TURKMENISTAN: GRANTEE RELOCATES TO FIND MORE RECEPTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001615

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EUR/ACE, ECA, IIP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPAO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: GRANTEE RELOCATES TO FIND MORE RECEPTIVE
AUTHORITIES; LESS RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE


1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On November 25, PAO visited an active grantee
that runs an after school educational center and has found far
better tolerance and cooperation with local authorities after
recently moving the center to a different town. Now located in
Ruhabat, on the outskirts of Ashgabat, the new program has many new
school-age participants in a program that is appreciated by
authorities and parents. This successful transfer of her program
shows that there is significant local diversity in government
authorities. It also shows that there are often indirect ways to
make blockaded programs work, despite the interference of
authorities. However, her new participants are surprisingly more
interested in studying Russian than English; and many of the girls
lack motivation for advanced study or careers. This demonstrates
the limits of public outreach to rural areas. END SUMMARY.

THE REASON FOR MOVING: AN ALL TOO COMMON RUN-AROUND


3. (SBU) Democracy Commission grantee Maya Ovezova (protect
throughout) used to run a popular after school program in the town
of Annau, a short distance east of Ashgabat. At her center in a
small leased commercial space, she oversaw courses in English
language, computer skills, leadership and civic values. During the
course of her work she had various problems with local authorities
even though she held a valid educational license from the Ministry
of Education. Usually, she was able to resolve these, but reported
that one of the three schools in Annau had a director who forbade
that school's students from attending her program.


4. (SBU) Then starting in mid-2008, local authorities claimed that
Ovezova's Ministry of Education license did not specify that she
could operate in Annau and required her to obtain a new license from
the Ministry before she would be permitted to continue her work or
renew the lease for the premises. The Ministry of Education told
her that her license was valid for all of Turkmenistan and to take
up the problem with the Annau officials. The Ministry refused to
provide any written clarification or to contact the Annau officials
themselves. (NOTE: This kind of bureaucratic "catch-22" is not
uncommon in other contexts. END NOTE.)

SEMI-SURREAL "GOLDEN AGE" LOCATION


5. (SBU) After weeks of a stalemate between the Ministry of
Education and local authorities, Ovezova learned through personal
contacts that the mayor of Ruhabat, an "ex-burb" on the opposite
side of Ashgabat, would be easier to work with. In October, she
re-opened her program in Ruhabat's new, white marble shopping center
just off the main highway that heads northwest from Ashgabat towards
Balkanabat. Ruhabat is slightly further removed and less connected
to Ashgabat than Annau.


6. (SBU) When PAO visited the shopping center in November over half
of the commercial spaces available for lease by business owners were
vacant. There were a couple of small convenience stores, a
photography store and a wedding dress store. Ovezova's program
occupies one of the smallest spaces, but she noted that the city
mayor invited her to take "any space she wanted." Eerily the
two-story, echo-filled center was largely devoid of people besides
shopkeepers or the 15 or more preteen students congregated in and
around Ovezova's modest educational center.

JUST OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL, BUT FAR MORE "PROVINCIAL"


7. (SBU) Ovezova and a teacher-volunteer led the gathered computer
skills class in a short PowerPoint presentation of her center's
activities since reopening in Ruhabat. PAO then engaged the
students in Q&A about the United States and also about students'
future plans. All students were Turkmen native speakers and only
used minimal Russian or English. Most expressed an interest in

ASHGABAT 00001615 002 OF 002


learning Russian over English. Some of the boys had aspirations to
study in Russian universities, and one discounted that he'd ever
have the chance to study in America. (NOTE: PAO heavily promoted
USG education programs and tried to add a heavy dose of optimism.
END NOTE)


8. (SBU) In later discussion, Ovezova noted that she was trying to
persuade many of her female students to aim for something more
ambitious than waiting for arranged marriages and becoming
housewives. Although more than half of her students are girls, she
noted that in contrast to her experience in Annau, many are sent by
parents who want to keep them out of trouble, and have less of an
interest in personal development. Ovezova is confident that with
time the girls will see greater possibilities.


9. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite the continued authoritarian tendencies,
Turkmenistan has potential for successful development projects and
civic activity. Much depends on the personalities in specific
locations. This is the first example of a Democracy Commission
grantee completely "moving shop, that we know about. But such major
changes are demanded by the difficult obstacles of working in
Turkmenistan. However, another striking difference by locale is the
more limited and more pro-Russian worldview of the students in
Ruhabat. While many outreach programs have a dramatic impact in
Ashgabat or other major cities, smaller towns and villages are far
behind. END COMMENT.

MILES