Serikbolsyn Abdildaevich Abdildin (, , ; 25 November 1937 – 31 December 2019) was a Kazakh economist, politician, First Secretary of the
Communist Party from 1996 to 2010, member of the
Mazhilis from 1999 to 2004 and a candidate in the
1999 presidential election. He is often described as the "patriarch" for the formation of
parliamentarism
A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of the legisl ...
and the first-drafted
Kazakh Constitution in early years of independence. While proclaiming himself as a
Communist
Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, di ...
, Abdildin was a vivid supporter for
democracy
Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...
and has called for reforms for a
multi-party system
In political science, a multi-party system is a political system where more than two meaningfully-distinct political parties regularly run for office and win elections. Multi-party systems tend to be more common in countries using proportional ...
with a
rule of law
The essence of the rule of law is that all people and institutions within a Body politic, political body are subject to the same laws. This concept is sometimes stated simply as "no one is above the law" or "all are equal before the law". Acco ...
.
Äbdildin began his career as an
agriculturist
An agriculturist, agriculturalist, agrologist, or agronomist (abbreviated as agr.) is a professional in the Agricultural science, science, practice, and management of Farming, agriculture and agribusiness. It is a regulated profession in Canada, ...
until becoming involved in politics from serving in Soviet state bodies in Kazakhstan to eventually becoming the head of the
Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR where he was involved in the drafting of the new post-independent Constitution. After the dissolution of the legislature, he joined the opposition amidst President
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council of ...
's increase of executive powers by leading the
Communist Party of Kazakhstan and has worked in various organisations and movements aiming at reforming Kazakhstan's political system into a democratic form of governance, until retiring from politics in 2010.
He continued scientific and teaching activities until he died in late 2019, at the age of 82.
Early life and career
Serikbolsyn Äbdildin was born in 1937 in the village of
Qyzylkesek in eastern
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
. His father, Äbilda Älimjanov, died in combat during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
in 1943 when Abdildin was only six years old.
He studied at the Veterinary Institute in Alma-Ata, where he graduated in 1960.
After graduating, he initially worked for three years in a farm in the
Semipalatinsk Oblast. From 1963, Abdildin attended the graduate school at the Veterinary Institute in
Alma-Ata
Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains in southern Kazakhstan, near the border wi ...
and between 1966 and 1967, he was employed there as a research assistant. He then worked in various positions at the State Planning Commission of the
Kazakh SSR
The Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Kazakhstan, the Kazakh SSR, KSSR, or simply Kazakhstan, was one of the transcontinental constituent republics of the Soviet Union (USSR) from 1936 to 1991. Located in northern Centr ...
.
Political career
In 1982, he was appointed the First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Kazakh SSR and in December 1985, he became the first deputy chairman of the State Agricultural Committee of the Kazakh SSR. Äbdildin held this position until July 1987, before becoming a permanent representative of the Kazakh Soviet Republic at the Council of Ministers of the
Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
. From April 1990, he was deputy chairman of the
Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR and then from 16 October 1991, as a Chairman of the Supreme Soviet which later became the
Supreme Council of Kazakhstan
The Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan () was a unicameral legislative branch in Kazakhstan that existed from 1993 to 1995. The Supreme Council succeeded the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR after the new Constitution of Kazakhstan wa ...
in January 1993.
After Kazakhstan gained its independence, the associated loss of power of the
Communist Party of Kazakhstan and the abolition of the 12th Convocation of the Supreme Council by President
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council of ...
, Äbdildin went into opposition in 1994. He was described as "tough" towards authorities but refused to confront despite having big support in fear of "causing instability".
That same year, he became the chairman of the Republic Coordinating Council of Public Associations. In April 1996, Äbdildin became the First Secretary of the
Communist Party.
1999 presidential campaign
Äbdildin announced his bid for presidency on 11 October 1998.
He criticized President
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council of ...
over his
free market
In economics, a free market is an economic market (economics), system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of ...
policies to which he blamed for economic crisis in the country and proposed for Kazakhstan to instead implement a
mixed-economic system. Äbdildin also advocated for more spending in
health care
Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the preventive healthcare, prevention, diagnosis, therapy, treatment, wikt:amelioration, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other disability, physic ...
and
education
Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
. In regards to fair election, he proposed for each candidate to have a representative in the
election commission
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
. However, his ideas were ignored by authorities.
Äbdildin took 2nd place in the race and won around 12% of the vote. He condemned the results, claiming to garner "as many votes as Nazarbayev did."
