“Panorama Shymkenta”, # 36 (891), 07/09/2007
F. Sharafutdinova

   Unemployment is not about us. Today, if you want you can go to find a job, even if they are little, but relatively well-paid jobs. Just search the newspaper “Shara Bara”. The other day a friend was looking for a city job, and found someone looking for a team of workers to unload a wagon. “Pays 20 thousand tenge!” - He screamed from his advertisement. Silence was the response. So, we snugly live.
   Gradually, we will begin a situation similar to Germany and other developed countries. There, all the dirty, rough work is done by foreigners - mainly from Turkey, Romania, etc. For example, construction in Shymkent is mainly done by Uzbeks. Baking cakes, landscaping, wholesale trade, garment manufacturing, public catering - other areas where those working are, with absolute certainty, from neighboring countries. It seems that every year there will be more and more. And it is a global trend. Migration is not reversible.
   It is therefore not without surprise that on August 28, 2007, the President of Kazakhstan, N. Nazarbayev, signed the Decree “On the Concept of Migration Policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2007-2015”. He commented that, “The migration situation in the country is characterized by growth in labor migration, the increase in illegal migration, refugees, and intensive internal migration. Kazakhstan is a country of peace, where there is strong migration processes. The Republic puts pressure on migratory flows.”
   In the economy of the U.S. the share of foreign labor makes up 37% of the working population, in Germany more than 15%, while in Malaysia, in some sectors of the economy, foreigners make up more than 90%. (B. Emelianenko. Journal “Ogonek”).
   It would be naive to believe that all of the migrant workers are law-abiding citizens. Alas, the law is defined to reduce the negative effects of migration flows in the preservation and development of national identity and national security. And this will be done by minimizing the development of illegal migration. As a result, the possibility of using foreign labor migration in the republic will be formed by a qualified national labor market.

   Most of the migrants arriving in South Kazakhstan are from Uzbekistan. The illustrated data was obtained in the Enbekshinskomu area of Shymkent.
   “Within 8 months of 2007, we recorded 19,972 foreign nationals from CIS countries,” says Sabyr Seytzhanov, Head of the Migration Police in the Enbekshinskogo area of Shymkent, “Of those, 17,128 were citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 2352 from the Russian Federation, 185 from the Kyrgyz Republic, etc.
   Of course, some of them came to stay, but most are still employed. They are builders, waitresses, barmen, work in carpentry shops, etc…
   Nothing human is alien to them and between times they are disassembled, and there is sometimes theft. This year, one of the guest workers was in a fight and killed another. It was a criminal case.
   During this period, there were administrative responsibilities involved 314 foreign nationals, which is a violation of the passport regime, the timing of registration, and etc. 16 civilians, by a court decision were deported from the country.
   So, what attracts migrants to the south of Kazakhstan? There are three positions. The first - the geographical proximity. Second - there is no language barrier. The third - a familiar mindset.
   Incidentally, a curious example of this is recalled by Marat Dzhakupov, lawyer at NGO “Sana Sezim”. There are homes in the private sector, located in the vicinity of the lake, which are near the Upper Market, where Uzbeks have lived illegally for 5 - 12 years. From time to time they send someone to their homeland for the transfer of money. They do not have problems with their illegality because they don’t go almost anywhere outside the home or yard, and they travel over the state border only with a “trusted” taxi driver who carries them freely and then they go from there. It is relatively safe to send money to relatives in the village to live on for several months.
   According to analysts, in the next decade in Russia and Kazakhstan there will be an increase in migrants from Central Asia as well as from China, India, Pakistan, the countries of the African continent. They have a lot of hands, and we have a lot of land.

