Companies that halted operations in western Kazakhstan resume production - KazMunayGas

ASTANA. April 12 (Interfax) - The enterprises of the Mangistau region in western Kazakhstan that earlier stopped operations have resumed production, the press service for the national company KazMunayGas said on Tuesday.

"Some enterprises of the Mangistau region, in particular, Ozenmunaigas, Ozenmunaiservice, and Burgylau, halted operations at 7:00 p.m. local time on April 11. However, the workers of said enterprises resumed work an hour later, at 8:00 p.m. The companies are working normally," the report said.

Workers of several oil service companies earlier recorded a video address to the president of Kazakhstan, in which they said they would halt all work if the oil industry workers detained in Astana were not released soon.

On April 10, about 150 Zhanaozen-based workers sacked by Berali Mangistau Company, an oilfield services firm, gathered in front of the Energy Ministry building in Astana and demanded that their employment be arranged with Ozenmunaigas, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas. They lost their jobs because their company lost a tender, they said. The protesters spent the night and the whole day outside.

On April 11, police detained more than 100 protesters. According to the police department, each of the detainees faces 15 days of arrest or a fine for attending an unsanctioned rally.

According to Kazakh media outlets and eyewitnesses, about 2,000 people gathered on the central square of Zhanaozen on April 11 to demand the release of oil workers from custody in Astana.