VZCZCXRO1399
RR RUEHDBU
DE RUEHAH #0679/01 1780847
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 270847Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7487
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000679 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SCA/CACEN FOR FRESE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM TX
SUBJECT: NIYAZOV'S WILLING EXECUTIONERS JUSTIFY WIDESPREAD 
DESTRUCTION OF PRIVATE HOMES 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 652 
 
Classified By: (U) AMBASSADOR TRACEY JACOBSON FOR REASONS 1.4 (B AND D) 
. 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  (C) On June 20, DCM, Conoff, and CAO met with Ashyrmurad 
Garayev and Gurbangeldi Akgayev, two representatives of the 
Ashgabat city government who are involved in the Ashgabat 
"White City" beautification program that has destroyed 
thousands of private homes, rendering thousands more 
homeless.  Garayev and Akgayev defended the destruction of 
private homes in order to implement the regime's plans to 
build a modern Ashgabat and refused to believe the DCM's 
assertions that people were being left homeless.  The DCM, 
whose own house is slated for destruction, informed Garayev 
and Akgayev that this widespread destruction of homes was 
included in the Department of State's Human Rights Report on 
Turkmenistan as a serious violation of human rights.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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THE HOME WRECKERS 
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¶2.  (C) According to Garayev, Ashgabat's beautification 
program is heralding a new era for the capital.  During 
Soviet times, Moscow neglected Ashgabat's infrastructure and 
development.  As a result, Ashgabat, until independence, 
lacked modern industrial enterprises, cultural centers, 
transportation facilities and sporting venues.  Thanks to 
independence and the president's policies, he said, city 
planners have embarked on a bold program to renovate the city 
and do away with the Soviet-era vestiges of Ashgabat's past. 
Ashgabat residents will no longer have to live in old, 
dilapidated houses, he said and now could live in new, 
modern, white marble apartments, while attending cultural 
events in new modern theaters and flying in and out of 
Ashgabat in comfort thanks to a new modern airport.  Those 
who lost houses in the process were guaranteed new housing, 
he claimed, and they were grateful for the improved housing. 
He saw no reason why people should complain about the 
beautification process, or the loss of their homes, since 
they were compensated and given ample time to vacate their 
houses and find new accommodations.  Besides he added, nobody 
was complaining. 
 
¶3.  (C) The DCM, whose own residence, like that of the MSG 
and two foreign ambassadors, is slated for destruction, 
disagreed, noting that she, and the 3000 other people who 
live in her neighborhood were given less than 20 days to 
vacate their homes before they were to be destroyed (Note: 
The MFA later informed the embassy that DCM had "a year" to 
find a new residence.  End Note).  DCM told Garayev that many 
locals approached the embassy to complain they were losing 
their homes without warning and/or compensation in the hopes 
the embassy could intercede on their behalf.  Many have 
complained that the local authorities refuse to explain their 
actions, or address their concerns.  The DCM added that the 
USG described the beautification program as a serious human 
rights violation in the annual Human Rights Report. 
-------------------------- 
DON'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE 
-------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) Garayev angrily defended the beautification policy, 
asking "you talk about human rights, but what about the law 
in Turkmenistan?" Many of these homes are built illegally and 
as a result should not exist.  However, even these people 
receive housing.  Such beautification programs happen all 
over the world, including in America.  Akgayev added "We know 
what is really happening since we live here."  Conoff added 
that American diplomats also live here and bear witness. 
Garayev suggested that those who were dissatisfied with their 
evictions were free to contact city authorities, who would do 
their best to solve their problems. 
 
¶5.  (C) DCM related a number of individual cases of home 
destruction where residents had informed her personally that 
they had received no compensation, alternative housing or 
adequate notice.  She noted one case where an ethnic Russian 
military pensioner widow was evicted from what she had 
thought was dedicated military housing with 48 hours notice 
and in the place of this housing, the municipal government 
had planted pine saplings.  Garayev heatedly denied this was 
possible citing the existence of an "evictions committee" 
that gave priority treatment to senior citizens and veterans. 
 
ASHGABAT 00000679  002 OF 002 
 
 
Garayev was noncommittal when DCM repeatedly asked if she 
could call him directly to address individual cases when they 
were brought to the embassy's attention. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶6.  (C) Although Garayev and Akgayev do not personally drive 
the bulldozers tearing down Ashgabat's housing, they are 
intimately involved in all aspects of the beautification 
program.  State media regularly touts the regime's "Ashgabat 
- White City" beautification plans, currently slated to last 
to 2020, that will create a modern city of white marble 
skyscrapers and apartment blocks, with grandiose fountains, a 
man-made lake, and of course statues to the president.  Since 
embarking on this program, Ashgabat's skyline has been 
transformed into a city with tall monolithic marble buildings 
surrounded by great fountains and gold statues to the 
president, which visitors frequently refer to as "Pyongyang 
mixed with Las Vegas." 
 
¶7.  (C) While Garayev's assertion that the beautification 
process is transforming Ashgabat into a modern city is 
arguable, it is coming at an immense price * - thousands of 
people are evicted from their homes and massive bombastic 
largely empty structures are built for millions of dollars 
while education and health needs largely go unmet.  However, 
as seen in the recent "spy affair" allegedly involving French 
and OSCE diplomats (reftel), it appears that the government 
may be aware that the beautification process is one of the 
few issues here that could ignite popular unrest against the 
regime should it continue on its present course and a group 
of brave citizens finally decide enough is enough.  END 
COMMENT. 
JACOBSON