   How do we treat them? Most of all, with compassion. This is not Russia; we do not have skinheads and fascists. Some belong to the past and have distrust and disdain. Do you know how to judge the guest? Easy: always give the last look, do not look eye to eye, and stay out of harm's way. The respect to the rights situation is far from ideal.
   Often, foreign workers “are thrown” by our employers. They promise to pay for the amount of work done by a certain amount, but do not pay immediately, and far fewer than expected, and even suggest that they can go to the police, but they are illegal. It is cheap and angry.
   Since last year, the public association the Legal Center for Women's Initiatives “Sana Sezim” (President H. Abysheva), has had a project called “The provision of legal assistance to labor migrants from Uzbekistan in Shymkent”. The project involves the provision of legal assistance to migrant workers, drawing attention to their problems, as well as assisting public authorities ensure the rule of law in the sphere of labor migration.
   The Center’s project is monitoring the current situation in the field of labor migration, and provides information through an education campaign, and providing free legal assistance to migrants.
   Migration is a voluntary movement of citizens within the country from one region to another (internal migration), or relocation from one State to another country (international migration).
   The project is financially supported by the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA). With its support for the second time the “Pocket Guide for migrant workers” was issued in Russian and Uzbek languages. 11,000 copies were circulated. Given the almost total legal illiteracy of the guests the usefulness of this booklet is invaluable. It has all the information on the migration card, what to do if you lose your passport, on the Rights of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the jobs, how to obtain a residence permit, or citizenship of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a list of the embassies of several states in the Republic of Kazakhstan, and experts on migration issues in Kazakhstan.
   There are several reasons for migration:
   - Adverse economic conditions in the country: inflation, mass unemployment, economic crisis, etc.
   - Civil War;
   - Ecological disaster in the region or state;
   Also, migration may be linked to economic factors, such as the desire of citizens to improve their economic well-being, i.e., search for better paid jobs abroad, or to obtain permanent residence in a developed country.
   “During our work with labor migrants, we put the compliance with human rights at the forefront,” said Marat Dzhakupov, lawyer at NGO “Sana Sezim”, “You do not have to be aware of all legislation, it is enough to know the 4th paragraph of the 12th article of the Constitution, which states: Foreigners and stateless persons shall enjoy in the Republic of Kazakhstan rights and freedoms, as well as bear responsibilities established for the citizens, unless otherwise stipulated by the Constitution, laws and international treaties.”
   Under the migration of the workforce, we understand the migration for employment abroad or in another region of the country for personal gain.
   At this point there is the international migration of labor from third countries to developed countries (Western Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, etc.). This is called external labor migration. It may also be migration of labor resources within the State. For example, currently there is migration from one region of Kazakhstan to the capital Astana or the oil-producing regions. This is the internal migration of population in Kazakhstan.
   Our organization has participated in raids conducted by immigration police. We explain to guest workers about their rights, distribute brochures, and continuously publish information in newspapers about our hotline at “Sana Sezim”. In a week there are from 24 to 30 calls.
   While we feel the lack of awareness of local people to them. But, I hope that gradually, by evolution, including using volunteers, we can reverse the situation. One of the shadowy sides of migration is that it can turn into trafficking - human trafficking. That is, it has criminal backgrounds. The main things hurting migrant workers are when the employer does not give their passports. This is the path of slavery, is how Marat Dzhakupov sums up our conversation.
   I agree with him. The attitude to migrant workers is not always unambiguous. Let’s not do what we have done in the past. In the U.S., still the population is negative towards workers from Mexico, and in France they are not excited about Africans, and in Russia they aren’t about people from the Caucasus and Central Asia.

   We need to recognize that migrant workers are courageous people and generate their own personality. Are there many among us who want to, even for economic reasons, to replace our regular life and go to work in another country? That is the same.
   And they could. They have the desire, the goal of making their lives better. In the end, they work and for the benefit of our country, our city.
   The economy of Kazakhstan on the rise. There are not enough working hands in the country. It is of no fault of migrants, and their misfortune, that the economic situation is unsuccessful. It has always been and will continue to be that foreign workers from less affluent countries make others stronger. USA is still called a country of migrants, and at the same time a country of opportunity.
   My friend Ilham, an engineer from Tashkent, works in one of Kazakhstan's oil companies. Even two years ago, with unconcealed envy, he said, “In Kazakhstan there are many opportunities. Such prospects, we have not dreamed of!” We should remember this and take advantage of these opportunities ourselves.