Turkmen Students Abroad Fear to Tell the Truth
The Voice of Freedom analytical bulletin of 18 January published an interesting article about Turkmen students studying in Kyrgyzstan who are afraid of tell the truth about the situation in their homeland.
Khalyk Dustyyev (which is not the true name of the author), a Turkmen student and a journalist based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, lists a number of reasons that discourage young Turkmen people from openly discussing the political situation in Turkmenistan despite the fact that they live abroad. Dustyyev reports that the students who e.g. publish critical articles about the situation in Turkmenistan are blacklisted by the border service agency and not allowed to leave their home country once they return to Turkmenistan. Secret service officers intimidate or exert pressure on their relatives. Male students are called up for obligatory military service. Young Turkmen who study abroad are forced into collaboration with the National Security Committee of Turkmenistan (NSC). The author quotes the words of students who…
…in summer of 2005 after they returned back to Turkmenistan to spend their holidays, […] were summoned to the NSC’s office for the examination. “The NSC’s officers wanted to know what was happening in Kyrgyzstan and offered me to be their secret agent to give information about Kyrgyzstan and students who could be “dangerous” for Turkmenistan. I refused, but it doesn’t mean they didn’t offer the same thing to someone else” […]
Turkmen students - Dustyyev concludes - have every reason to be afraid to tell the truth about human rights violations in their country and avoid discussions about political issues.
He also writes that there are special secret service officers who read foreign print and on-line media outlets. I would like to avail myself of this opportunity to greet my “guardian angel”. I wish you a pleasant reading and invite you to comment my posts!
on February 1st, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I have a lot of Turkmen students in my classes at AUCA and I have not found them afraid to speak about conditions in Turkmenistan. In general students from Turkmenistan have been some of my most outspoken students. Granted my sample size is limited, but the thrust of this article does not match my personal experience.
on February 1st, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Otto,
There’s a big difference between speaking about issues in a class at AUCA, which is a private and “safe” environment as far as possible (as well as predominantly English-language) and speaking about them in a location that is less insulated from the influence of Central Asian officialdom. Added to which I would suggest that AUCA students generally tend to be bolder, more politically outspoken and arguably more liberal than average - all factors that encourage greater freedom of expression, particularly given the environment and community AUCA provides.
My personal experience of talking to students of various VUZy outside Bishkek is that they would rather avoid talk related to politics in Turkmenistan, though there may be an element of disinterest rather than/as well as fear.
Certainly if your students are happy to talk/write about politics in Turkmenistan, we would love to hear from them and publish their writings (under a pseudonym or anonymously if so desired).
on February 1st, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Dear Maciula!
You might be slightly disappointed if I say that nobody in our organisation read English language web sites and blogs related to Turkmenistan. But it is a bitter true. Unfortunately nobody in KNB even can read in English.
With kind regards.
Your “guardian angel”
Major S. Rejepow
on February 2nd, 2008 at 3:30 pm
I completely agree with those who say, Turkmen students are afraid of speaking about situation back home. It’s not only the case with those Turkmen students who stay in former soviet union block, but I found Turkmen in Turkey are the same, hesitating to say any thing about political issues, human rights and social problem. But when topic will come to discuss about the gossips against individuals, I found them very, very strong speakers.
Few days earlier I told by some Turkish students here in Czech Republic about existence of a Turkmen student, I was very happy about this news, and subsequently I requested from him to arrange meeting with this Turkmen guy, I even invited him to come my home and have dinner or lunch. But few days ago, my Turkish friend called in little bit surprise mode, saying that, since he connived my desire of meeting, and invitation, this Turkmen guy even stopped meeting to him. He was in shock.
Two months ago I was at Stanford University, with two months of fellowship, during this period I learned about a Turkmen family, living in San Francesco. When my university colleagues tried to arrange meeting with them, they simply ignored.
It sounds they are not only afraid of talking about situation back home, but also afraid of meeting people. It’s really strange behavior. May be I understand them wrong, may be there is a cultural difference between people in Turkmenistan with out side world, but whatever the reason is, it’s true that there is huge gap between Turkmen and outside world. Which I think is related to their Govt. policy, political atmosphere and complete isolation, as well as media black out.
on February 2nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
To Tahir:
Dude, who is gonna meet you if you divulge their stories to everyone like this. Everyone wants privacy. Moreover, if they are living abroad, that means they are already adapted to the new culture, and they do not have to meet someone from their home country. Remember that, Americans are individualists and they love privacy. Also, life in the West for a newcomer is not that easy. You can’t waste your time meeting some kind of stranger, especially with whom you don’t have anything common.
on February 2nd, 2008 at 10:38 pm
so, do not categorize and oversimplify when you are talking about a certain ethnicity.
on February 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Hi everyone,
let me tell an anecdote which describes this situation best:
President Bush, President Putin and President Niyazov had an official meeting and they went to big canyon for an excursion. all of three presidents were top of the biggest canyon and watching beautiful landscape. Of course their personal bodyguards also were with them. Somehow Mr. Bush and Mr. Putin started to discussion that whose bodyguard is better.
Mr. Bush told that “If ask my bodyguard to jump from the biggest canyon, he won’t hesitate for a minute he will jump”
Mr. Putin told that “If ask my bodyguard to jump from the biggest canyon, he won’t hesitate for a second he will jump”
They argued for an hour and decided to test their bodyguards.
President Bush called his personal bodyguard and ordered to jump from the biggest canyon. His bodyguard who is also agent of CIA firstly surprised then started begging to Mr. Bush saying that he has two children, wife and old parents whom he has to look after.
Mr. Bush thinks for a while then forgives his bodyguard.
President Putin laughs at Mr. Bush saying that his bodyguard is better then he called his personal bodyguard and ordered to jump from the biggest canyon. His bodyguard who is also agent of KGB firstly surprised then started begging to Mr. Putin saying that he has three children, wife and old parents whom he has to look after.
Mr. Putin thinks for a while then forgives his bodyguard too.
President Niyazov surprised and said “Dear my friends your bodyguards are really coward and disgusting, look at my bodyguard”. Then he called his personal bodyguard and ordered to jump from the biggest canyon. His bodyguard who is also agent of KNB jumped from the biggest canyon without any hesitation. Mr. Putin, Mr. Bush and their bodyguards are shocked. After a while Mr. Niyazov’s bodyguard came back in a blood with broken arms, legs and head.
President Bush and Putin helped him and asked to wounded turkmen bodyguard “Why didn’t you beg for your life and why didn’t you refuse to jump?”
Wounden Turkmen Bodyguard answered “I have also two children, wife and old parents whom I have to protect”.
Dear friends, you are asking why turkmen people in abroad are afraid of discuss political, economical and other situation in Turkmenistan. Our answer is :
“WE HAVE ALSO SISTERS, BROTHERS, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS and RELATIVES WHOM WE WANT TO PROTECT because WE ALL LOVE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS”
on March 26th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
well Major S.Rejepov i wouldn’t be more disepointed in you people when you are saying Nobady in KNB can’t speak or read english..or they don’t read english blocks about TM cuz’ i c you do and i’m 200% sure you not the only one ,,btw i don’t get why would you post your status in goverment when you work for it…
on March 26th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
MARICULA .. AND EVRYONE ELSE u know what nodoby is afraid to tell the truth i love my country and none of this posts effect my view ,been i’m aboad or not it’s the simle truth if some ppl say it’s not well if they could do better then they should bring thier A** here and do better ..