Where does a leftist Turkmen woman fit?
It’s time for me to finally affiliate myself with something political and sound… I guess. With this mission I surf the web for sites and blogs of various political parties, their opposition and their leaders. I wonder where do I belong? What do I have to choose from?
Let’s see…
- Turkmenistan: The Golden Age . The best choice as a loyal subject; and a picture of how it is to live in “The Fairy Tale World of Turkmenbashy” (it is real, I assure you, I rode a rollercoaster and an amazing ferry wheel there). Free of charge! I love the mountains at home, they are blue and turn green and red at spring. I enjoy sizzling kelebashayag and fresh chorek. It’s such pity I missed my favorite day, Melon’s Day [second Sunday of August]. I’m proud to say that my country is the homeland of the delicious honey-like fruits!
- Gundogar: The National Democratic Movement of Turkmenistan. Why not? The opposition is not only holding an anti-government stance, but also following the ‘right way’, as detailed in their FAQ:
Q: Why does “Gundogar” only write bad things about Turkmenistan?
A: “Gundogar” writes the truth about Turkmenistan. In our opinion there is nothing good happening in Turkmenistan, and the main reason for that is the dictatorship of Saparmurat Niyazov.
- Nice! Short and precise… I can do this too: How dare you talk that way about the person who left us so soon! By the way, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov is my President. Get updated on the Democracy for People!
- Social political movement “Watan” Ok, news, news, news… then… aha, news… what?!?! I’m lost… Next!
- The Republican Party of Turkmenistan (in exile) Oh la la! I’m sorry, but the first thing that comes up to my narrow mind full of stereotypes is The Best of the Best, then i see war, terrorism, homophobia, forced fundamentalist evangilism, abolished abortion, sexism and all those rights, freedoms and opportunities being a privilage one can earn through unfair trade and corruption in this world of the free market… ok, enough of common sense nightmare whining… Anyway, with no sarcasm, I appreciate the standpoints for special needs people. Maybe the best way would be not to guess, but to ask the leader of Turkmen Republicans , son of the founder of Gundogar, Bayram Shikhmuradov… good call.
All of these leaders are men. Surely, I am for the gender-inclusive world as long as one cures oneself from misogyny and homophobia. It also upsets me to hear the ethnocentric call for all Turkmen to unite. What did Geertz say on the consequences of state creation based on the revival of traditions and ethnic identity? How should i be sure it’s not another struggle for power and democracy for all those who are right and loyal, against the old?
I’m happy to see words such as Human Rights and Equality, but who do they recognize as human beings and less than human? How inclusive and sensitive is their anthropocentrism? Is there room for people who are outside of a binary system, when one excludes the notion of opposites? And how about those caught in the middle or struggling for something else, even though it is completely different from “the main reason, which is the dictatorship of Saparmurat Niyazov”?
Merdjen: no political party affiliation, political views are very liberal, still seeking…
on August 23rd, 2007 at 2:05 pm
Question for Merdjen,
I didn’t get the homophobia point - how is that issue relevant to the article ? Can you please clarify?
Thank you.
on August 23rd, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Nurly,
I was writing how the word “republican” reminds me of current political party in the US. There are random (out of many) issues that are not recognized in that country, and sometimes they are reproduced by government.
Then i mention that men lead all of those parties/movements and compare it to patriarchy and heterosexism. both of those discriminatory systems target vulnerable groups such as women and sexual minorities. i didn’t go into issues that face gender minorities while one of them is transphobia, because it’d be somewhat off topic while they are all interrelated.
But today i’m not talking that much on queer stuff, but rather on political affiliation.
Most of all I want to bring attention to existing opposition movements.
Thank you so much for the question )
on August 23rd, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Where all leftists/liberals belong, I guess: www.jurassicpark.com
lol
on August 23rd, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Ataman Rakin : )
the notion of “liberal” is kind of continium. what if this leftist is for non-violence, etc. There are liberals that might now agree with each other. Maybe then there is no one good solution like Jurassic Park, but something more inclusive or with exhaustive alternatives/choices (which i’m not sure can be limited)
any other suggestions, Rakin?
on August 23rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
“but something more inclusive or with exhaustive alternatives/choices (which i’m not sure can be limited)
any other suggestions, Rakin?”
Stop seeking. I’ve found it: www.hizb-ut-tahrir.org :)lol
on August 23rd, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Two men against one woman.
