West Ramps Up Accusations Of Systemic Repression In Turkmenistan

[News_Editor]

Turkmenistan’s President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov inspects a guard of honor during an official visit to Switzerland on Oct. 8, 2012. (Photo: Reuters / Pascal Lauener)

GENEVA — Western states on Monday ratcheted up accusations against Turkmenistan that it allows torture and crushes free speech but Asian and Islamic states came to the defense of the natural gas-rich republic in the main UN human rights forum.

Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov wields almost unlimited power in his Central Asian desert nation, a former Soviet republic that holds the world’s fourth largest known reserves of natural gas.

At a special session of the 47-member United Nations Human Rights Council, a senior Turkmen official denied allegations of relentless, systemic repression and said the government was working for democratization and development.

Islamic and Asian states backed that argument, saying Turkmenistan had boosted economic growth and improved the living, health and educational standards of its 5.5 million people.

The United States told the gathering that Turkmen officials “are not held accountable for torture or other human rights violations†while journalists, ethnic and religious minorities and critics of the government were detained or intimidated.

Australia said “fundamental freedoms remain heavily curtailed†in the reclusive Central Asian republic.

Norway and Chile said Turkmen women suffered widely from domestic violence while the government stood by, and the Netherlands and Poland called on the Ashgabat government to allow in UN investigators on torture and other abuses.

The special session was part of the rights council’s Universal Periodic Review in which every UN member state has its record examined – for three hours – once every four years.

The procedure has been criticized by independent rights groupings, which argue that it gives no time for a proper review and allows a country’s allies to shield it from full examination by showering it with plaudits.

Among countries praising Turkmenistan were North Korea, Belarus, Sri Lanka and Iran as well as fellow ex-Soviet neighbors Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – all frequently under Western fire for alleged human rights abuses.

Berdymukhamedov, who is widely referred to as “Arkadag†(The Patron) in Turkmenistan, has ruled since the death of his autocratic predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006.

Berdymukhamedov has eased controls on small-scale entrepreneurs and the Turkmen economy has grown rapidly on the back of high world energy prices.

Source: Irrawaddy.org

[tombkk]

Moved to World News.

[Steely Dan]

Strange how the UNHRC, which seems to go into a froth if someone forgets to flush the bog in Israel seems completely unconvinced by western allegations against Turkmenistan. Why can't all democracies just pull out of the UNHRC for good, it does nothing but undermine any shred of credibility the U.N has left.

[Scott]

A post with a racial slur has been deleted.

[maidu]

Perhaps it's just coincidence that, of all the former Soviet bloc states, Turkmenistan is one of the most Islamic - and that could be a reason for those particular troubles (dearth of womens' rights, freedom of expression, etc) there.

[maidu]

Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov looks like a man carrying a lodestone of trouble in his skull. He should take a long vacation - find something to smile about, get a tan, drink a smoothie, get a massage. Phuket would welcome him with open arms.

[geriatrickid]

Strange how the UNHRC, which seems to go into a froth if someone forgets to flush the bog in Israel seems completely unconvinced by western allegations against Turkmenistan. Why can't all democracies just pull out of the UNHRC for good, it does nothing but undermine any shred of credibility the U.N has left.

Silence Infidel. You dare to contradict the beacons of freedom and respect for human rights; North Korea, Iran, Belarus and Sri Lanka?

Do you doubt the assessment from the well fed content people of North Korea, the peace loving Iranian nation, the leader in fighting corruption Belarus and the nation of civil harmony Sri Lanka ? I am shocked. Just shocked.

BTW, do you think my sarcasm is over the top?

And yes you are entirely correct on a withdrawal from that sham of a western funded agency.

[Scott]

Off-topic post deleted.

[Potosi]

Leader Niyazov used to put Imams who suggested that Allah is greater than him behind bars for 25 years. Let's hope his successor continues the practice, that's why there was never a terrorist coming out of Turkmenistan, even though it shares a long border with Afghanistan. Those two and the father of their relatives, Atatuerk knew how to restrain Islam. The reason why Turkmenistan is being targeted for a government takeover by Islamists are the vast reserves of natural gas, and considerable amounts of oil, both exploited by the state-owned Turkmengaz and Turkmenoil. China, the Russians and Iran have some investments there, but Shell, Exxon, BP don't make a cent. That's gotta change. Electricity, gas and water are subsidized for citizens. Car drivers get 120 litres of fuel for free per month, buses, trucks and tractors 200 litres, bikes 40 litres. Outrageous. That has to change too.

