Turkmenistan tries to revive civil society

t('articles.tweet')

* denotes required field.

• Your name *
• Email to *
• Comments *
• CAPTCHA *

Reset

ASHGABAT – Turkmenistan has adopted an outwardly welcoming stance toward civil society, but sceptics question their government’s commitment.

OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights director Janez Lenarcic praised government officials during his mid-June visit to Turkmenistan.

“We agreed to intensify our co-operation in implementing Turkmenistan’s commitments in … human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” Lenarcic said. The country’s leadership plans to develop democratic institutions and civil society, according to Turkmen state information website Turkmenistan Segodnya.

The government also organised a January roundtable on “The Role of Civil Society in Providing Social Services: An International Experience” in Ashgabat. Participants praised the emergence of non-governmental and media organisations such as the Turkmen National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights under the President of Turkmenistan and various organisations that have come of the Galkynysh National Movement.

President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in May called for the formation of a peasant party. The country currently has only one party. He told “relevant officials to hold meetings with media representatives at the beginning of each week”. Some remain sceptical of the government’s efforts.

“All other countries have had student organisations, even in Pushkin’s time”, said a 21-year-old student who identified himself only as Tahir, referring to the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. “But we do not have any such organisations, since even if some people just stand around and talk, they are (considered) a cause for suspicion”.

One journalist and human rights activist criticised the government’s posture toward civil society on condition of anonymity.

“There have been no serious concessions in NGO and media rights,” he said.

“Many of my colleagues were forced to leave the country or were intimidated and arrested. Anyone who makes a mistake – even just once - is threatened with punishment or persecution”, he said. “And God forbid they say something wrong! I no longer work in human rights activism since my life and the safety of my loved ones are worth more”.

Turkmenistan’s NGOs focus on less sensitive topics like women, families and the environment, and even they are under state supervision, the journalist said.

“But even the environmental NGOs are closing. … And this is not even speaking of human rights activists and journalists. The country has almost no international organisations left”.

“There is also the Council of Elders, but can you call that a public organisations? Its members’ opinions do not really count,” he said, referring to the advisory body that meets once a year.

International organisations have echoed the journalist’s criticism.

“Unfortunately, the situation with the media as well as with all civil society is a difficult one”, said a source at the Bulgaria-based Turkmen Helsinki Foundation who requested anonymity.

Others urged patience with the government.

“We need to remember that during (Saparmurat) Niyazov’s time, our situation was very difficult,” Turkmen State Univeristy of Magtymguly student and activist Gulnar Aminova said. “You can see progressive steps being taken everywhere. And I support the path our president set out. I believe that he will help build a real civil society”.