Since gaining independence, the presidents of Turkmenistan, S. Niyazov, and then the father and son Berdymukhammedovs, have so intellectually decomposed the Turkmen society that it is time to sound the alarm.
Reducing the terms of study of secondary and higher education, the decline in its quality, the non-recognition of foreign diplomas, the closure of the Academy of Sciences, city and regional libraries, the general decline in the level of culture, art, education and at the same time the strengthening of mass propaganda, first through the book "Rukhnama" of the first President, and then numerous books by Berdimuhamedov, all this led to the degradation of the Turkmen society. What is very unfortunate, all this is very strongly reflected in the youth. A whole generation of “Rukhnamists” has grown up, now a generation of “Arkadagists” is growing.
The scale of degradation is astounding. It is already considered normal when high-ranking officials communicate with their subordinates exclusively through obscenities and insults. The current president began his career by threatening his subordinates to “break their necks”.
And if all these shortcomings were previously the internal property of the Turkmen society, then the mass departure of citizens of Turkmenistan abroad, where they began to master new technologies, the Internet, social networks, made it possible for them to express their opinion more openly. And here the signs of social degradation of the Turkmen people came out.
Foreign Internet space was flooded with audio and video publications filled with an atmosphere of hatred, enmity and revenge. Libels and insinuations, public insults and dirty swearing, the substitution of the concepts of “criticism” for slander, blackmail and threats, up to the threat of physical elimination, have become the daily norm of communication of Turkmen youth abroad. In order to legitimize this behavior, opinions began to be thrown in that this is the only way to get through to the authorities and to the “screamers-activists” themselves, since both of them allegedly do not understand other words.
Over the past four years, there has been an increase in civic engagement among Turkmen migrants, especially in Turkey. The current young Turkmen abroad, who seized upon the microphone, is an average person with an incomplete secondary education (often with 7th grade) of a low intellectual level and lack of logical thinking. Having reached social networks, he often speaks absolutely utter nonsense, for any attempt to call for reason, he begins to scandal on the air, attracting the same ignoramuses with truth or falsehood. Behind them, the hand of the older generation is felt, trying to manipulate the youth for selfish purposes.
It is a paradox, but what is happening now, it turns out, happened in the 1990s. Yes, not on such a scale, but still, some representatives of the so-called the first wave of opposition, including former journalists, writers, scientists and members of civil movements of that period. But at that time there were no current Internet resources, so a narrow circle of participants in the discussions knew about it. Naturally, all this negativity passed into the early 2000s, and now into a new wave of the Turkmen protest movement, but now it has intensified many times over.
It is sad that such people have become role models, and some have taken an active part in the modern orgy, trying to orchestrate the process. Having opened their Internet sites, YouTube channels, they began to use immature youth to attack opponents, accusing the latter of corruption, theft, betrayal, pedophilia, working for the regime, etc. At the same time, photo materials are exhibited and the details of the opponents' family relations are savored with particular pleasure. That is, all the same dirty methods are used. The “young, and the early ones” also try to keep up with them, ignoring all sorts of ethical norms.
Apparently, the pursuit of ratings can explain the recent publication of a foreign publication, created by the community of Turkmen dissidents, with a reference to an Internet blogger, a well-known swindler and an outright liar. I wonder how experienced journalists from the podium perceive the continuous obscenity pouring from his channel? A young Internet blogger, a typical representative of the "Rukhnamists" generation, lied to such an extent that he himself believes his own fables and brings it to everyone who shows him the door.
Another fact. Against the background of the growth of the protest movement, international organizations, including human rights organizations, began to sincerely help the most active citizens to defend their rights. However, some of the migrant businessmen decided to take advantage of this as well. The "particularly gifted" part of them in social networks began to swear at the leaders of Turkmenistan. After a couple of such speeches on the Internet, they unconditionally classify themselves as at least activists, at most oppositionists. Some quickly opened different channels and call themselves bloggers, and the most zealous - journalists. There are many who consider themselves to be human rights activists. It got to the point that international NGOs refuse to work with them, ignoring the impostors who have nothing to do with human rights, but only spread gossip.
Passing off wishful thinking, these unfortunate activists began to demand immediate assistance from human rights activists in solving all their social and domestic problems. At logical suggestions to describe how and why they are being persecuted by the regime, Internet screamers immediately rush to the microphone and begin to lecture everyone and everything, reproach, insult and accuse NGO representatives of unimaginable privileges. Like, we shout, scold the Turkmen dictator, and you do not help us get refugee status in Europe. At the same time, among them there are many who in no way fell under repression or persecution. They are driven only by a selfish goal by any means to stay in Europe. Even better, Europe should take their numerous relatives out of Turkmenistan on a special flight and provide everyone with jobs, housing, benefits and other social benefits. It got to the point that they choose which country is more preferable and corresponds to their ideas about the luxurious life of Europeans.
The behavior of such unfortunate "activists", their "leaders" and teachers gives rise to a general idea of the international community about the Turkmen protest movement. Can someone stop this bacchanalia? Hardly. Only through trial and error will the Turkmen society be able to rethink what it has faced since independence.
Meanwhile, the regime changed the Constitution and appointed a new president, issued a Constitutional Law and appointed the leader of the nation, in a word, everything goes on as usual, everything goes in a circle, and who will break this vicious circle is unknown.
Author: Toyli Soltanov, independent political scientist
Source: Especially for the site "Turkmen notebooks"
The editors may not share the opinion of the author