What a shining example of sexism and gender inequality of rights!
Merdjen, I absolutely agree with you: liberal values and democracy are not the points for any political movements related to our country.
on August 23rd, 2007 at 8:42 pm
I am not against the author. Just wanted to clarify the point.
on August 27th, 2007 at 10:30 am
- Where does a leftist Turkmen woman fit?
- Nowhere… Short and honest.
The world is a funny place. 21st century, people in space, studying possibilities of life in Mars, possibilities of teleportation… One would assume with all the new advancements, people should get smarter and things should get easier. But instead, everything is getting harder and people are getting more stupid.
There are so many political phrases, most of which are total lies made up to make some rich folks even richer (yes, it’s ALWAYS about money). Let’s take democracy for instance. Democracy is the right of people/civilizations to choose how to live. Now, if one country attacks another because people over there don’t live like themselves, because they live their own way - where is the democracy in that??? People must have the right to choose not to be democratic if they want to. I can honestly and surely say that there is no democracy in the world, not in any country - and those who don’t agree with me are just cowards afraid to admit it. Sometimes it’s a good thing that there is no democracy. Imagine being a father of a big family and one of your kids using bad language, drugs …etc. Would you say he should have freedom of speech, freedom to use drugs or would you spank his ass so badly he would become a different person??? Sometimes people are needed to be protected from themselves…
Anyway, there is no point in talking about simple things at great lengths, using many sophisticated phrases and making it harder. We are a young country, only recently learned to walk, to talk, slowly maturing. Surely, there are going to be mistakes we make along the way, like any teenager. The main point is to be able to say: ‘This is my country; my people and I take everything about it, the good and the bad together’. The main point is to try and do something about making things better instead of bragging and complaining all the time.
on September 22nd, 2007 at 5:16 pm
I would organize a whole new party - all inclusive, regardless of gender, religion, ehtnicity, race, orientation, social class - The Party of Freedom for All.
on September 24th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
perfect!
on September 28th, 2007 at 1:05 am
????, ???????? ????????? ?????? ??????? ???? =)
on October 3rd, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Salam!!!
Identity, that what matters!!!! Being turkmen makes me pround of me more than anything else! I hate being abroad and hearing about the turkmen politics pathetical things that are not even a truth. Or meeting people abroad who spread the rumors about my homeland. People always think that its better in other countries, they move their, and then they realize that there is nothing better that yr motherland. As my mama used to say ” soygulusinden aylrylan bir yyl aglar, yurdyndan ayrylan omurlik aglar!”
Altyn Asyryn Altyn Nesilleri,
Myahri
my blood, my tears, my slime my breath belongs to TURKMENISTAN
on October 4th, 2007 at 7:45 am
I’m so happy to see such patriotic young lady
as long as one does not get too nationalistic.
Would you be interested to write a post about this and people’s wrong attitudes towards the politics in our country? that’d be interesting to hear
on April 3rd, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Interestnig! Not being able to associate yourself with any of the listed groups is the failure of the system, and the groups (ofcourse) as is everything else is. Gender roles will never be a central issue in Turkmenistan, misogyny is slowly fading but it will take years for it to dissolve. Until every woman encounters this question, (and i hope they will) with country that “seems” to be steadily moving forward.
This binary system is exclusive, it will take years for it to evolve into something where leftist, (if this is even a coined term within Turkmen women, as I am sure that idea is yet to evolve )women will be able to associate themselves with politlical fractions. To belong to a group you need to have your interests represented, if you dont find it within the listings, you create one…isn’t that the traditonal lineage of political development?
Tradition needs to break apart from modern standards. I am for all things non-traditional when it comes to women’s involvement.
Women’s movement is a very multifaceted phenomena. I mean, look at Latin America and the WM there, the only time you actually did see an active involvement of women in politics or business, or striding into political groups and leading on.. is when the countries were under a full blown dictatorships/authoritarian regimes. Who did you see marching for their dead husbands and protesting against the government on the streets? - women.
Who went to earn money to support their children? - women.
Who took on the agricultural initiatives? - women.
Now the question is, has a women in every Turkmen household been affected by the lack of “this and that” to reflect upon her actions? Or are Turkmen women bearing themselves down with this cultural/traditional baggage, burdened but at the same time accustomed, to this way of being?
I want to see women at the forefronts…where are they?