must be guaranteed”, explained Ursula von der Leyen in the presence of Emmanuel Macron on Friday.
Earlier today, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on the security forces to crack down on the riots by allowing them to spill blood.
“Shoot to kill without summons”
“I ordered the police and the army to shoot to kill without warning,” said the Kazakh head of state on Friday, describing as “absurd” the calls for negotiations with the rioters.
“What kind of negotiations can we have with criminals, with murderers? We had to deal with armed and trained bandits (…) They must be destroyed and it will be done soon, ”concluded Kassym-Jomart Tokaïev.
The latter indicated that the city of Almaty had been attacked by “20,000 bandits with a clear plan, well-coordinated actions and a high degree of combat readiness. It is the free media and some people abroad who are playing the role of instigator “in this uprising.
Support in China and Russia
Chinese President Xi Jinping gave his support to his Kazakh counterpart. “You decisively took strong measures at critical moments and quickly calmed the situation, thus showing your responsibility and your sense of duty as a politician,” the Chinese head of state told the agency. official China new.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also thanked his Russian ally and counterpart Vladimir Putin, who sent troops to calm the protest in the country. “I especially thank Russian President Vladimir Putin. He responded very quickly, and above all in a friendly manner, to my call, ”the Kazakh president explained during a televised address.
On the other hand, the spokesperson for the German government, Christiane Hoffmann, carried the same message as that carried by Ursula von der Leyen. “We call on all parties concerned to de-escalate and reach a peaceful solution. Violence is never the appropriate response. It is our conviction ”, explained Christiane Hoffmann on Friday.
A heavy toll
As a reminder, the dispute began in the provinces on Sunday due to an increase in gas prices despite the status of large producer of this resource granted to Kazakhstan. This discontent then spread to the major cities of the country, before turning into riots, in particular in Almaty, the economic capital of the nation.
Despite the measures taken by the government to try to calm the demonstrators, many administrative buildings were destroyed and looted. The country’s security forces then suppressed the protest movement in the country, drawing up a toll of 3,800 arrests, 18 police officers killed and 748 injured in their ranks.
If no exact figure could be verified concerning the toll among the rioters, the country’s authorities have reported dozens of deaths and more than a thousand injured among the demonstrators.
