PRESIDENT RAHMONOV CELEBRATES THIRD TERM WITH PRECIOUS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 002111

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM TI
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT RAHMONOV CELEBRATES THIRD TERM WITH PRECIOUS
JEWELS AND A NEW BENTLEY


DUSHANBE 00002111 001.2 OF 002



1. SUMMARY: President Rahmonov was sworn in to his third term
on November 18, a warm sun-filled day. The festivities were low
key, but expensive, filled with precious jewels, flag waving
patriots, a military parade, and one shiny new car. Embassy
sources estimate inauguration costs amount from $500,000 to $1
million, not including the (re)construction of two new grand
halls where the swearing in ceremony and celebratory feast took
place. Security leading up to the day was tight and Rahmonov
encouraged Tajiks to celebrate it as a holiday. END SUMMARY.


2. The official swearing in ceremony, conducted at a newly
constructed "Somoni Hall" at the State Dacha lasted
approximately one hour on November 18. More than 1500 officials
including parliamentarians, region and district chairmen, and
prominent public figures packed into the hall to watch Chairman
of the Central Commission on Elections and Referenda hand
President Rahmonov his official certificate and watch him take
the oath of office.


3. Prior to the swearing in, the Chief of the Constitutional
Court hung the new presidential star fashioned into a necklace
of Tajik precious stones around Rahmonov's neck. Three soldiers
placed the Tajik Constitution under Rahmonov's right hand. No
Koran was visible. Prior to the ceremony the state television
aired a recording of a poem by famous Tajik poet Mr. Bozor
Sobir, who is presently residing in the United States. The poem
stresses that Tajiks have roots to Zoroastrians and more ancient
times pre-dating Islam. The poem's imagery described Tajiks as
"people who wear white coats and will never change their white
coats to another color," inferring that Tajik heritage and
history were not fundamentally altered by the adoption of Islam.
Following the oath, the president kneeled to kiss the hem of
the Tajik flag. His speech singled out three countries -
Russia, China, and the United States - as special friends of
Tajikistan.


4. The president departed the Dacha and slowly cruised down
Rudaki Avenue, Dushanbe's main thoroughfare, in his new,
pristine black Bentley convertible. A cavalcade of new black
Mercedes escorted the president down the street for half an hour
as television cameras filmed the procession with Rahmonov
waving, Miss America-style, to the thousands of university
students gathered along the street to greet him. Students and
residents lined the streets waving flags and congratulatory
banners. As soon as Rahmonov passed the students, they were
dismissed and permitted to go home.


5. Crowds also gathered around Somoni Square in the center of
the city, where Rahmonov gave another speech. Approximately
5,000 military officers marched in formation in front of the
president after swearing an oath of allegiance to him. This is
the first time military personnel were requested to take an oath
of allegiance to the president.


6. Following the ceremonies, Rahmonov hosted a reception at the
renovated Exhibition Hall, where he was clearly in a festive
mood. The Ambassadors of Tajikistan's three "partners" --
Russia, China and the United States -- were prominently seated
in a gesture of solidarity, and throughout the reception the
president frequently raised his glass to the three. Rahmonov
gave several impromptu speeches declaring that Tajikistan had
survived the bad times and is moving forward. He emphasized
that inauguration day is a holiday for the people of Tajikistan
and invited his guests to "celebrate like civilized white
people." (Comment: No comment.) As the party went on, and on,
the president took to the stage and began to sing. At this
point, the television cameras stopped filming.


7. Security was tight during the parade, due to the fact that
the country's president was riding down a main street standing
in an open car. Hundreds of police were stationed along the

DUSHANBE 00002111 002.2 OF 002


route to deter possible trouble-makers. Secret service police
tried to confiscate the iPod of a PolOff observing the parade
along Rudaki. In addition, a local Embassy employee's relative
who was wearing traditional Tajik clothing was singled out and
frisked by police, even though he did not exhibit any
extraordinary behavior. Residents along Rudaki were forbidden
from observing the parade on their balconies. Two weeks prior
to the inauguration, Tajik special forces began checking
passports of all residents along Rudaki. Authorities tried to
close all shops, particularly those that sell cellular phones
along the main street. Despite the order, some shops were still
open for business.


8. COMMENT: Unlike typical presidential inaugurations in
Central Asia, Rahmonov did not invite foreign dignitaries to his
party. Because of the controversy surrounding the election --
this being Rahmonov's third term which some deem
unconstitutional and the OSCE's initial report saying that the
uncompetitive election was not a true test of democratic process
-- it is not surprising that the government would choose to keep
events low-key - or at least as low key as a new Bentley and
bejeweled necklace would allow. Rahmonov, ever the populist
politician, emphasized that the inauguration is also an
important part of Tajikistan's living history and that the
celebration was as much for the Tajik people as it was for him.
END COMMENT.


JACOBSON
HOAGLAND