[onthemoon]

Leader Niyazov used to put Imams who suggested that Allah is greater than him behind bars for 25 years. Let's hope his successor continues the practice, that's why there was never a terrorist coming out of Turkmenistan, even though it shares a long border with Afghanistan. Those two and the father of their relatives, Atatuerk knew how to restrain Islam. The reason why Turkmenistan is being targeted for a government takeover by Islamists are the vast reserves of natural gas, and considerable amounts of oil, both exploited by the state-owned Turkmengaz and Turkmenoil. China, the Russians and Iran have some investments there, but Shell, Exxon, BP don't make a cent. That's gotta change. Electricity, gas and water are subsidized for citizens. Car drivers get 120 litres of fuel for free per month, buses, trucks and tractors 200 litres, bikes 40 litres. Outrageous. That has to change too.

This is very interesting. Do you have some sources you would like to share?

[Potosi]

Wikipedia and Google.

[Steely Dan]

Leader Niyazov used to put Imams who suggested that Allah is greater than him behind bars for 25 years. Let's hope his successor continues the practice, that's why there was never a terrorist coming out of Turkmenistan, even though it shares a long border with Afghanistan. Those two and the father of their relatives, Atatuerk knew how to restrain Islam. The reason why Turkmenistan is being targeted for a government takeover by Islamists are the vast reserves of natural gas, and considerable amounts of oil, both exploited by the state-owned Turkmengaz and Turkmenoil. China, the Russians and Iran have some investments there, but Shell, Exxon, BP don't make a cent. That's gotta change. Electricity, gas and water are subsidized for citizens. Car drivers get 120 litres of fuel for free per month, buses, trucks and tractors 200 litres, bikes 40 litres. Outrageous. That has to change too.

Now Ataturk performed a great service for Turkey and could be regarded as a great leader, provided you are not Armenian. Without having much knowledge about Niyazov or Turkmenistan I have no hesitation in preferring a secular tyrant to a fascist Islamic theocracy. It is a bit of a mystery in that case why the UNHRC defended Turkmenisan seeing as Communist dictatorships, Islamic states and resource hungry Liberal democracies normally bat on the same side given such a choice.

P.S As an aside Azerbaijan is a Country with a dubious human rights record, which benefits from the preferable secular tyrant model, and has so far thankfully avoided a takeover of religious fanatics in a process we refer to as 'democratization'.

Edited April 26, 2013 by Steely Dan

[Scott]

An overly offensive post has been removed.

[Gulfsailor]

Leader Niyazov used to put Imams who suggested that Allah is greater than him behind bars for 25 years. Let's hope his successor continues the practice, that's why there was never a terrorist coming out of Turkmenistan, even though it shares a long border with Afghanistan. Those two and the father of their relatives, Atatuerk knew how to restrain Islam. The reason why Turkmenistan is being targeted for a government takeover by Islamists are the vast reserves of natural gas, and considerable amounts of oil, both exploited by the state-owned Turkmengaz and Turkmenoil. China, the Russians and Iran have some investments there, but Shell, Exxon, BP don't make a cent. That's gotta change. Electricity, gas and water are subsidized for citizens. Car drivers get 120 litres of fuel for free per month, buses, trucks and tractors 200 litres, bikes 40 litres. Outrageous. That has to change too.

Now Ataturk performed a great service for Turkey and could be regarded as a great leader, provided you are not Armenian. Without having much knowledge about Niyazov or Turkmenistan I have no hesitation in preferring a secular tyrant to a fascist Islamic theocracy. It is a bit of a mystery in that case why the UNHRC defended Turkmenisan seeing as Communist dictatorships, Islamic states and resource hungry Liberal democracies normally bat on the same side given such a choice.

P.S As an aside Azerbaijan is a Country with a dubious human rights record, which benefits from the preferable secular tyrant model, and has so far thankfully avoided a takeover of religious fanatics in a process we refer to as 'democratization'.

Find the AlJazeera docu called 'the seven sisters'. It explains the important role Azerbaijan and the western oil companies played in WW2 and the rise and fall of the USSR. It will make you see many current world events in a different way.