Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT118
2008-01-23 11:37:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN RETURNS TO A MORE NORMAL HOLIDAY
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UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000118
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN RETURNS TO A MORE NORMAL HOLIDAY
SCHEDULE
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000118
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN RETURNS TO A MORE NORMAL HOLIDAY
SCHEDULE
1. (U) According to standard practice, Turkmenistan's
President Berdimuhamedov on January 18 signed legislation
listing this year's annual holiday schedule. However,
included this year among the usual events -- New Year's Day,
Day of Remembrance (of the victims of the 1948 earthquake)
and the Kurban Bayram (Eid) holiday -- were some notable
changes. Contrary to the practice in recent years, the
president decided to reinstitute International Women's Day
(March 8) as an official non-working national holiday
(Niyazov had banned it as "Russian"). Memorial Day, a
two-day non-working holiday under former President Niyazov
(the second day involved a commemoration of Niyazov's
father's death),has been decreased to a more normal (in the
CIS) one-day commemoration of the victory in the Great
Patriotic War (World War II). December 21, the day of
Niyazov's death, which in 2007 was commemorated as a
non-working holiday because it coincided with the Kurban
Bayram holiday, will be a normal workday holiday in 2008.
Ruhnama Day (September 12),however, will remain a workday
holiday this year. Flag Day (February 19) -- which
coincidentally fell on Niyazov's birthday and which he
stretched to a two-day extravaganza of self-glorification --
remains on February 19.
2. (U) COMMENT: People are noticing these small, subtle
changes, which they interpret as a deliberate but gradual
effort by President Berdimuhamedov to weaken the former
president's cult of personality. Most welcome these changes
as a return to the "normal" holiday schedule they were used
to celebrating in the latter years of Soviet rule and the
first years of Niyazov's administration. The next logical
step would be to eliminate Ruhnama Day and to change the
names of the months back to their traditional names (Niyazov
named January "Turkmenbashy" in honor of himself and called
April "Gurbansoltan," his mother's name. With so many other
changes in the works, several of our contacts have speculated
that the president has sent a bill for Parliament approval
that would allegedly officially return the days of the month
to their traditional Turkmen names. Such a step would be
welcome.
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SCUL SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN RETURNS TO A MORE NORMAL HOLIDAY
SCHEDULE
1. (U) According to standard practice, Turkmenistan's
President Berdimuhamedov on January 18 signed legislation
listing this year's annual holiday schedule. However,
included this year among the usual events -- New Year's Day,
Day of Remembrance (of the victims of the 1948 earthquake)
and the Kurban Bayram (Eid) holiday -- were some notable
changes. Contrary to the practice in recent years, the
president decided to reinstitute International Women's Day
(March 8) as an official non-working national holiday
(Niyazov had banned it as "Russian"). Memorial Day, a
two-day non-working holiday under former President Niyazov
(the second day involved a commemoration of Niyazov's
father's death),has been decreased to a more normal (in the
CIS) one-day commemoration of the victory in the Great
Patriotic War (World War II). December 21, the day of
Niyazov's death, which in 2007 was commemorated as a
non-working holiday because it coincided with the Kurban
Bayram holiday, will be a normal workday holiday in 2008.
Ruhnama Day (September 12),however, will remain a workday
holiday this year. Flag Day (February 19) -- which
coincidentally fell on Niyazov's birthday and which he
stretched to a two-day extravaganza of self-glorification --
remains on February 19.
2. (U) COMMENT: People are noticing these small, subtle
changes, which they interpret as a deliberate but gradual
effort by President Berdimuhamedov to weaken the former
president's cult of personality. Most welcome these changes
as a return to the "normal" holiday schedule they were used
to celebrating in the latter years of Soviet rule and the
first years of Niyazov's administration. The next logical
step would be to eliminate Ruhnama Day and to change the
names of the months back to their traditional names (Niyazov
named January "Turkmenbashy" in honor of himself and called
April "Gurbansoltan," his mother's name. With so many other
changes in the works, several of our contacts have speculated
that the president has sent a bill for Parliament approval
that would allegedly officially return the days of the month
to their traditional Turkmen names. Such a step would be
welcome.
HOAGLAND