TURKMENISTAN - The Ruhnama.
In 2001 Niyazov issued a curious book called Ruhnama (which roughly translates as spiritual revival) and had it distributed every-where. It contains 400 pages of rambling revisionist history, homely philosophy and personal musings on Turkmenistan "inspired by God" but written by Niyazov. With officials comparing Ruhnama to the Koran, the book jumps from subject to subject like a rabbit, urging its readers to appreciate Turkmen traditions and be model citizens.
Through Ruhnama and his de-Sovietisation process, Niyazov is destroying Turkmenistan's educational system. Just as in the 1990s teachers, civil servants and even doctors were Turkmenised, now the curriculum is being Ruhnamised. Knowledge of the Ruhnama has become the main qualification for teachers. He has cut the length of schooling to nine years, compared to 10-11 in Russia. While in the Ruhnama Niyazov preaches the importance of education, university study has been reduced from five years to four, with two years earmarked for practical experience. Students find it difficult to go directly into higher education abroad. There is no postgraduate education. On July 13, 2002 The Financial Times quoted a local ethnic Russian as saying: "Within five years, no one will know anything about Russian culture. But the real tragedy is not for the Russians, who will assimilate or die. It's above all a tragedy for Turkmenistan".
There are virtually no textbooks in the schools. Niyazov banned all the Soviet-era texts, but new ones have not been produced to replace them. All that happens in school now is singing songs and reading the Ruhnama. Primary education is further undermined by using students to harvest and plant cotton, after gas and oil the country's top export. The number of places in colleges and universities has been cut to 3,000 a year, less than half what it was in Soviet times.
Niyazov has changed from Cyrillic to the Latin script, in line with Turkey's. But to work in Turkmenistan, foreign companies still have to rely on the Russian language. Few local contacts speak English. (About 10% of Turkmenistan's population of around 5m are ethnic Russians, mostly living in Ashgabat and small urban centres. The majority of Turkmen work as farm labourers, herd camels and weave carpets in the countryside).
Niyazov's mercurial behaviour with international businesses over the past ten years has ruined Turkmenistan's reputation as a place to invest. So foreign capital that could finance much-needed industry is not forthcoming Niyazov, who is also the prime minister, has the habit of suddenly firing aides or ministers. In late July 2000 Niyazov abruptly fired his long-serving foreign minister, Boris Shikhmuradov who favoured pro-West policy. Niyazov says no project of regional or international importance in Turkmenistan and other CIS countries would materialise if this is opposed by Moscow. He is always careful not to seriously antagonise the Russians. But he has turned down various joint CIS projects proposed to reflect Russia's dominant position, such as a "rouble zone" and a "common market".
