IRPT CONFIRMS KABIRI AS CHAIRMAN IN EMOTIONAL CONGRESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DUSHANBE 001662

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 9/7/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KISL KDEM TI
SUBJECT: IRPT CONFIRMS KABIRI AS CHAIRMAN IN EMOTIONAL CONGRESS

CLASSIFIED BY: Tracey Jacobson, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy
Dushanbe, STATE.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (U) SUMMARY: The Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan
(IRPT) confirmed Muhiddin Kabiri as its chairman during an
emotional political party congress with members still mourning
the loss of former chairman Said Abdullo Nuri. The IRPT
delegates presented a united front and members gave impassioned
speeches, pledging to carry on Nuri's legacy. After the
congress, Kabiri met with international representatives, where
he appeared visibly strained, which may reflect the pressures on
him from internal political strife and the risks of being a
popular "opposition" politician in Tajikistan. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) The Islamic Renaissance Party unanimously elected
Acting-Chairman Muhiddin Kabiri to the position of Chairman for
a four-year term during a party congress meeting September 2.
The media, international missions, political scientists, and
other political parties joined the 236 delegates that convened
at IRPT headquarters in Dushanbe to witness this expected, yet
momentous change. In a three-hour meeting, all congratulated
and praised Kabiri for his strong leadership. Many expressed
confidence he would continue Nuri's dreams and establish a
greater role for the IRPT in Tajikistan. The People's
Democratic Party of Tajikistan made a point of calling Kabiri
its friend and emphasized the two parties' "friendship" like
"the kind Nuri and Rahmonov had." (Note: Rahmonov did not show
up at Nuri's funeral or pay respect to his family. END NOTE.)


3. (U) During Kabiri's acceptance speech, he declared he was
not ready to announce his political agenda. He catered to the
party's love for Nuri and tried to champion Islamic rights, by
promising to continue Nuri's leadership and said that if people
support Islamic values, they should support the IRPT. He was
humble and thanked the party for its trust in him and called on
party members to criticize him and supply him with advice.


4. (U) In addition to Kabiri's election, the party also voted
for a new high presidium and secretariat. In a largely symbolic
move, the party elected Nuri's son Qori Muhammadjon Nuri to the
high presidium. He is currently studying in France and did not
attend the congress. At Kabiri's initiative, the congress also
unanimously voted for Muhammadsharif Himmatzoda as the IRPT's
spiritual leader. Kabiri views Himmatzoda as a mentor and
recognizes the popular leader deserves an official position in
the IRPT. Some in the press had pegged Himmatzoda to be the
next IRPT chairman, but an illness prohibits him from being
active. IRPT members prayed for his health.

IRPT UNITED-IN PUBLIC AT LEAST


5. (U) Participants gave speeches congratulating Kabiri on his
election and praised him for being a fair, modern politician who
can lead the party forward. Critics within the party have
commented Kabiri is too modern and eschews traditional Islamic
values. In what may have been a planned campaign, several
conservative members of the party acknowledged rumors of a rift
and potential split in the party, and purposefully praised
Kabiri, admitting that his beardless appearance is of no
importance. One remarked, "He has no beard, but this is not a
shortcoming. Do not pay attention to his appearance, pay
attention to his heart."


6. (U) The party also dispelled rumors of other IRPT officials
competing for power by having them take the podium and speak in

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support of Kabiri. One such official, Said Ibrohim Nazar, a
Kulobi who is the IRPT's Head of the Department of Culture, made
a pointedly short speech commending Kabiri for being a "rare
politician" who will take care of the party and implement Nuri's
dreams.


7. (C) Embassy sources say Nazar also allegedly traveled to
the Sughd region which has a strong IRPT support base and asked
delegates to vote for him as party chairman instead of Kabiri.
The Sughd members refused. Prior to Nazar's visit, some members
from Sughd did not plan on traveling to Dushanbe for the party
congress because the expense would be too great for them.
Outraged by Nazar's proposal, they all wanted to show Kabiri
their loyalty and every one of them made the trip to Dushanbe,
despite financial hardship. Realizing that Kabiri would win,
Nazar, along with IRPT Deputy Chairman Jaloliddin Mansurov, in a
heated discussion among the presidium, tried to convince the
party to elect Kabiri to only a one year term. They reasoned
that Nuri only served three years out of his four year term and
the new chairman should only complete the last year of that
term. They were unsuccessful.

