The anti-nuclear movement in Qazaqstan is inextricably linked to the history of the Semipalatinsk Test Site, the largest nuclear weapons testing site in the Soviet Union, operational from 1949 to 1989. The Soviet authorities did not inform residents about the threat of radioactive contamination and the health hazards of the tests conducted at the site.
The closure of the landfill was secured by the Nevada-Semey movement, one of the most prominent and influential environmental and political movements of the late USSR. For more than 30 years, activists, scientists, and public figures in Qazaqstan have been fighting for nuclear disarmament, justice, and support for victims, while also working to prevent the resumption of nuclear testing and radioactive waste dumps.
We invited representatives of different generations of the anti-nuclear struggle in Qazaqstan to discuss the history of their activist and research work, the challenges and problems of today, and the value of intergenerational and trans-local solidarity.
In October 2024, Qazaqstan held a referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in the country. The announced results show that the majority of Qazaqstanis, more than 71 percent, voted in favor of building the plant. Independent journalists and civil society organizations have reported numerous violations both during public discussions and debates before the referendum and during the voting itself. ROSATOM is among the possible builders of the nuclear power plant, which means that the construction is in the interests of the Russian authorities. Therefore, the final part of our conversation was devoted to Russian influence on Qazaqstan's nuclear energy policy and the fight against this influence.
Participants:
Gulsum Kakimzhanova — environmentalist, Goldman Prize winner in the field of ecology, co-coordinator of anti-nuclear campaigns, member of the Nevada-Semey anti-nuclear movement,
Mayra Abenova — a resident of Semey, co-founder of the Polygon 21 Committee, a public association dedicated to raising awareness and solving problems in the region affected by nuclear testing,
Alisher Khasengaliyev — researcher, activist, co-founder of the STOP: Steppe Organisation for Peace,
The episode is moderated by Lilia Yuldasheva, a queer and decolonial activist and researcher.
Timecodes
00:00 Intro
02:44 Alisher — the work of the Test Site
05:42 Maira — the impact on people's lives
08:25 Gulsum — on the Nevada-Semey movement and its contribution
12:19 Alisher — on access to information, inclusion and values of generations, the gap between foreign and domestic policy
19:38 Maira — on joining the anti-nuclear movement, the illness of her relatives
23:53 Gulsum — on joining the anti-nuclear movement and the impossibility of leaving it
29:32 Alisher — about NPPs and joining the movement
35:06 Maira, Alisher — about the connection between generations and people's diplomacy
38:21 Lilia, Gulsum, Alisher — about the referendum and the NPP, Russia's influence and responsibility
48:46 Outro
This episode is available only in russian language. Later we will upload the transcripton of this episode in English