TURKMENISTAN'S COUNCIL ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001339 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PINR SOCI TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN'S COUNCIL ON RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS SHOWING LITTLE MOVEMENT ON KEY ISSUES ¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet. ¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY: DRL DAS Erica Barks-Ruggles met December 7 with the Chairman of the Council for Religious Affairs, Charygeldi Seryayev to discuss religious freedom issues. Seryayev emphasized the there is inter-confessional harmony and respect in Turkmenistan, and he did not seem to be well-versed on elements of the religion law. He pointed to other government bodies, (including the Ministry of Justice) as the ones that are responsible for difficult issues such as registration of religious groups and alternative service for conscientious objectors saying the Council simply provides input. END SUMMARY. ¶3. (SBU) A delegation led by DRL Deputy Assistant Secretary Erica Barks-Ruggles met December 7 with Council for Religious Affairs Chairman Charygeldi Seryayev to discuss religious freedom issues. Seryayev recited the progress Turkmenistan has made in advancing religious freedom, including the registration of ten religious groups since independence, as well as two more this year. Turkmenistan has a policy of respect for other religions, he said, especially in this "period of revival" in Turkmenistan (NOTE: President Berdimuhamedov has characterized in public speeches this post-Niyazov period as Turkmenistan's termed this post-Niyazov period as Turkmenistan's "new revival." END NOTE.) ¶4. (SBU) Seryayev said religious education reform is underway as well. He pointed to young assistants to his right and left and indicated that they were both graduates of Turkmen State University's religion faculty. There are ninety-five students currently studying under the faculty, and the number of students will be expanded soon. Upon graduation, he said, these students will be guaranteed jobs. Indeed, they will be qualified to operate as imams in Turkmen mosques or in the Religious Affairs Council. He also said students were permitted to study religious issues abroad and return to Turkmenistan. In response to questions by the delegation, Seryayev noted that the Ruhnama is not a part of religious curriculum at the religious faculty. He said it is only part of the curriculum in terms of the history and identity of the Turkmen people. ¶5. (SBU) Turning to the issue of registration of religious groups, Seryayev was quick to note that the registration process was largely under the control of the Justice Ministry, with the Council providing input along the way. He said the primary reason the Ministry of Justice is refusing to register many of the groups is the groups' small numbers. When asked directly, he said that registration rules require groups to have a minimum of 50 members, who are named in registration documentation, in order to register as religious organizations. (NOTE: During a subsequent meeting with Ministry of Justice officials, they indicated that groups with less than 50 members are allowed to register as "religious groups." This was confirmed in a meeting with religious leaders of both registered and unregistered religious organizations and groups. Some of the registered groups wee as small as 10 members. END NOTE.) When asked whether unregistered organizations or groups are able to meet and worship, Seryayev denied that such groups are followed or monitored, and he maintained that they are allowed to meet in private homes as long as their neighbors do not object. Unregistered groups, he noted, are unable to have a permanent place of worship, however, and may not lease or own property for that purpose. ¶6. (SBU) DAS Barks-Ruggles asked Seryayev whether the Council had any immediate plans to work with the OSCE Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, which has helped other countries with issues relating to minority group relations and dealing with extremist groups as well. He ASHGABAT 00001339 002 OF 002 responded that the Council had never encountered any extremist groups, and had no problems with religious freedom in general, but would be open to considering working with the OSCE Panel of Experts in the future. ¶7. (SBU) The delegation asked about the religion law's requirement that any religious group leader must be Turkmen. Seryayev noted that the law does permit a naturalized Turkmen citizen to lead a religious community, but did say that all groups or organizations are supposed to be headed by Turkmen citizens. The delegation, noting the positive movement in the registration of tow groups this fall, pressed Seryayev to move forward on other pending requests for registration, noting in particular tat some requests had been pending for years. Seryayev stated that "there should be no problem as soon as groups meet the numbers required." (NOTE: Religious leaders in a separate meeting complained about repeated bureaucratic obstruction of applications for minor typos and other non-substantive reasons. END NOTE.) ¶8. (SBU) The delegation also asked Seryayev to work to reinstate an alternative to military service for conscientious objectors. At first, Seryayev did not understand the nature of the question, then said that two years of military service is compulsory in Turkmenistan, and everyone has to do it. When the delegation repeated the question about restoring an alternative service option, Seryayev responded that this was a Ministry of Defense issue, not one for the Council. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative in the room corrected his response and said that it was an issue for both the Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Justice. (NOTE: The lack of an alternative service option has been a major issue for Turkmenistan's Jehovah's Witness community, who are probably the single largest unregistered religious group in the country and are conscientious objectors. END NOTE.) ¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: Seryayev led the meeting, which is unusual. In all previous meetings with post and previous delegations, meetings have been presided over by Deputy Chairman Nurmuhammet Gurbanov, an older, more politically savvy interlocutor who speaks fluent Russian. Seryayev may not speak Russian, which may be part of the reason he has not typically met with us. However, it is interesting to note he is much younger and more soft-spoken than Gurbanov, who is a quintessential politician. Seryayev presented himself much more like a former seminary student, and seemed to be unprepared to address some of the questions that were raised. It may well be that although Seryayev has the religious credentials to head the Council, Gurbanov is the face the government more often wants to put forward in its dealings with the outside world. This time, however, Gurbanov may have instead accompanied President Berdimuhamedov and visiting Turkish President Gul to Konye Urgench. END COMMENT. ¶10. (U) DAS Barks-Ruggles cleared this cable. CURRAN