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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000175 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/CACEN, SA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON KDEM TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S SOUTH SHOWS LITTLE SIGN OF DEVELOPMENT 
 
DUSHANBE 00000175  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY:  Kulob, the President's home region and nearby 
Qurghon-Teppa face the same corruption, high unemployment, and 
political and free press restrictions that plague the rest of 
the country.  In meetings with PolOff January 23-24, 
journalists, NGOs and community leaders from Kulob, 
Qurghon-Teppa and Shahritus revealed that apathy and 
self-censorship threaten to stagnate development in Tajikistan's 
south.  However, NGOs serve their communities well and can be a 
catalyst for change.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Although President Rahmonov and many of his inner circle are 
Kulobis, Kulob as a whole has not benefited from pork-barrel 
funding.  The head of Kulob's Islamic Revival Party of 
Tajikistan (IRPT) criticized that funds invested in the city are 
not going towards businesses or institutions that could help 
Kulob grow long-term.  Unemployment remains high and cotton 
production has declined.  As Kulob prepares to celebrate its 
2700th anniversary this year, the national government and cities 
across Tajikistan (on the government orders) have poured 
millions into Kulob to build monuments and finance festivities, 
but little has gone towards economic development or social 
services. 
 
RESIGNED TO A CORRUPT GOVERNMENT 
 
¶3.  Besides pressure from the government, media organizations 
and political associations also have to contend with apathy and 
poverty.  Suhrobsho Farrukshoev, chairman of the Khatlon press, 
notes that people worry too much about where their next meal 
will come from to care about politics--a common refrain in 
Tajikistan.  The People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan (PDPT) 
is the ruling party in Kulob, but the Communist Party of 
Tajikistan is the most popular, according to Farrukshoev.  He 
explained people believe quality of life was better under the 
Soviet system and long for the Soviet days.  With 180 local 
members, the IRPT remains weak, despite tripling its membership 
in three years.  Other political parties, too, have a minimal 
presence and little to no power.  The Khatlon press serves as an 
information center for Kulob, where people come to read 
newspapers because newspapers from Dushanbe are too expensive 
for the majority of the population.  Kulob has only one, 
state-owned television broadcast station. 
 
¶4.  Even the wealthiest and most influential businessman in the 
region (at Vosse near Kulob) avoids politics.  A former deputy 
in parliament, Samariddin Fazliddinov did not run in the 2005 
parliamentary elections because he knew the elections would not 
be fair and his past criticisms of the government would prevent 
him from even appearing on the ballot.  He turned his energy 
towards developing his businesses, including a textiles factory, 
several hectares of farms, and an independent television 
station.  Even after leaving government, Fazliddinov still 
confronts corruption.  Each year Fazliddinov pays $150,000 in 
illegal bribes to local and national government officials to 
ensure that business can get done.  Fazliddinov estimates that 
illegal taxes account for 40 percent of his business expenses. 
Corruption is so endemic that businesses see bribes and 
kickbacks as standard operating procedure. 
 
¶5.  Because Fazliddinov is wealthy, has government connections, 
and comes from a well-established family, his influence in the 
region allows his independent television station to operate 
freely without government interference.  The station cooperates 
with Internews and regional stations.  Contrary to Fazliddinov's 
ease, a journalist for the independent newspaper "Bomdod" in 
Qurghon-Teppa, Mohsharif Qurbonova, said her newspaper avoids 
government hassle by self-censorship.  "Bomdod"'s editors often 
tidy up reporters' critical articles.  However, after receiving 
training from the National Association for Independent Mass 
Media in Tajikistan, Qurbonova and "Bomdod"'s editors are ready 
 
DUSHANBE 00000175  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
to be bolder. 
 
THE RISE OF NGOs 
 
¶6.  The Civil Support Center in Qurghon-Teppa has seen NGO 
membership increase to more than 300 since it opened in 1992. 
Increasingly, the town relies on NGOs to provide social 
services, and the Civil Support Center calls on more NGOs to 
assist in economic development. The Civil Support Center said 
the most successful NGOs in the region deal with women's or 
children's issues.   A lack of qualified personnel and fear of 
government harassment have limited the number of political and 
human rights NGOs.  Qurghon-Teppa and the surrounding area saw 
much violence during the civil war.  Although the people are 
tired of Rahmonov, they fear political activity that could 
incite violence again even more. 
 
¶7.  In Shahritus, a town not far from the Afghan border, women 
have emerged to become the entrepreneurs and leaders of their 
community.  As is common throughout Tajikistan, unemployment has 
sent Shahritus' men to Russia as labor migrants, leaving the 
women at home to be breadwinners.  Several micro-finance 
institutions readily lend to women, who are now the majority of 
market vendors and owners of small enterprises.  The chairwomen 
of two local NGOs, supported by Embassy grants, report that they 
enjoy great success in town and have a good relationship with 
the local government, but worry a change in the local leadership 
may have a negative effect on their activities. 
 
¶8.  COMMENT:  The story in Tajikistan's south is not 
encouraging: a government stranglehold on power and remnants of 
civil war memories prevent political activities; corruption has 
become the norm; and people rely on NGOs for support rather than 
the government.  Unlike the north, where there is an active 
civil society focused on supporting political and human rights, 
the southern region lacks the energy and resources to contest 
the establishment.  END COMMENT 
HOAGLAND