REPORT FROM KAZAKHSTAN


tunes and patriotic airs. Each of the seven PEC commission-


ers at each poll were dressed in their best business attire. At the opening of the poll, the safe containing the elec- tion materials was ceremonially opened in the presence of the police guard who then went outside the building. At the poll I attended for the opening,


Kazakh hospitality greeted all observer teams. Other OSCE observations about the


environment in which the election was conducted included women being well- represented among the rank and file of the election administration but remain- ing under-represented in the upper ech- elons; that efforts had been made to im- prove the quality of the voters lists; that the media provided more equality in covering candidates in news programs compared to the situation in 2005; and that “many local authorities intervened in the election process in order to in- crease turnout.” Irregularities noted


OSCE observers noted that Precinct


Election Commissions (PEC) were gen- erally well trained and efficient in their operations. However, a significant num- ber of the observer teams reported inci- dents of clumps of ballots in boxes and voters lists where the signatures against the voters’ names seemed to be written in one hand. Also, in a significant number of poll-


ing stations, shortcuts were taken in the procedures governing the count. With regard to the latter, it was gener- ally agreed amongst the observers that the shortcuts were taken to hasten the count. Given that the outcome was a forgone conclusion, there seemed little to be gained by prolonging things by observing all safeguards. The ballot box stuffing, to the extent


it took place, most likely related to the need to ensure that the turnout exceeded


Beyond the Hill • Winter 2012


90% rather than to fraudulently distrib- ute votes amongst candidates. It is part of a piece with observations from some teams that precinct presidents were call- ing people on the voters list and urging them to appear. I encountered a group of women in one polling station sitting outside the actual station and record- ing the names of those who had voted while sending some of their members out to remind those who had not. They claimed no political affiliation but to be acting as concerned citizens. Proxy voting by women


There was some proxy voting al-


lowed but, unlike in many developing democracies, the proxy votes tended to be cast by women rather than men. We gained the impression that, especially in rural areas where persons who would be known to the PEC, women were al- lowed to cast ballots for those of their family who were at work, again in order to obtain a high turnout figure. Overall, the OSCE mission concluded


that “needed reforms for holding genuine democratic elections still have to material- ize, as this election revealed shortcomings similar to those in previous elections.” All the trappings of democracy Darryl, Audrey and I were extremely


impressed by the commitment to de- mocracy we observed in our different communities, each of us visiting from 12 to 15 polling stations. Most of the polling stations had large speakers placed outside the doors blasting folk


the president of the commission stood and gave a small speech commending his colleagues for performing this public duty and emphasizing to them how im- portant for democracy it was that they perform their duties well. The president also acknowledged the presence of inter- national observers and thanked us for our assistance in building their democ- racy. He then, together with his six col- leagues, turned to face the country’s flag and signalled for the recording of the na- tional anthem to be played while he and his colleagues sang along lustily. “Tell them we’re vegetarians”


All the observer teams encountered


Kazakh hospitality. Almost invariably upon completing our observation of the poll and preparing to leave we were in- vited to “tea”. Tea was an elaborate buffet with food ranging from fruits and vegeta- bles through different breads, dumplings, stews, meatballs and cold cuts. Chicken, mutton, lamb, beef and horse meat were on the menus. In one precinct, I was cer- emonially presented with a cooked sheep’s head and a carving knife. While I desperately wondered how to


properly carve a sheep's head, my col- league, an English woman who had observed four previous elections in Kazakhstan, gave it a look of dismay, turned to our translator and said, “Tell them we're vegetarians!” I was relieved but remained conscious of the honour they wished to pay us. During my deployment, I was trans-


ported back to the journeys of Marco Polo by the sight of herds of horses run- ning free on the Steppes and the flocks of sheep, goats and even dromedaries and bactrian camels by the roadside. On leaving, I felt a desire to learn more of this part of the world. Tashkent, Samar- qand and the silk road beckoned. As I said, it was different.


Doug Rowland was the NDP MP for Selkirk from 1970 to 1974. He was sent with Darryl Gray and Audrey McLaughlin by the Inter- national Election Monitors Institute, with the support of the Canadian International Devel- opment Agency, to monitor these elections.


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