A PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG TURKMEN IDEOLOGUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 001595

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/09/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV TX
SUBJECT: A PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG TURKMEN IDEOLOGUE

Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY. PAO met with a young leader of the Turkmen
Union of Youth and discussed the political ideology that
supports President Berdimuhamedow. The underlying ideology
of the Democratic Party is to support the notion of a strong
leader. Without such a leader, tribal divisions and the lack
of a unifying national identity would lead to the dissolution
of the state. The Youth Union leader also expressed optimism
about the future prospects for democracy in Turkmenistan, and
a notable prejudice against members of other Turkmen tribes.
END SUMMARY.


2. (C) On December 1, on the sidelines of a U.S. Embassy
co-sponsored conference on technology and education, PAO met
with Merdan Orazmyradov, the Head of the General Issues
Department of the Magtymguly Youth Union of Turkmenistan (the
new iteration of the former Soviet Komsomolets).
Orazmyradov, a well spoken man in his mid twenties, was
extremely candid in describing the ideology and political
future of Turkmenistan. Prior to joining the Union of Youth,
Mr. Orazmyradov worked for two years for the Democratic Party
of Turkmenistan after completing his bachelor's degree in
Russian language at the Azadi Institute of World Languages.

"OUR PARTY EXISTS TO SUPPORT THE NOTION OF A STRONG LEADER"


3. (C) During the wide-ranging conversation, Orazmyradov
talked in depth about his activities while working with the
Democratic Party. He worked for the party from 2006-2008 and
described some of the programs undertaken to fill the vacuum
left when former President Niyazov died. According to
Orazmyradov, the underlying political ideology of the
Democratic Party is to support the notion of "Strong Leader."
He said that all of the political decisions and steps taken
by the Party are to support this "leader." As a natural
result of this ideology Orazmyradov explained that in 2007,
the Democratic Party undertook several steps to build up
President Berdimuhamedow in the eyes of the Turkmen people to
fill the gap left by the unexpected death of Niyazov. He
said that one of his responsibilities as a self-described
"party apparatchik" was to visit the welayats and small
villages to praise Berdimuhamedow with local leaders and
political operatives unfamiliar with the new President.

"WITHOUT A STRONG LEADER, TURKMENISTAN WOULD FALL APART"


4. (C) When prompted, Orazmyradov explained further that a
strong leader is necessary in Turkmenistan to "unify the
country." He said that without a strong leader tribal
divisions and the lack of a unifying national identity would
lead to balkanization and the dissolution of the state. He
alluded to the Ruhnama as a centerpiece of the creation of a
"national myth" and said that as the Ruhnama praises the
strong leaders of Turkmenistan's past, today's party exists
to praise the leaders of today. He continued that
Turkmenistan's history has shown repeatedly that without a
strong leader, the tribes fall upon each other and leave
themselves open to external conquest.

"THE OTHER TRIBES NEED THE TEKE TO HELP TEACH THEM"


5. (C) An otherwise very intelligent and academic
conversation took a nasty turn as Orazmyradov began to
denigrate the other tribes of Turkmenistan. He explained
that although "you foreigners rarely understand the Turkmen
tribes," each Turkmen understands the unique attributes and
characteristics inherent in each tribe. As an example, he
explained that all Turkmen outside the Yomut tribe understand
that "a Yomut will lie and cheat when given the chance." He
added similarly disparaging remarks about a few other tribes
and continued that as a member of the Teke tribe, the
self-described "most civilized" tribe, he felt a
responsibility to take care of and educate the other Turkmen
tribes.


ASHGABAT 00001595 002 OF 002


"HOPEFULLY, OVER TIME THE LEADERS WILL STAY IN POWER FOR
SHORTER AND SHORTER DURATIONS"


6. (C) When the conversation turned to the political future
of Turkmenistan, Orazmyradov expressed an unexpected optimism
for democratic change. He said that during the early years
of new statehood, the nation needed its leaders to stay for
long periods of time, but that as the people develop and grow
they will need their leaders to stay in power "for shorter
and shorter durations."


7. (C) COMMENT: In a society that rarely discusses internal
matters with foreigners, Orazmyradov's candor is surprising,
although his comments reflect policy and practices prevalent
throughout the Turkmen political and media infrastructure.
The model of the strong leader is the one the Turkmen know
and are most comfortable with. The leader is the embodiment
of the state, similar to a monarch. In many ways,
Turkmenistan is a khanate. Orazmyradov's open discussion of
prevalent tribalism and potential ethnic conflict expresses
more of a patronizing and bigoted approach to other tribes
from the leading Teke tribe than actual underpinings for
violence. It seems that the Turkmen Democratic Party has
developed a convenient ideology to support the majority Teke
rule and personality cult that surrounded Niyazov and is
growing around Berdimuhamedov. END COMMENT.
CURRAN