Anis H. Bajrektarevic is a Professor and a Chairperson for International Law and Global

INTERESTS & INFLUENCES OF MAJOR EXTERNAL ACTORS IN CENTRAL ASIA
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of 5 USD per day, poverty in Kazakhstan re-
mains at 42%.[45] Agriculture, while a low con-
tributor to GDP (6% in 2011) employs
one-fourth of the population at 26% in
2011.[46] Interestingly over 80% of Kaza-
khstan’s land was classified for agricultural use
including 70% for pasture; arable land consti-
tutes less than 10%.[47] Kazakhstan’s unem-
ployment rate remains at 5.2%.
There is no major conflict between religion and
state. Religious groups experience discrimina-
tory treatment from the government. The
Uighur population is often alienated. Freedom
of religion in Kazakhstan is limited. Since 1999,
minority religious groups have emerged and
have registered with the state adhering to reg-
ulations which shows some progress; these re-
lations are handled by the Religious Issues
Committee. Missionaries (foreign and domestic)
also face scrutiny and must register with the
Ministry of Justice. Religious education is
banned. According to a Freedom House 2014
report, the religious rights in Kazakhstan are on
a downward trend, “as laws passed in 2005
banned all activities by unregistered religious
groups” and in 2011, “law required [re-registra-
tion] of all religious groups, gave the govern-
ment unprecedented authority to regulate
religious communities, and forbade religious
expression in government institutions.”[48]
Kazakhstan has the largest Uighur Diaspora and
it is suspected that the Kazakh government la-
bels pro-Uighur independence groups as ex-
tremist to appease China as the Chinese policy
towards Uighurs has been of one domestic
counter-terrorism threat, social isolation, and
cultural destruction.
There have been many acts of terrorism
throughout the country. The Kazakh govern-
ment, to maintain its inclusive image, selec-
tively applies the terms “terrorist,” “terrorism,”
and “terrorist act” to actions that are seen as a
threat to Nazarbayev’s power and acts that can
upset the status quo. Such an example would
be the rioting caused by oil workers on strike in
Zhanaozen. Kazakh police turned the situation
violent, and as a result the incident was labeled
“terrorist” because it upset the public order as
laborers were protesting poor wages and poor
labor conditions. Spending on social issues and
welfare is increasing, but still a large portion of
the population remains poor. According to the
World Bank, poverty levels dropped in Kaza-
khstan from 47% in 2001 to three percent in
2013.[43] Based on the international poverty
line, (based on GDP PPP), “corrected USD 2.50
per capita per day, poverty in Kazakhstan fell
from 41 percent in 2001 to 4 percent in
2009.”[44] Compared to a higher poverty line