TURKMENISTAN: PRESIDENT NIYAZOV PERSONALITY CULT

(23 May 2000) Russian/Nat

The days of Big Brother are back in the former Soviet republic of Turkmenistan, where the local president is worshipped in a personality cult rivalling that of Stalin in Russia and Mao in China.

The face of Saparmurat Niyazov gazes out from huge street posters, vodka bottles, chocolate boxes and even adorns local bank notes.

With a grip on power as tight as the autocratic Khans of Central Asia in medieval times, Niyazov is safely esconsed as head of state with 99-point- 5 per cent support at the last 'democratic' elections.

He is in poll position to reap the rewards of his republic's oil and gas reserves and, although he has yet to agree, fawning supporters have asked him to become 'president for life'.

The figure of Saparmurat Niyazov looms large over Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan.

At the top of the rocket-like 'Arch of Neutrality,' looms the golden figure of the man who has renamed himself 'Turkmenbashi' - or leader of the Turkmen.

After becoming first secretary of the local communist party in 1985, Niyazov consolidated his grip on power after the collapse of the Soviet Union, getting elected president with a staggering 99 per cent majority.

Now huge portraits of the president adorn all the capital's main buildings.

For visiting Russian president Vladimir Putin last week, there could have been no question as to who the boss of the gas-rich republic was.

His meetings with Niyazov were carried live on Turkemen TV, whose screens are also decorated with the image of the president.

And the Turkmen leader still held out on naming his price for gas deliveries to Moscow - despite a publicised deal to increase gas supplies to Russia by 350 billion (b) cubic feet next year.

Some commentators compare the regime of Niyazov to that of communist North Korea's, and international human rights groups have criticised the long arm of the Turkmen security services who are quick to stamp out any sign of opposition.

But the people of Ashgabat- if only on the surface- assure all foreign visitors they are content.

Shops are full in the centre of the city, and shelves are lined with products displaying the image of the beloved leader - from vodka to chocolates and green tea.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Our president is with us. When I was younger, we didn't even know who the first secretary of the local communist party was. Now even the smallest little child in kindergarten knows who our Saparmurat Turkmenbashi is."
SUPER CAPTION: Dursun Khudaiberiyeva, shop manager

Children in Turkmenistan pledge allegiance to the father of the nation every morning.

In a handful of years Niyazov has transformed the centre of Ashgabat, with its gold-topped French-designed presidential palace, into a realm that would be the envy of any Middle Eastern sheikh.

For the people of Turkmenistan, Niyazov is beyond criticism.

Vendors selling trinkets at this market may never see the dollars earned from gas and oil sales that are expected to come pouring in over the next few years.

They claim what is more important is the freedom to trade which Niyazov's regime allows, even though 'Turkmenbashi' himself was once the country's top communist.

And there is a feeling among many that Niyazov's 'reign' is just the beginning for the desert republic.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Now our president behaves really well towards the people of Turkmenistan. And maybe the one who comes after him, of course, we can see already- maybe he'll be really good too."
SUPER CAPTION: Isuna Airdirbiyeva, Carpet Seller




SOUNDBITE: (Russian)




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