Ethnic Kazakhs who have returned to their ancestral homeland from abroad say they are being resettled in northern areas that have large numbers of ethnic Russians. The government insists the program tackles underpopulation but others say Astana wants to balance the ethnic makeup of those regions.
The situation in Xinjiang is important for Kazakhstan. Ethnic Kazakhs, including residents and citizens of Kazakhstan, have been among those who have been detained and abused in the detention camps across the border in China.