 After independence they were partly privatised, though the main mine remained under the 70% state-owned firm Ak-Ulak.According to news reports, local people believed that smaller privately owned operating companies, Joldoshbaev's "Besh-Sary", Isabaev's "Meerim-Sharbon" and Sasykulov "Ak-Jol", had asset stripped their respective operations and made little attempt to comply with basic financial or environmental standards.Whether or not this was true, the mines were dramatically seized on 6 June 2005 by people claiming allegiance to the Joomart movement of Jumgal politician Nurlan Motuev, in what Motuev reportedly described as an attempt at redistribution of wealth relevant to the March revolution.