"SWINE FLU" KEEPS TURKMEN FROM HAJJ TRIP

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001527

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KIRF TX
SUBJECT: "SWINE FLU" KEEPS TURKMEN FROM HAJJ TRIP


1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified. Not for Internet distribution


2. (SBU) SUMMARY: On November 7, the Turkmen government issued an
order prescribing the Committee on Religious Affairs to make the
necessary arrangements for a pilgrimage to holy sites around
Turkmenistan for all citizens who wish to take the trip. The
government used to organize and sponsor Hajj trips to Saudi Arabia
for 188 citizens every year. However, this year the Turkmen
Government changed plans and diverted hundreds of pilgrims to local
Muslim shrines and cemeteries for worship due to a fear that there
could be an A/H1N1 flu outbreak among the pilgrims at the Hajj.
Interestingly, this decision came after the Turkmen refused to admit
that swine flu exists in Turkmenistan. END SUMMARY.


3. (SBU) The Turkmen government first organized Hajj trips to Mecca
for government-financed pilgrims in the early 90-s and since then
has paid for a planeload (188 persons) to travel annually to Mecca.
On November 7, the Turkmen government issued an order prescribing
the Committee on Religious Affairs to make the necessary
arrangements for a pilgrimage to holy sites around Turkmenistan for
all citizens who wished to take the trip. This was first time Hajj
trips were substituted with visits to shrines in Turkmenistan. The
government publicized its move in local mass media, reporting on
each step of the local pilgrims' travel to various sites of
religious significance. An Uzbek website "Vesti.UZ," quoting
Turkmenistan's Council on Religious Affairs, reported that "due to
this year's restriction of entry of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia because
of the spread of A/H1N1 flu virus, a delegation of Turkmenistan (to
Mecca) will not be organized."


4. (SBU) According to a seamstress from Ashgabat who used to make
white dresses prescribed for the Hajj for women preparing to go to
Mecca, she did not receive any orders for making the robes this
year. The authorities did not allot special charter flights to
carry Hajjis to Mecca even for those able to pay for themselves.
Therefore, it appears that there may be a reduced number of
self-financing pilgrims travelling. We have heard that some
self-financing pilgrims have gone, but the number appears to be down
from last year.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: The Government's decision not to sponsor the Hajj
pilgrimage trip for its citizens or allot a charter flight to Saudi
Arabia for those citizens who are willing to pay for the trip
themselves this year may be based on concerns over A/H1N1 flu.
However, the government has not prevented Turkmen to travel to
places with high rates of A/H1N1 infection, like Ukraine. It is
difficult to understand the authorities' decision especially when
they refuse to admit that A/H1N1 exists domestically. One wonders,
since the Saudis are monitoring for infected people when they
arrive, if the government is not concerned that a sick Turkmen might
alight in Saudi Arabia, causing embarrassment that there really is
A/H1N1 in Turkmenistan, despite government pronouncements. END
COMMENT.

CURRAN