THE CHAIRMAN'S FIRST OFFICIAL DUTY- LUNCH!


8. (SBU) After the formal congress, attendees divided into
separate rooms for lunch. Organizers announced that Kabiri
would have his first lunch as chairman with representatives from
international missions. (COMMENT: This may not have been a
shrewd move on Kabiri's part, given past criticism from the
government that he is an "agent of the west" and his own party
members' concerns that he is too modern, too liberal and travels
too much instead of paying attention to internal party issues.
END COMMENT.)


9. (U) Attendees at the traditional Tajik lunch included
PolOff, Ambassador Sotirov from the United Nations Tajikistan
Office of Peacebuilding, diplomats from the Iranian, Russian,
and Kazakh embassies and a senior political advisor from the
British Embassy. The lunch was short, lasting less than twenty
minutes. Kabiri looked visibly tired and acknowledged that
being IRPT chairman carried a lot of risk and responsibility.
He recognized the work ahead of him as the presidential election
draws closer. Towards the end of September, the IRPT will
convene another congress and select a candidate to run in the
November 6 presidential election. No date has been set yet for
the congress and no candidate announced.


10. (C) IRPT members tell Embassy sources that Kabiri traveled
to Poland one day after the congress on September 3 to
participate in international economic conferences and also to
undergo medical examinations. Kabiri allegedly suffered from a
minor heart attack recently.

UNITED WE CRY, STILL MOURNING NURI'S DEATH


11. (U) On the heels of Nuri's death last month, each speaker
felt obligated to say a few words about Nuri's leadership and
his critical role in the peace process following the civil war.
At the mere mention of Nuri's name, several delegates would cry,
particularly if someone broke out in a poetry recital. When
Kabiri stepped up to deliver his acceptance speech, he
symbolically placed flowers in front a gigantic wall sized
picture of Nuri and spoke reverentially about Nuri prompting the
entire room to break down in tears with all delegates loudly
weeping.


12. (U) The deference given to Nuri was overwhelming. The
congress meeting at times appeared to be a memorial service for

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Nuri rather than a political party meeting electing a new
chairman. Many spoke of IRPT members as "Nuri's followers" and
conferred upon him a saint-like status.

A WOMAN'S PLACE IS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM


13. (U) Of the over 200 delegates at the congress, about fifty
were women. Women hold positions in the IRPT as journal editors
and local officials of women's branches, but the congress did
not elect a single woman to the presidium or secretariat.
During the meeting, all women delegates sat in the back of the
room, silent in their hijabs. None spoke during the congress,
unless specifically called on by a high official. Occasionally,
a presidium member would call on a representative from the
women's section to speak on behalf of all the "sisters."

COMMENT


14. (SBU) Although Kabiri promises to follow in Nuri's
footsteps, his modern leanings, savvy knowledge of international
affairs, and amicable personality will take the party to a
different level. He will continue to preach Nuri's message of
tolerance and pluralism in the government, but may also be
inclined to reform the IRPT from within, granting more
significant roles for women and strengthening the moderate
branch of the IRPT.


15. (C) In the party's next congress, it will select a
candidate to run in the presidential election. In past meetings
with PolOff, Kabiri has said that he does not want to run in the
election, but his party's desire and the call to duty, may
override his own personal wishes. For example, he had long
proclaimed no desire to become chairman, even when Nuri
personally requested it of him.


16. (C) The party managed to give off a strong united image
during the congress meeting. Despite stories of rifts and
potential coups, most members still recognize that in order for
the party to survive, it must remain united at this point, at
least through the presidential election. Even Nazar will not
want to create waves publicly, because he will likely compete
for the party's presidential candidate nomination. If he is
unsuccessful in gaining his party's support once again, the
party may face real internal strife.

END COMMENT.
JACOBSON