In August, within the early warning and urgent action procedure the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination observed the situation of the anti-Dungan pogroms in the villages of Korday District, Jambyl Oblast in Kazakhstan (7-8 February 2020). In the official request, the Committee expressed its concerns regarding the pogroms, forced move of the Dungans, deterrence of victims and ineffective investigation of the crimes against the Dungans, torture of detainees and obstacles for legal aid to them, as well as prevention of access of independent observers at the site.
The Committee emphasized that Kazakhstan, being a participant of the Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination, is obliged to ensure effective and independent investigation of events of February 7-8, 2020, effective protection of the Dungan minority, reparation of damage inflicted and support to victims, to guarantee the access to the Korday district for independent observers.
The government of Kazakhstan should provide its response to the Committee by October 30, 2020.
On February 7-8, 2020 the most extensive ethnic conflict seen in Kazakhstan in recent years occurred when hundreds of pogromists attacked the Dungan villages of Masanchi, Sortobe, Bular Batyr. As a result, at least 10 Dungans and 1 Kazakh perished, more than 200 got injuries; damages to property owned by Dungans (homes, commercial structures, retail sites, vehicles) amounted to millions of dollars. Unfortunately, effective and independent investigation is lacking. On the contrary, in April representatives of the Dungan minority were detained and tortured. The victims of pogroms did not receive fair reparations from the government.
For more information, see the publication of ADC Memorial about the pogroms.