Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT565
2008-05-05 12:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: RESPONSE ON OUTREACH TO ACTIVISTS AND
how-toVZCZCXRO5359 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHAH #0565 1261219 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 051219Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0738 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3726 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1544 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1411 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1980 RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000565
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL/SEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RESPONSE ON OUTREACH TO ACTIVISTS AND
DISSIDENTS
REF: STATE 44903
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000565
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL/SEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RESPONSE ON OUTREACH TO ACTIVISTS AND
DISSIDENTS
REF: STATE 44903
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) Turkmenistan is a tightly-controlled dictatorship where
citizens are not permitted to engage in direct human rights advocacy
work. There are no international human rights organizations
present, including from United Nations agencies. There are also no
political opposition representatives or activists in Turkmenistan
who advocate democratic development. All political opposition
groups reside and operate exclusively in several European states,
from which they maintain websites and post information on
Turkmenistan.
3. (SBU) There are, however, some small, domestic community
development organizations that compete for U.S. and international
grants designed to promote democracy, rule of law, community
activism, and protect the rights of the disabled. In its capacity
as grant provider, USAID and/or its implementing partners maintain
relationships with individuals or leaders of such organizations or
community groups. These interactions range from employing
individuals as trainers for community activism courses to routine
exchanges that occur when individuals use the services of the
USAID-funded Civil Society Support Centers. The Public Affairs
Section also has a small grants program that funds NGO projects, in
civic education, environmental issues, or other areas.
4. (SBU) The Public Affairs Section also distributes a wide
variety of printed materials on U.S. Government, U.S. history,
American values, etc. It is becoming increasingly easy to provide
these publications to the general public. In addition, many public
events also stress awareness of issues like human rights, democratic
practices, and the like, although sometimes as a secondary focus of
the main program. Black History Month or similar types of events
have also highlighted civil rights movements or citizens' freedom of
speech, assembly, etc.
5. (SBU) Post, through the Political/Economic Section, has engaged
in regular contact with the leaders of small minority religious
groups that are active around the country. Over the past year, post
held three religious roundtables during which time religious
activists and U.S. diplomats discussed issues of religious freedom
and shared information regarding the groups' efforts to organize and
legally register. PolOff also met individually with religious
leaders throughout the course of the year as they dealt with issues
of registration and human rights, and sought greater freedom to
practice their religion. PolOff also met regularly this year with
an independent journalist to consult on challenges he and his
colleagues face regarding the lack of media freedom in Turkmenistan.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; DRL/SEA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL KDEM KIRF TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: RESPONSE ON OUTREACH TO ACTIVISTS AND
DISSIDENTS
REF: STATE 44903
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) Turkmenistan is a tightly-controlled dictatorship where
citizens are not permitted to engage in direct human rights advocacy
work. There are no international human rights organizations
present, including from United Nations agencies. There are also no
political opposition representatives or activists in Turkmenistan
who advocate democratic development. All political opposition
groups reside and operate exclusively in several European states,
from which they maintain websites and post information on
Turkmenistan.
3. (SBU) There are, however, some small, domestic community
development organizations that compete for U.S. and international
grants designed to promote democracy, rule of law, community
activism, and protect the rights of the disabled. In its capacity
as grant provider, USAID and/or its implementing partners maintain
relationships with individuals or leaders of such organizations or
community groups. These interactions range from employing
individuals as trainers for community activism courses to routine
exchanges that occur when individuals use the services of the
USAID-funded Civil Society Support Centers. The Public Affairs
Section also has a small grants program that funds NGO projects, in
civic education, environmental issues, or other areas.
4. (SBU) The Public Affairs Section also distributes a wide
variety of printed materials on U.S. Government, U.S. history,
American values, etc. It is becoming increasingly easy to provide
these publications to the general public. In addition, many public
events also stress awareness of issues like human rights, democratic
practices, and the like, although sometimes as a secondary focus of
the main program. Black History Month or similar types of events
have also highlighted civil rights movements or citizens' freedom of
speech, assembly, etc.
5. (SBU) Post, through the Political/Economic Section, has engaged
in regular contact with the leaders of small minority religious
groups that are active around the country. Over the past year, post
held three religious roundtables during which time religious
activists and U.S. diplomats discussed issues of religious freedom
and shared information regarding the groups' efforts to organize and
legally register. PolOff also met individually with religious
leaders throughout the course of the year as they dealt with issues
of registration and human rights, and sought greater freedom to
practice their religion. PolOff also met regularly this year with
an independent journalist to consult on challenges he and his
colleagues face regarding the lack of media freedom in Turkmenistan.
CURRAN