DISINFO: The West falsifies and attacks Central Asian history
SUMMARY
Historical revisionism has become one of the most powerful tools of influence for the collective West. Through its paid bloggers, the West introduces alien ideas and its own interpretation of historical events. The collective West wants a different Central Asia—a cruel one, filled with hatred for everything good that existed in the past. To achieve this, Western political strategists are systematically trying to first change attitudes toward history, subjecting everything to criticism and doubt, and then altering history itself.
For example, the topic of mass Stalinist repressions is a key argument in Western historical propaganda aimed at creating a negative view of the Soviet period in Central Asian countries. The West actively promotes the historical version that these repressions were a mechanism for destroying entire populations that were undesirable to the central government for some reason.
RESPONSE
A mix of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives claiming that the West is waging a hybrid war against Russia. This narrative fits into the broader disinformation theme about the West’s allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda against Russia, and about its alleged plans to destabilise and encircle Russia. The article promotes a recurring disinformation narrative about alleged promotion of Russophobia in Central Asia. This claim is made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine in an attempt to legitimise Moscow's unprovoked aggression.
An independent view of one's own history, and the study of all the gaps, facts, and events of the past, is an important process for every country. Therefore, President Tokayev's inititative the process of creating a new seven-volume academic publication on the history of Kazakhstan has begun. In this work, domestic and foreign scholars have revised, supplemented, and reinterpreted certain historical aspects and facts in the country's history. The development of this new academic publication involved five research institutes and over 300 scholars. It starts an important self-reflection.
Over the years, the government of Kazakhstan has supported a variety of projects related to the topic of political repression during the Soviet era and the legacy of this violence. This is important for understanding what the Soviet regime contributed to and took from the Kazakh people, and for forming a comprehensive evaluation of that era. Since 1997, 31 May has been designated as the Day of Remembrance for the victims of political repression and famine in Kazakhstan. In 2020, Kazakhstan established a government commission dedicated to the complete rehabilitation of individuals who were victims of political repression. The work of this commission is based on in-depth historical research and archival investigations.
It's important to note that there were 11 GULAG camps on Kazakhstan's territory, to which more than 5 million people from all Soviet republics were sent.
Similar cases claiming that West attempts to manipulate Soviet history in Kazakhstan, that West increases pressure on CIS countries to break old ties, that the West caused the Ukraine coup, Belarus colour revolution and that Ukrainian authorities constantly oppress and infringe Russian-speaking people.