Cultural Faux Pas or Nation Building?
Originally posted on Global Voices
Once Turkmenistan’s former dictator Saparmurat Niyazov, or Turkmenbashi (”Father of all Turkmens”), died last December, the other Central Asian strongmen stood suddenly deprived of the “ne plus ultra of Central Asian dictators.” As such, Ian of Beyond The River says…
…the other leaders could always point to him when poked in the ribs by Western governments and NGOs over human rights issues.
Tajikistan especially is making headlines these days that seem to ring the Turkmenbashi bell. It all began back in 2006, when President Rakhmonov (more on his surname later) ruled that state employees should not have golden teeth anymore. Vadim of neweurasia quoted the president as saying…
“Once I met a Tajik in Switzerland” - recalls the president, “How did I know that he was a Tajik? Because he had a shiny mouth. It was shameful. He thought it was beautiful. People in the world are laughing at us. It shows the lack of culture.”
The stride of new cultural legislation went on: In March 2007, Rakhmonov decided that his name should actually be Rakhmon, thus scrapping the Russian suffix. Several bloggers detected a Turkmenistanisation in this move. As Bonnie Boyd of the Foreign Policy / Great Decisions Central Asia Blog noted:
This extension of presidential preference over private considerations is very reminiscent of the late Turkmenistani President, Saparmurat Niyazov’s rule. Niyazov dictated what would be approved in the way of facial hair, dental work, educational curriculum, and relationships between husband and wife. It heralds the beginning of a contingent dictatorship, where people are forced to change civic and private behavior mid-course due to the whims of its leader.
James of neweurasia cited more evidence for the shift in Rakhmonov’s cultural policies:
- All new babies in Tajikistan will no longer be able to use Russian name endings either
- Certain Soviet and Russian holidays such as “ABC Book Day” are now banned
- Students must now leave their cell phones and cars at homes so as not to distract from their studies
The latter regulation got extended by a new dresscode for students yesterday.
What is to make of this flurry of new legislation? Teo Kaye at Registan.net has the (witty) answer by posting a cartoon from his fellow colleague Tom Wellings:
It’s quite clear what Rakhmon tries to achieve with these moves: He wants to distract from a dismal economic situation.
However, even Teo thinks that several initiatives shouldn’t be laughed at and are actually quite normal for an independent country. In the comments to the post at Registan.net, he says:
As someone who taught a year of university in Dushanbe, I mostly agree with Rahmon’s latest rulings. Cellphones and silly clothes were something teachers regularly came to blows over with students. De-russification makes plenty of sense, even if it was possibly timed carefully and overall slightly impractical.
Lastly, what do Tajiks themselves have to say about the changes? Gulru, writing at neweurasia, comes to the following conclusion:
Are these changes positive or negative? Well, let the people decide. From my own observation, few people want to change their last name; however, according to Asia Plus, the Department of Justice is already envisaging the change of Russian ending “-ov,” “-ev,” into “-zoda,’ “-pur’ and etc.
Thus, the biggest mistake in these laws might well be in the tradition of Turkmenbashi, then. Despite some sense behind the moves, it would be best to let the people decide for themselves. But choice is a freedom Central Asian leaders only seldomly award their citizens with.
on April 21st, 2007 at 5:10 pm
There is no dispute that name changing is positive and many people did it long time ago. But why not use your own car when the public transport is horrible, the buses are overcrowded and humiliating. How about being late every day for the school? Why the government doesn’t think to tackle the public transport problem rather?
Why be ashamed of golden teeth when we have worst heath and educational problems; why we are not ashamed of letting mothers or infants die during the birth in hospitals, why we are not ashamed that our drinking water is so dirty that our teeth get destroyed before they appear, why don’t we tackle the root problem, the problem of poverty (majority people don’t afford to have normal nutrition; how can they afford to buy toothpaste or the brush…). Is being toothless better then having golden teeth? By the way, golden teeth are cheaper then ceramic teeth. One ceramic tooth costs more then 100$.
About dress code: it is horrible when some psycho-leader tells us
how we should dress. The problem is not the dress code, but rather one man decision over millions of people’s life. Why there no civil participation on such important decision making. Why should it be one man decision about all the aspects of our life. Why we never hear the parliament discussions on TV, they take decision over our life without letting us know. We live only one time and why we are not given the chance over our lives.
How about a terrible situation dealing with different discrimination or corruption almost every day? Wherever you go let it be law enforcement institution, public affairs, including hospitals and universities or tax offices, or even buying a ticket for Tajik airline you face open corruption and discrimination. Why should ordinary people suffer and how long?
President and government officials should deal with other more important issues then looking for nonsense in order to “make news” for Tajik TV.
on April 21st, 2007 at 5:21 pm
Thanks for your comment Zarif. Your golden teeth clarification is appreciated.
In the original post on Global Voices, Faramarz was voicing his rather angry reactions at the bloggers’ interpretations.
While not knowing where Faramarz’s hurt pride originates from, I’m happy to read your point of view.
The whole debate shouldn’t be dissected in terms of “Westerners laughing about silly Tajik laws” and/or “Tajik-bashi”. It’s as you say rather sad evidence of wrong priorities put forward by Rakhmon’s government.
The name change might be a good thing, but the flurry of cultural legislation really doesn’t leave that much room for interpretation - it seems someone is really trying to divert attention away from the problems you elucidate.
on April 23rd, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Choice and freedom…. aaah what a sweet feeling!!!
How can one expect people appreciate it if they never experienced it?
People in CA live oblivion. If it is not the government, which limits their choice it is the clerics who dictate their rule.
Thus the region is under constant struggle. If Tajiks actually had freedom or choice they don’t remember it and there are plenty of those who bank on it.
on April 27th, 2007 at 8:38 am
Zafar, I totally understand your anger and frustration. The same here. This name changing “reform” and other cultural “reforms” are nothing short of diverting public attention from more pressing issues. There are way more significant problems that you mention that Rakhmon should be shameful of. Instead of promoting bunch of pseudo reforms, he would do well to have his government attend to the issues of poverty, decaying health and education and scores of others.
on April 27th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Correction: I wrote Zafar, whcih should read Zarif rather. Zarif I apologize for getting your name wrong in the previous post.
on April 27th, 2007 at 8:55 am
Does this name changing mean we are all in for yet another annoying passport change???
If so, I would hate to pay passport fees again.
on April 29th, 2007 at 1:46 am
“Does this name changing mean we are all in for yet another annoying passport change???
If so, I would hate to pay passport fees again. ”
Nah, you can keep your name if you want. I think…
on April 29th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
I’m so impressed, i am no longer Boboeva - but Boboei while my country is undergoing absolutely no economic devlopement, while the standard of education is so absolutely low i am ashamed to speak to tajik youth being a privileged one myself, while a school graduate does not know how to solve an algebric equation of second degree, while the supposedly “pasteurised” milk we buy in our country doesn’t stay fresh for a day, while the future “doctors” supposed to carry out human operations graduating from universities enter with money, and get out with money, while 90 percent or more or our population lives under the poverty line, while drug, human trafficking and the black market is providing the largest sector of our public spending, while while while while….wow i woke up some days ago, and after reading the press - said to myself - wow, i’m impressed, i am not Boboeva anymore - and Boboei, i really feel changed - and challenged.
on April 29th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
At least here i can see some voices, some ideas, some people who seem to care, who are NOT ashamed to care, who are not - above all - SCARED to care…that is what we should hold on to…Thank you Zarif - you said some things i have been wanting to say - for a long time.
on May 7th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Good news
thank you for infos