Comments on: Personality cult in Tajikistan http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/ neweurasia\'s latest on Tajikistan Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:47:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 By: Leila http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2681 Leila Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:27:27 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2681 It was surprising to see Rahmonov's portraits everywhere in Tajikistan - you don't hear much about his personality cult comparing to other CA leaders. Not anymore, apparently, now it's a competition, and analogies come up as soon as you read the headlines. On the Independence day Tajik TV was showing Rahmonov meeting Presidents of other countries, Saudi princes, and so on (what an achievement to meet Ahmadenijad or Karzai, really). The story about 8 books stroke me too (there was 1 written only about the year 2004 in Rahmonov's life). Other stories we've seen is the type of "Rahmonov being close to people" - he married hundreds of couples in Dushanbe, gave them home appliances and $100 each, and told about his own wedding, when he was late from "kolhoz". One newspaper in Kazakhstan published Nazarbaev's portrait 27 times in one issue before his 2005 elections. I'm sure we will see much more of Rahmonov's admirers before the elections, too. It was surprising to see Rahmonov’s portraits everywhere in Tajikistan - you don’t hear much about his personality cult comparing to other CA leaders. Not anymore, apparently, now it’s a competition, and analogies come up as soon as you read the headlines.

On the Independence day Tajik TV was showing Rahmonov meeting Presidents of other countries, Saudi princes, and so on (what an achievement to meet Ahmadenijad or Karzai, really). The story about 8 books stroke me too (there was 1 written only about the year 2004 in Rahmonov’s life). Other stories we’ve seen is the type of “Rahmonov being close to people” - he married hundreds of couples in Dushanbe, gave them home appliances and $100 each, and told about his own wedding, when he was late from “kolhoz”.

One newspaper in Kazakhstan published Nazarbaev’s portrait 27 times in one issue before his 2005 elections. I’m sure we will see much more of Rahmonov’s admirers before the elections, too.

]]> By: patriot http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2668 patriot Wed, 27 Sep 2006 23:02:25 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2668 This person uses swear words, so I\'ve deleted his comment This person uses swear words, so I\’ve deleted his comment

]]> By: Vadim http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2648 Vadim Tue, 26 Sep 2006 14:16:59 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2648 I've put a post about the artilce that Peters is talking about. See here http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/?p=101 I’ve put a post about the artilce that Peters is talking about. See here http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/?p=101

]]> By: Peter http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2646 Peter Tue, 26 Sep 2006 12:41:45 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2646 It seems that resemblances to other Central Asian presidents with personality cults may become more common currency from now on, as this extract from a Kommersant article shows: Впрочем, увеличивающееся сходство с туркменским коллегой, похоже, ничуть не смущает Эмомали Рахмонова. На днях он издал указ, запрещающий всем государственным служащим иметь золотые зубы. Такую реакцию господина Рахмонова вызвала учительница, которую глава государства заметил во время посещения одной из школ. "Учителя жалуются на маленькие зарплаты, а зубы – золотые,– негодовал президент.– Как представители международных организаций могут поверить в вашу бедность, если рот учителя полон золота? Не наша это культура и не наша традиция" (http://www.kommersant.ru/doc-y.html?docId=707332&issueId=30209) In brief, for non-Russian speakers, it seems that Rakhmonov has issued an edict banning state workers from wearing golden teeth. This is more than reminiscent of a similar law passed by the Turkmen president Saparmurat Niyazov some years ago. It seems that resemblances to other Central Asian presidents with personality cults may become more common currency from now on, as this extract from a Kommersant article shows:

Впрочем, увеличивающееся сходство с туркменским коллегой, похоже, ничуть не смущает Эмомали Рахмонова. На днях он издал указ, запрещающий всем государственным служащим иметь золотые зубы. Такую реакцию господина Рахмонова вызвала учительница, которую глава государства заметил во время посещения одной из школ. “Учителя жалуются на маленькие зарплаты, а зубы – золотые,– негодовал президент.– Как представители международных организаций могут поверить в вашу бедность, если рот учителя полон золота? Не наша это культура и не наша традиция”

(http://www.kommersant.ru/doc-y.html?docId=707332&issueId=30209)

In brief, for non-Russian speakers, it seems that Rakhmonov has issued an edict banning state workers from wearing golden teeth. This is more than reminiscent of a similar law passed by the Turkmen president Saparmurat Niyazov some years ago.

