TURKMENISTAN: MARY CITY TEACHERS CONTINUE TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000411 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, ECA, IIP, DRL E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SOCI KPAO TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: MARY CITY TEACHERS CONTINUE TO VISIT AMERICAN CORNER DESPITE OFFICIAL PRESSURE Classified By: CDA Richard E. Hoagland for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). ¶1. (C) During a visit to the American Corner in the provincial city of Mary on March 26, American Corner Director Albina Burashnikova told EmbOff that she thinks that the governor's office is behind school directors warning teachers that visiting the American Corner could put their jobs in jeopardy. Burashnikova added that school directors also regularly report to Mary's Provincial Education Department that no teachers from their schools visit the American Corner. However, Burashnikova said, the teachers continue to visit, if only because this is their only source of English-language teaching materials. (NOTE: On the day that EmbOff stopped by, five teachers had visited. END NOTE.) Burashnikova said that one teacher called UNDP in Ashgabat about this intimidation, and the UN told the teacher that this was a matter for the U.S. Embassy. Burashnikova is scared that the governor's office will start to put pressure on the students. ¶2. (C) Although provincial officials are trying to steer teachers away from the American Corner, it appears that Mary's schools have bigger problems. One student said he and his classmates are not allowed to access the Internet via school computers when they don't have permanent teachers, and they haven't had a teacher for several months because the previous one quit. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: It says a lot that in this very cautious society, teachers continue to visit the American Corner, despite the fact their bosses regularly and actively discourage them. We suspect the source of the attempted prohibition is the Ministry of Education, or at least the powerful faction led by International Relations Director Nury Bayramov. The American Corner is like oxygen for students, who want to learn more and for their teachers, who appreciate the Corner as a resource. Unfortunately, some officials feel so threatened by the idea of free access to Western information that they attempt to put a stop to what the country needs most. END COMMENT. HOAGLAND