Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 18:17:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Ron Buckmire Subject: qrd/asia/kazakhstan Date: Mon, 15 Jun 1998 20:05:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Rex Wockner Subject: NC7249: Kazak gay group needs help The news aspects contained herein have been reported in Wockner International News as they occurred but here is a long wrapup/plea for interested parties, directly from the activists. Rex Wockner >From kontrast1@nlpub.freenet.kz Mon Jun 15 03:55:40 1998 Date: Sat, 13 Jun 1998 18:31:00 +0700 (ALMST) From: "Ivan A. Shibitov" Dears ladies and sirs, Dear friends January 29, 1998 P E T I T I O N Yesterday, today and tomorrow of gay movement of Kazakhstan Republic Kazakhstan established independence as one of Middle Asia's republic in 1991 after Soviet Union collapsed. Kazakhstan occupies territory over 27170000 km2 with population of 17 mln. people. At the present moment Kazakhstan is suffering the deepest economical crisis, decreasing of the life standard of the population. The middle salary is about $50 - 60 per month. The level of unemployment consists 47 %. Since 1991 there were closed thousands of industrial plants and enterprises. President of Kazakhstan Nazarbaev claimed that there are no possibilities to join responsibility in the international human rights guarantees. Despite Kazakhstan is a member of UNO. Being an UNO's member Kazakhstan undertook the liabilities on UNO Charter human rights. It agreed that UNO's members in its assistance to common respectability and fulfillment of human rights and the basic freedoms for everyone without any difference of race, sex, language and religion. Those governments that claim their non responsibility for the main rights of humankind because of their specific traits in their own cultural traditions, this violate all human experience of XX century. But it will by no way excuse the cases of tortures, murders, violations, putting convicts into jail without any accusations, restrictions in the freedom of press. In 1991 after the crash of the Soviet regime, the gay society of Kazakhstan decided to create the organization for advocacy the rights of the sexual minorities and development of democracy in the country. Until 1995 this company was existing and practicing illegally. During that time the certain work has been done: the gay literature was distributing, there were organized meetings between men. There was correspondence between gay organizations of the late USSR. The preservatives were dispatched free of charge among gays of the city. In 1995 thanks to financial and moral support of HIVOS organization we could spent the constituting conference, adopt the Charter and gather necessary papers for registration of the organization in the Ministry of Justice of republic Kazakhstan. As far as was existed in this country in 1995 the article 104 part 1 (volunteered homosexuality) which was prescribing 3 years of jail, wee were compelled to register up as an organization engaging of AIDS prophylactic. From March 10, 1995 we received official certification # 207 from the Ministry of Justice of the RK allowing the charitable fund KONTRAST may have life and work on the legal base. Taking in consideration the fact that beside the AIDS prophylactic we kept simultaneously to perform the work of defense the rights of the sexual minorities, propagate the ideas of the gay movement in Kazakhstan, we used to be called in the Ministry of Interior Affairs, Ministry of Justice, where we were subverted to beating, insulting, menacing. In 1997 in accordance to International Kazakhstan Bureau for Human Rights, in this country there were 8 cases of murders of gays by the militia men. There were perished in imprisonment places from overfreezing, hunger, tuberculosis, tortures 2000 men in 1996, and 1500 in 1997. All the human rights are universal, indivisible and interconnected. The human rights and fundamental freedom rights are the rights endowed for the people from their birth dates. The defense of them, encouragement are the prime obligation of the governments (Vienna's Declaration from June 25, 1993). Non Government Organizations and their members who are enthusiasts in the human rights problems, must have possibilities to use rights and freedoms, recognized in Amalgamated Declaration of the human rights and also exploit the law's protection in their own countries. NGOs must use their freedoms for realization their rights in the human rights advocacy without any interference, in the range of national legislation and "Amalgamated Human Rights Declaration" from December 10, 1948. Despite above mentioned obstacles, I, as President of KONTRAST often used radio, TV for my speeches. I used to give interviews to newspapers. Thank to the publications in such newspapers as Caravan, Moscow Komsomol, Arguments and Facts, Aviatrack, Industrial Karaganda, Sustainable Development, ILGA - bulletin, Newsletters many people and organizations came to know about KONTRAST in Kazakhstan and abroad. From January 5, 1997 I visited the major cities of Kazakhstan performing the lectures in the universities and collages on the Gay movement in Kazakhstan item. Presence of the article in the Penal Code persecuting the homosexuals makes the favor for the criminal world. In 1995 there were murdered two gays. In accordance of the lists with names of the gays which were in disposition of the Ministry of Interior Affairs they were called for the interrogations in the early time of nights, beaten and compelled to confess in the false claims of murders. At last the suit was closed and found no evidence of the trespass. In 1997 in Almaty was murdered the American gay, journalist K. Ghering. In that connection the American Embassy released protest to government of Kazakhstan the convicts were found very soon. In June 15, 1996 we sent the appeal to the President and