Nepotism, Corruption Stall Reforms in Kazahkstan, Pravda Says
The Communist Party is meeting tough resistance in trying to break up the political machine in the republic of Kazakhstan, where nationalist riots followed last month’s removal of the local party boss, Pravda acknowledged Wednesday.
The Soviet party daily complained about what it called a history of nepotism, cronyism and corruption in Kazakhstan.
“This kind of phenomenon has been harshly condemned at meetings of Communists, Communist Youth activists and workers in connection with the nationalist manifestation that took place in Alma Ata recently,” Pravda said.
Thousands May Have Rioted
The article marked the latest salvo against the power network of former Kazakhstan party chief Dinmukhamed A. Kunayev. Rioting broke out Dec. 17-18 after Kunayev, a Kazakh, was removed from his party post in the republic and was replaced by a Russian, Gennady V. Kolbin.
Unofficial reports reaching Moscow from Russian residents of Alma Ata, the capital of the republic, suggest that thousands of Kazakhs went on the rampage, attacking people of other ethnic origins, and that some 30 policemen were killed and many others injured.
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