Diplomacy through Rukhnama

The day (anniversary) of the publication of Rukhnama “so called Spiritual and Moral guide for Turkmen people, allegedly written by President of Turkmenistan, Sapar Myrat Niyazov, is turning into a day of cultural diplomacy this year.
According to official Turkmen media, the public has been marking this day for an entire week “last week” all over the country, with an official ceremony held at “Ruhiyet Palace” in Capital Ashgabat, on September 12, which was attended by President Niyazov.
The Popular Russian singer, Diana Gurtskaya, People’s artist of Uzbekistan Yulduz Usmanova and many other singers performed at gala concert to mark this day.
The Uzbek pop star Usmanova was fully prepared to take advantages of the day, by singing her recent songs, based on favorite poems of President Niyazov called Eje “Mother”, which were telecast live by Turkmen TV.
According Turkmenistan state news service she, “while being received by President of Turkmenistan”, noted that Rukhnama and his book of poetry had been a true discovery for her and opened a new chapter in her creative work.
During the meeting, she hailed progress in capital, she also said, that she visited a mosque, “the biggest in Central Asia,” and the family mausoleum of the Turkmen President in his home town Gypjakand and prayed there.
Many were surprised at the comments of the Uzbek pop star about Niyazov, some even speculated about a possible connection to Uzbek diplomacy, to get closer to it’s oil rich neighbor and reduce the tension which begun with Uzbek support on allegedly assassination attempt against life of Turkmen President on November 25 2002, using a different approach.
The question arises, why does former Turkmen rival Tashkent need Ashghabat today? A Turkish Expert on Central Asia, Dr. Mehmet Seyffettin Erol, says since Uzbekistan demanded the US leave the military base in Uzbek territory, Tashkent has begun to look at the East. Maintaining strong relationships with its neighbors then become its priority, especially if visits of high level US official to Turkmenistan become regular events.
Erol also notes that Niyazov is a leader who rules his country according his wishes, so the appropriate diplomacy is to find the weak points of this man, which are his books and mother. So in this connection using singers like Usmanova was a very clever and effective decision by Tashkent.
Tashkent based Uzbek Journalist, Azim Sattarov, said Yulduz was not just a singer but a former member of Uzbek parliament “some even claim she still have this post”, and she managed to put the strong finger on a weak point of Niyazov by speaking in a language which he understand.
Rukhnama plays an important role in many cases, Sattarov said, we are witness to fact, that many foreign National companies simply translate the Rukhnama into their own languages to get into Turkmenistan and also to get lucrative contracts. So this was the language Yulduz was talking on behalf of Uzbek government. As you know, since Uzbek President Islam Karimov, asked the US to withdraw its base in Uzbekistan, he started looking to the East, towards neighbors, so Turkmenistan has important strategic location for Uzbekistan.
However these allegations cannot be verified by Turkmen officials nor by Yulduz, who declined to comment on the matter.
According Turkmen official quotes, during the past 4 years since first volume of Rukhnama was published, it has been translated into more than 30 languages including Uzbek. A second volume of Rukhnama is already in the market.
The book is considered Holy, and is required reading, not only for students, but even people wishing to get a drivers license need to pass exams based on this book.
When President Niyazov, dismissed the former long life Vice Prime Minister, Elly Gurbanmuradov on earlier of May this year, one of accusation was, he is not capable of administration and work, because of he don’t read the Rukhnama.
For some people, including Russian singer Diana Gurtskaya, who participated in the gala concert of September 12, this book has great importance. Gurtskaya, who is blind, declared Rukhnama a book, which could be of great importance for not only Turkmenistan but for CIS member states as well in uniting true friends of Turkmenistan.
Professor Taimour Hoja of Bogazichi University of Turkey also concedes this book’s historic background, but he do not agree about its presentation to the public or making it a compulsory subject for school children, some of whom can hardly carry it.
However, this book has a credible impact on Turkmen’s daily life. The month of September was renamed to the name of this book and the year of 2005 is also officially called “the year of Rukhnama,” picture of book could be seen in every part of the country. If the demands of Niyazov are taken into account, it should be in every home next to the Holy Quran.

"The Journal of Turkish Weekly"