Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT941
2009-07-28 13:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:  

TURKMENISTAN: CIVIC ACTIVIST FOLLOWS "PARTISAN

Tags:  PHUM PGOV KDEM SOCI TX 
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RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3756
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000941 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CIVIC ACTIVIST FOLLOWS "PARTISAN
TRAILS"

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000941

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CIVIC ACTIVIST FOLLOWS "PARTISAN
TRAILS"

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


1. (C) On July 27, poloff met with civil society activist
Natalya Shabunts to discuss her activities and the current
situation for rights activists in Turkmenistan. Shabunts has
long had ties with the Embassy, including her participation
in a 2000 International Visitors Program on civil society,
and with the OSCE Center in Ashgabat, which published
instructional materials on human rights that she authored.
Shabunts has been a social activist since 1993, beginning
with the "Dialogue" youth center. Dialogue was closed down
in 1998 after it published a book about human rights for
young people and teachers. In 2000 and 2001, the OSCE Center
published Shabunts' books "Law and Rights" and "Democracy and
Justice." Following the introduction in 2003 of the new Law
on Public Associations, which prohibited the operation of
unregistered organizations, Shabunts was no longer able to
operate openly. According to Shabunts, only those who were
willing to work with the government were registered.


2. (C) Although Shabunts does not work openly, her group,
"Civic Dignity," carries out activities in Dashoguz,
Turkmenabat, Ashgabat and surrounding Ahal Province. Funding
is provided by Soros' Open Society Institute. Shabunts was
reluctant to discuss the logistical details of how the group
operates, saying only that they follow "partisan paths" and
that if the authorities understood how she worked, it would
be the end. Announcements about the group's activities are
spread by word of mouth. In Turkmenabat, Shabunts cooperates
with the Medet Education Center. The Center fields requests
for seminars from schools that are unaware of the connection
between the Center and Shabunts' group. Shabunts provides
the literature and others do the training. Most of the
group's members are teachers. About one-third of their work
is provided on a volunteer basis. They conduct seminars for
youth, students, teachers and ethnic minorities. An upcoming
training-the-trainer seminar in August, to be held in
Shabunts' Ashgabat apartment, will address the problems of
invalids.


3. (C) Shabunts' acknowledged that the government is aware of
her activities, but "closes its eyes." Officially she "does
not exist," instead having "the legal status of a phantom."
She felt she is protected by the interest shown by Western
embassies and international organizations. She added that
while government officials "do not like (her),they respect
(her)." While previously Shabunts' was on the foreign travel
blacklist, she is now able to travel and, during the past six
months, customs officials do not even inspect her luggage.
In addition to organizing and supporting seminars, Shabunts
often provides consultations to people whose rights have been
violated. Again, people find out about her by word of mouth.
She likes to conduct consultations over the phone, noting
that her calls are monitored by the government and sometimes
the problems are resolved quickly following the phone call.
During the past year, Shabunts published via the Internet two
open letters to President Berdimuhamedov. The first, which
discussed the general situation in Turkmenistan, received no
response. The second, which addressed government action to
ban dual citizenship, a vital issue to many ethnic Slavic
residents of Turkmenistan, resulted in an invitation from an
official at the Migration Service to discuss the issue.


4. (C) COMMENT: Shabunts operates her group as an underground
organization, albeit with the tacit permission of the
government, which could shut it down at any moment. No doubt
this is due to the forcefulness of her personal character
combined with the low profile manner in which her group
operates, making its limited outreach easier to tolerate.
She viewed the interest and support of Western embassies as
crucial to her ability to continue. Also indicative of the
sad state of human rights activists in Turkmenistan, Shabunts
could suggest the name of only one other person currently in
Turkmenistan who she would consider a human rights activist,
a legacy, she said, of the Niyazov era. END COMMENT.

ASHGABAT 00000941 002 OF 002


CURRAN