On a morning when most eyes were turned elsewhere, President Gurbanguly Malikgulyyevich Berdymukhammedov of Turkmenistan kicked off the World Leaders Forum in a speech at Casa Italiana Monday morning.
Berdymukhammedov, elected last February, addressed a crowded room about his country’s “fundamental principles of our policy and our reforms,” focusing on the areas of medicine and education. He also outlined his hope for cooperation with the U.S. on higher education.
“We regard ourselves as an integral part of the world civilization and, on the other hand, we follow our own, unique path in history and culture,” Berdymukhammedov said.
This culture includes the “cult of personality” instated by the previous president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, who took power after the country’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. He renamed himself Turkmenbashi, “Leader of All Turkmen,” and took the title President for Life.
During his 15-year leadership, Niyazov renamed the month of January after himself, centered a national holiday around his mother, and wrote the Rukhnama, the compulsory book that outlined the Turkmenization of the nation. When asked if he would uphold the culture imposed on the people by Turkmenbashi, Berdymukhammedov said that Turkmenbashi is “part of our history ... We will honor him.”
While he was reading his speech from the podium, the audience listened to a translation via headsets. The translation was identical to a printed copy of the speech put on each chair before the audience entered the building. The speech was also presented on a screen in the middle of the room, accompanied by pictures and videos of Turkmenistan and its culture as it pertained to Berdymukhammedov’s speech.
Berdymukhammedov answered questions for about 20 minutes after his speech in Russian, which began 15 minutes after its scheduled time at 9 a.m. Before the speech began, the translator, apparently unaware her microphone was on, was speaking to a friend about the president’s possible motivations to appear late—to reduce his time for questioning.
The president stressed social policy in Turkmenistan and the importance that his government is placing on the fields of medicine and education. He spoke at length about the importance of education and his desire for greater involvement in the outside world.
In an effort to open up the country, Berdymukhammedov said he has fulfilled his campaign promise to open unrestricted internet cafes in the capital city of Ashgabat. Harriman Institute Director Catharine Nepomnyashchy, who moderated the question and answer discussion, said, “The world is hopeful that the president will extend policies to address poverty and human rights.” The government of Turkmenistan has been criticized for lax attention to human rights and its less-than-open policy concerning freedom of speech.
In response to a question from Andrew Scheineson, CC ’09 and former Spectator production editor. Berdymukhammedov said, “We never had any pressure of repression of the press.”
Turkmenistan is an officially neutral country, recognized as such by the United Nations in 1995.
But, after the event, a School of International and Public Affairs student, Svetoslava Pavlova, said she was peeved at Berdymukhammedov’s lack of attention to his new energy programs and said she thought his answers showed that “he seemed a little on the defensive.”
“I don’t know if he said anything of much substance,” Pavlova said.
Shane Ferro can be reached at news@columbiaspectator.com.