THE UNDERGROUND ORGANIZATION “KAZAKIISHYLDAR” AND THE 1928 SHYMKENT MANIFESTO: UNKNOWN PAGES OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE

The formation and development of underground organizations in Kazakhstan during the 1920s-1980s represented one of the manifestations of society’s internal resistance to the Soviet totalitarian system. Most of these organizations were initiated by representatives of the national intelligentsia and youth. They employed various methods such as distributing written appeals, awakening national consciousness through literature, and generating public dissent. Notable examples include the "ESEP" (1940–1950s), "Zhas Kazakh" (1960), "Zhas Tulpar" (1963), and the "Qazaqshyldar" organization founded in 1928 in Shymkent. The purpose of the article is a comprehensive analysis on the basis of historical data of the prerequisites for the formation, goals and activities of the underground organization "Kazakhshylar", created in the late 1920s of the XX century on the territory of Kazakhstan. This article examines the creation, goals, and activities of the nationaldemocratic underground organization "Qazaqshyldar", which emerged in the late 1920s in opposition to Soviet rule. Established in Shymkent, this organization protested against Soviet colonial policy by publishing an appeal titled “Rise, Kazakh!” and urged Kazakh youth to resist colonial oppression. The appeal sharply criticized the Soviet grain procurement policy, the assimilation of national culture, the falsehood of the "Kazakhization" slogan, and unresolved land issues. The article outlines the biographies of organization members, their arrests, and eventual rehabilitation. It also highlights how the organization’s activities and appeals served as a spiritual catalyst for public uprisings of the time. Despite being persecuted by Soviet authorities, the organisation's actions are considered today to be a legitimate continuation of the national liberation movement. Drawing on archival sources and investigative documents, the article emphasizes the necessity of restoring historical justice.

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