Parliament of republic Kazakhstan for the article 104 part 1(volunteered homosexuality) to be abolished from the Penal Code. Due to that appeal and joint actions with TV, the newspapers on June 16, 1997 there was adopted the new Penal Code where that article was excluded. In August 1997we sent the petition to the President on the question of general amnesty and freeing all convicted in accordance with article 104 part1 by the lists we could obtain already. In 1995 thanks to the invitation given from the ILGA and financial support of Soros fund we took part in the International conference passed in Kiev on problems of development of gay movement in the East Europe and late USSR countries. Because of absence of finances we could not go somewhere else. In 1996 there were distributed 3500 condoms received from VHO among gays of Almaty, in 1997 - 4000. Except that there were distributed the literature, booklets for human rights defense too. For the time of KONTRAS's existence we were appealing with our project Democracy development and Human Rights maintances for the minorities in Kazakhstan in many organizations and embassies placed in Almaty. But we got understanding and financial support nowhere included Tacis and Know - How fund by Great Britain's embassy. We very thankful to the organizations helping to us, there are HIVOS, ILGA, IGLHRC, CASDIN, Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and to lot of people and private organizations too. The especial gratitude we are expressing to NGO Casdin which leaves to use its office equipment in temporary use. KONTRAST works in the direction of change of public opinion toward the benefit of the sexual minorities, democracy development and human rights rule in Kazakhstan. Even after article 104 part 1 was canceled the gays of Kazakhstan are still deceived and undefended minority. Public organizations are the core of the fight for human rights in any society. Public organizations could make much useful practically on any level. Those can lobby the interests of humans rights, to collect and spread the information. In last year the interest to sexual minorities outstandly increased. That found its reflection in activity of International work for determination, consolidation and protection of gays rights. Plans and goals of KONTRAST on nearest future 1. Defense of human rights for sexual minorities. 2. Creation of own printing base. 3. Collection of the date base of worldwide gay organizations. 4. To collect own library and videoteque. 5. To open own office full completed with office equipment. 6. To open the club for meetings. 7. To organize the conferences and training seminars. 8. To drive the propaganda of gay movement among students and soldiers. 9. To get the sign of Kazakhstan in all International agreements for human rights and their indispensable observances. 10. To collect the date base of right defending organizations over the world and regulate co-operation to them. 11. To strengthen the AIDS prophylactic among sexual minorities. Our achievements For a while since 1991 to 1997 due to done by KONTRAST work in the republic there happened next changes: 1. The percent of AIDS infected among gays are only 5%. 2. Is canceled article 104 part 1 of the Penal Code. 3. Have happened movies in public opinion to the better side about gay movement. 4. Despite of absence of finances KONTRAST was able to survive in those hard times and keep its work. Connectedly to hard economical condition of the country KONTRAST has not own office, equipment, though, KONTRAST is only right defending organization for sexual minorities in the Middle Asia. At the present moment in Kazakhstan is living 800.000 gays For the future work KONTRAST asks You: if You have any possibilities, please, send to our address any gay newspapers, booklets, calendars, catalogues, posters, books, video tapes, condoms, addresses of world gay organizations, right defending organizations and also the documents for human rights defense. We are thankful before. Charitable fund KONTRAST is very thankful to You as You are first responced to our petition. We ask You to asquantance and spread the petition among Your friends? the gay organizations, editions of mass-media, right defending organizations, centres of the fight agaimst the AIDS, charitable funds. Before us there are 4 main problems we can't decide: 1. Absence of any information for gay men including magazines, books, photoalbums, catalogues, videotapes, information about the AIDS. 2. Absence of the addresses, faxs and e-mails of gay organizations, mass-media editions, charitable funds, right defending organizations. 3. Absence of the Oxford English-Russian dictionaries or electrical translator, and also German-Russian dictionaries. 4. Lack of finances and equipment: PC, copyr, printer. The charitable fund KONTRAST would be glad if You could help us in determinatio of those problems. We would be glad too the literature released by Bruno Gmunder Verlag, UNO, UNAIDS , Amnesty International, ILGA, IGLHRC. From our side You could receive any information about Kazakhstan and Central Asin republics You interesting. We hope at fruitful and long assistance. Please send correspondence to Almaty, 96 Republic of Kazakhstan, PO Box 108, Fax (3272) 338610 Phone (3272) 338610 e-mail: network@casdin.iatp.kz Yours sincerely President of charitable fund KONTRAST Ivan Shibitov General director Yurii Konorev ****************************************************************************** * To subscribe to QUEERPLANET, send mail to: majordomo@abacus.oxy.edu * * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: subscribe queerplanet * * To unsubscribe to QUEERPLANET, send mail to: majordomo@abacus.oxy.edu * * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe queerplanet * * Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! * ******************************************************************************