Nomadic Traditions and Nuclear Complexities

Since the eighteenth century, Kazakhs have been entangled within the realm of Russian politics, their involvement spanning throughout the twentieth century.¹Yaroshevski, Dov B. “Imperial Strategy in the Kirghiz Steppe in the Eighteenth Century.” Jahrbücher Für Geschichte Osteuropas 39, no. 2 (1991): 221–24. Link.

Kazakhs found themselves intertwined in every significant historical event tied to the inception, operation, and dissolution of the USSR. The ambitious social programs propagated by the Bolsheviks, promising economic, political, and national liberties, unfortunately resulted in numerous tragic consequences for the entire population of Kazakhstan.²Thomas, Alun. “The Caspian Disputes: Nationalism and Nomadism in Early Soviet Central Asia.” The Russian Review 76, no. 3 (2017): 502–25. Link.

While Kazakhstan experienced notable social advancements in areas such as education³Rather, Zubeer A, and Darakhshan Abdullah. “The Development of Soviet Education in Kazakh SSR (1917-1991)” 26 (n.d.). Link., healthcare⁴Michaels, Paula A. “Medical Propaganda and Cultural Revolution in Soviet Kazakhstan, 1928-41.” The Russian Review 59, no. 2 (2000): 159–78. Link., and urban development⁵Lewis, Robert A., and Richard H. Rowland. “Urbanization in Russia and the USSR: 1897-1966.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 59, no. 4 (1969): 776–96. Link., the region also became a testing ground for various social experiments during the totalitarian era of the Soviet regime.

This period was marked by forced sedentarization, the devastating famine of 1931–1932, the brutal repressions of 1937, and the establishment of the Semipalatinsk nuclear testing site.⁶Pianciola, Niccolò. “The Collectivization Famine in Kazakhstan, 1931–1933.” Harvard Ukrainian Studies 25, no. 3/4 (2001): 237–51. Link. Kazakhstan bore witness to a juxtaposition of remarkable social achievements and harrowing ordeals inflicted upon its people.

It goes without saying that field testing plays a pivotal role in the creation of nuclear weapons. It encompasses far more than simply studying the devastating impact of nuclear explosions; this stage is essential for understanding the weapon’s essential properties, confirming the accuracy of theoretical calculations, and guaranteeing its operational preparedness in the face of potential emergencies.⁷Campbell, Bob, Ben Diven, John McDonald, Bill Ogle, and Tom Scolman. “Field Testing: The Physical Proof of Design Principles.” Edited by John McDonald. Los Alamos Science 7, no. Winter/Spring 1983 (1983). Link.

However, the decision-making process within the Kremlin government entirely failed to consider the needs and interests of the local Kazakh population.

Instead, the Kazakhs were left as hostages to the oppressive policies of the Soviet state, bearing the brunt of an inhumane regime. This neglect of their well-being laid bare the true nature of the Stalinist regime, which callously disregarded the lives and aspirations of its own people.

The Semipalatinsk nuclear area stands as one of the most heavily impacted regions on our planet due to nuclear experiments. Today, the once-active Semipalatinsk Test Site has fallen silent, as nuclear charges have been removed from Kazakhstan, transforming it into a nuclear-free zone.

However, the echoes of atomic bomb tests persist within the genetic code of its people, as radiation has wrought damage to their very DNA.

The closure of the nuclear test site addressed the urgent needs of a populace that had been forcibly held hostage by authoritarian political decisions. Simultaneously, it symbolized the unwavering philosophy of the Kazakh people—a resolute hope for the revival of life in the long-suffering land of Kazakhstan.

Embedded within the philosophical and ethical traditions of the Kazakh culture lies the belief that life is a divine gift, and it is humanity’s noble mission to cultivate harmonious relationships with one another.

A Kazakh proverb encapsulates this sentiment: “Adamnyn kuni adammen!”—meaning, “The life of a man is intertwined with the lives of others!” Consequently, no utilitarian geostrategic considerations can ever justify the cruelty and injustice inflicted upon fellow human beings.⁸Muldagaliyeva, A. A., S. A. Urazgaliyeva, M. B. Tleulinova, K. A. Zhyrenshina, S. S. Duisenbayeva, A. R. Khalenova, Kursat Cesur, and G. K. Kassymova. “A Socio-Cultural Study of Face and Politeness Conceptions in the Kazakh Context.” Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 30, no. S1 (December 22, 2022): 25–42.

Furthermore, the ecological mindset of Kazakh nomads offers another crucial perspective. Embracing a cyclical perception of the world, nomads strived to leave nature untouched, preserving its inherent beauty as it was before their arrival.

Unlike settled cultures, their task was not to leave behind material artifacts but rather spiritual legacies—a collective memory etched within the hearts of people, exemplifying high moral and ethical conduct, heroic deeds, and ethical standards of dignified behavior.

Based on these ethical foundations, the nuclear test site and its experiments were perceived as a national tragedy, evoking an era akin to “Zar-Zaman” or the “Age of Sorrow.” It represented the loss of the nomadic way of life, disrupting the delicate harmony between humans and nature.⁹Nurysheva, Gulzhikhan, Zhyldyz Amrebayeva, and Aydar Amrebayev. “The Kazakh Ethical Tradition and Anti-Nuclear Ethics.” In Energy Justice Across Borders, edited by Gunter Bombaerts, Kirsten Jenkins, Yekeen A. Sanusi, and Wang Guoyu, 69–87. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2020. Link.

The establishment of the test site by the Soviet government on the sacred Steppe challenged the natural order, serving as a form of spiritual genocide against the tranquil inhabitants who dwelled there. The cruelty exhibited by the Soviet regime toward its people manifested in its failure to protect or warn them about the dangers they faced.