Member of the Mazhilis (1999–2004)
Äbdildin was elected as one of the three Communist Party MPs in the
Mazhilis after the
1999 Kazakh legislative election. From there, he was a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security. That same year, he became the co-chair of the Forum of Democratic Forces of Kazakhstan.
From 2002 to 2003, he was member of the Political Council of the
Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (QDT). In April 2004, the
Communist Party of Kazakhstan (QKP) became split after the internal disputes with the faction led by
Vladislav Kosarev who went on to establish the
Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan (QKHP). The QKHP members blamed Äbdildin of splitting the party and accused him of working for the
CIA
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA; ) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States tasked with advancing national security through collecting and analyzing intelligence from around the world and ...
by attempting to start a
colour revolution in the country. The move was seen to be made by Nazarbayev's regime in order to weaken Äbdildin's party. That same year, Äbdildin became a member of the Coordination Council of the Democratic Forces of Kazakhstan.
Shortly before the
2004 legislative elections, the Kazakh government introduced the Sailau system of
electronic voting
Electronic voting is voting that uses electronic means to either aid or handle casting and counting ballots including voting time.
Depending on the particular implementation, e-voting may use standalone '' electronic voting machines'' (also ...
. Äbdildin accused of the authorities in prepping to falsify the election results with the new system. The QKP formed a
political bloc
A parliamentary group, parliamentary caucus or political group is a group consisting of members of different political party, political parties or independent politicians with similar ideologies. Some parliamentary systems allow smaller politic ...
with the QDT and participated in the election. The bloc failed to win any seats in the
Mazhilis, thus ending Äbdildin's MP term.
Post-Parliamentarian career
On 2 November 2004, Äbdildin became a member of the National Commission on Democracy and Civil Society, created as an advisory body under the
President of Kazakhstan
The president of Kazakhstan, officially the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the executive head of state of the Kazakhstan and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. As the highest-ranking official ...
. On 20 March 2005, a
political bloc
A parliamentary group, parliamentary caucus or political group is a group consisting of members of different political party, political parties or independent politicians with similar ideologies. Some parliamentary systems allow smaller politic ...
For a Just Kazakhstan (ÄQÜ) was founded where Äbdildin spoke at the session. From there, he was a member of the Presidium of the Council of ÄQÜ.
On 20 March 2006, after the dissolution of the National Commission on Democracy and Civil Society, a State Commission was established to develop and concertize the program of democratic reforms in the Republic of Kazakhstan, of which Abdildin became a member of.
On 17 April 2010, a plenum of the Central Committee and the Central Control Commission of the
Communist Party of Kazakhstan was held, where Äbdildin resigned from the post as the First Secretary, saying that "everything has a limit and you can't always hold on to one position or chair."
Later life and death
After retiring from politics in 2010, Äbdildin continued in criticizing
Nursultan Nazarbayev
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council of ...
.
In response to the ban of the
Communist Party of Kazakhstan in September 2015, he believed that the move was made by authorities to prevent its interference in the country's elections and not because of the party's ideology. In his last interview in June 2019, Äbdildin said that Nazarbayev should've resigned from presidency long ago and that his successor
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev (born 17 May 1953) is a Kazakhstani politician and diplomat who has served as the second president of Kazakhstan since 2019. He previously served as Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Prime Minister from 1999 to 2002 ...
offers nothing in change of the country's leadership but is "more trustable" than his predecessor. He also suggested for a return to a 1993 Kazakh Constitution. He made his last public appearance at the
Kurultai
A kurultai (, ),Derived from Russian language, Russian , ultimately from Middle Mongol ( ), whence Chinese language, Chinese 忽里勒台 ''Hūlǐlēitái'' (); ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; (). also called a qurultai, was a political and military counc ...
on 7 September 2019, saying the country should "get rid of Nazarbayev" to which he received applause from the audience.
Äbdildin died around the midnight during the New Year's Eve on 31 December 2019 in
Almaty
Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...
, at the age of 82. A funeral was held in front of the
Jambyl Kazakh State Philharmonic building on 3 January 2020 which was attended by human rights activists, opposition politicians, and the city administration representatives. He is buried at the Kensai-2 cemetery in the hills of Almaty.
External links
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abdildin, Serikbolsyn
1937 births
2019 deaths
People from East Kazakhstan Region
Communist Party of Kazakhstan politicians
Members of the Mäjilis
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Kazakhstani economists