]]> By: Nick http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2641 Nick Mon, 25 Sep 2006 22:20:30 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2641 There also seems to be a great deal of admiration for who Rahmonov as someone came from nowhere and has skillfully seen-off domestic and international foes to secure his position - much like the myth of "Karimov the outsider". There also seems to be a great deal of admiration for who Rahmonov as someone came from nowhere and has skillfully seen-off domestic and international foes to secure his position - much like the myth of “Karimov the outsider”.

]]> By: Global News Blog » Central Asia - Tajikistan’s Only Synagogue Attacked http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2624 Global News Blog » Central Asia - Tajikistan’s Only Synagogue Attacked Sat, 23 Sep 2006 16:38:11 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2624 [...] Personality cult in TajikistanNeweurasia.net, Europe - Sep 21, 2006… opposition. Teacher of teachers, savior of the nation, the best popular politician, another Ismoili Somoni [first Tajik leader]. … [...] […] Personality cult in TajikistanNeweurasia.net, Europe - Sep 21, 2006… opposition. Teacher of teachers, savior of the nation, the best popular politician, another Ismoili Somoni [first Tajik leader]. … […]

]]> By: Global News Blog » Central Asia - Energy outcome of SCO meeting in Dushanbe http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2615 Global News Blog » Central Asia - Energy outcome of SCO meeting in Dushanbe Sat, 23 Sep 2006 04:20:44 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2615 [...] Personality cult in TajikistanNeweurasia.net, Europe - Sep 21, 2006… opposition. Teacher of teachers, savior of the nation, the best popular politician, another Ismoili Somoni [first Tajik leader]. … [...] […] Personality cult in TajikistanNeweurasia.net, Europe - Sep 21, 2006… opposition. Teacher of teachers, savior of the nation, the best popular politician, another Ismoili Somoni [first Tajik leader]. … […]

]]> By: Janobi Olitarin http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2610 Janobi Olitarin Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:10:06 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2610 Yes, there is a certain degree of personaly cult and it's gaining momemtum. Sad thing is very little will be done about it. Yes, there is a certain degree of personaly cult and it’s gaining momemtum. Sad thing is very little will be done about it.

]]> By: Alexander Sadikov http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2606 Alexander Sadikov Fri, 22 Sep 2006 07:55:48 +0000 http://tajikistan.neweurasia.net/2006/09/21/personality-cult-in-tajikistan/#comment-2606 Oh, some people certainly do believe he is a padishah! Still, some only pretend to believe. Anyway, if you watch local TV and read the papers, you should have noticed that one mention president Rahmonov without adding "janobi oli" ("your excellency") to his name. People familiar with the Tajik language traditions know that Tajik-speaking people have used the "janobi oli" title only to address monarchs. In the contemporary Tajik language, there is no imperative to use special linguistic forms when mentioning a person, with an exception of religious prophets. So, the very wording of our political and media community have significantly contributed to Rahmonov's cult of personality. This story about 7 new books by Abdufattoh Sharipov, President's press secretary, released ahead of the national holidays, has really made me laugh. The question I would ask Mr. press secretary is what else he is doing except for writing books about "janobi oli"? Is book-writing an integral part of his job and actually what he is paid for? If yes, I have an objection! I pay taxes and I do not want my tax money to be spent on paying for Mr. Abdufattoh Sharipov's writing talent. Anyway, I think the next book by this author will be titled something like "Janobi Oli Emomali Rahmonov and His Contribution to Struggle Against the Cult of Personality Throughout the World". Alexander Sadikov Oh, some people certainly do believe he is a padishah! Still, some only pretend to believe. Anyway, if you watch local TV and read the papers, you should have noticed that one mention president Rahmonov without adding “janobi oli” (”your excellency”) to his name. People familiar with the Tajik language traditions know that Tajik-speaking people have used the “janobi oli” title only to address monarchs. In the contemporary Tajik language, there is no imperative to use special linguistic forms when mentioning a person, with an exception of religious prophets. So, the very wording of our political and media community have significantly contributed to Rahmonov’s cult of personality.

This story about 7 new books by Abdufattoh Sharipov, President’s press secretary, released ahead of the national holidays, has really made me laugh. The question I would ask Mr. press secretary is what else he is doing except for writing books about “janobi oli”? Is book-writing an integral part of his job and actually what he is paid for? If yes, I have an objection! I pay taxes and I do not want my tax money to be spent on paying for Mr. Abdufattoh Sharipov’s writing talent.

Anyway, I think the next book by this author will be titled something like “Janobi Oli Emomali Rahmonov and His Contribution to Struggle Against the Cult of Personality Throughout the World”.

Alexander Sadikov

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