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Turkmenistan’s
First Steps Towards Democracy?
“Turkmenistan:
Presidential Election Deemed Neither Free Nor Fair”
By Bruce Pannier
February 12, 2007
Click Here for
a Printable Version
Turkmenistan’s
acting president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, was elected
President on February 12th, 2007, after reportedly receiving
89% of the total 98.65% voter turnout. Berdymukhammedov was
one of six candidates attempting to succeed President-for-Life
Saparmurat Niyazov, who died unexpectedly in December, in
the country’s first multi-candidate Presidential election.
However, international observers in Turkmenistan judged that
“the elections were absolutely not free and fair.”
RFE/RL
correspondents reported low voter turnout in the areas they
monitored, which contradicts the near-impossible 98.65% country-wide
turnout. Moreover, many observers claim that the election
itself was a façade; Erika Dailey, director of the
Open Society Institute’s Turkmenistan Project, said
that “‘among the six candidates there were no
significant differences in platform and since they were all
representing the same [political] party, the vote in an of
itself is not significant.’” She went on to describe
the Turkmen election as being closer to the primary elections
in western democracies.
Despite
the unsurprising outcome of an un-free election in an extremely
closed society, observers believe there are still reasons
to be optimistic. Dailey stresses that “for the first
time people inside Turkmenistan have the opportunity to elect
somebody who has already promised change, who has broken certain
taboos, for example talking about certain social problems;
everything from drug addiction to the failure of the education
system.”
One of
Berdymukhammedov’s campaign promises -- better access
to the internet -- is already being enacted, as the country’s
first internet cafés have recently opened in Ashgabat,
the capital. AP journalists report that all websites, including
opposition ones, are accessible and there are no efforts to
monitor users or the sites they visit. Previously internet
access was extremely restrictive and was hindered by government
filters.
Although
the café’s relatively high rates may hamper the
average Turkmen from capitalizing on the relaxed internet
restrictions, some observers believe that the establishment
of these cafés and the holding of a multi-candidate
Presidential election may mean that Turkmenistan is slowly
heading down the path towards democracy.
Other
sources:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/20/asia/AS-GEN-Turkmenistan-Living-In-Fear.php
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/02/16/turkmmenistan.webcafe.ap/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021500897.html
Questions:
CCD is interested in the opinion of our readers, especially
on unfolding events in our field. Turkmenistan recently held
a presidential election that was widely perceived as neither
free nor fair, but some believe the country is taking small
steps towards democracy. What do you think?
1.
Will Berdymukhammedov steer the country towards democracy?
Will he keep his campaign promises of reform?
2. What are the best ways for a formerly autocratic country
to transition to democracy?
3. How can a previously closed off society open up? Should
social reform come before or after government reform?
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