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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220612Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000860 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SCUL KIRF KISL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  USCIRF MEETS THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION: 
DISCOMFORT WITH THE RUHNAMA 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY: The U.S. Commission on International Religious 
Freedom (USCIRF) delegation's meeting with the Ministry of Education 
(MOE) was polite and lively, yet not particularly conclusive. 
Although Minister Muhammetgeldi Annamanov and his colleagues 
stressed that "of course" religious freedom was practiced in 
Turkmenistan, the topic of the Ruhnama caused significant 
discomfort.  The Ministry's representatives were befuddled and even 
back-tracked when discussing President Niyazov's "Book of the Soul" 
and its role in education.  The hurried discussion, as well as 
defensive and sometimes inconsistent comments by the ministry's top 
representatives, appeared to be an indicator that the future of the 
Ruhnama is uncertain.  While there is no clear policy to lead the 
ministry or the country away from Niyazov's Ruhnama, it is clear 
that there is no longer a single, unified position on this topic. 
If we are patient, it will likely fade to an historic curiosity. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 
(USCIRF) met August 21 with officials from the Ministry of Education 
(MOE).  As observed in prior meetings, MOE's International 
Department head, Nury Bayramov sat directly next to Minister 
Muhammetgeldi Annamanov and displaced Deputy Minister for elementary 
and secondary schools Gulshat Mammedova one space farther away. 
This pattern again indicated Bayramov's strong influence within 
MOE. 
 
REVIEW OF EXCHANGE PROGRAMS 
 
¶3.  (SBU) USCIRF Chairman Michael Cromartie started his discussion 
with an open-ended question about the ministry's involvement with 
the United States in educational and exchange programs. 
Disappointingly, Minister Annaamanov appeared unable to answer this 
question in detail.  When asked for detail, he turned to the Head of 
MOE's International Department, Nury Bayramov, who gave a fairly 
complete list of the U.S. Government Exchange Programs and Peace 
Corps activities in Turkmenistan and emphasized the quality of 
Turkmenistan's cooperation in these programs (COMMENT: Bayramov's 
words belied his own interference in the implementation of these 
programs and intimidation perpetrated against program candidates and 
alumni. END COMMENT.)  Minister Annaamanov added a few comments 
about the great attention paid to education by President 
Berdimuhamedov and recited the key reform steps the president had 
taken since assuming the presidency. 
 
THE PINK AND GREEN ELEPHANT IN THE CURRICULUM 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Chairman Cromartie asked about the role of the Ruhnama, 
the late President Niyazov's "book of the soul" written as part 
history, part cultural identity, part behavioral guide, and part 
spiritual guide for the Turkmen.  The mere question brought confused 
looks and rushed comments between Minister Annamanov and his 
colleagues.  Annamanov used the word "sacred" in referring to the 
Ruhnama, then turned to his staff to help him explain how much the 
book is used in the curriculum.  Bayramov and Deputy Minister 
Mammedova both hurriedly explained that only one hour of class time 
per week is dedicated to the Ruhnama.  (NOTE: The Ruhnama is also 
integrated in classes on Turkmen history, literature and culture, 
thus only one hour of class time entitled "Ruhnama" is misleading. 
END NOTE.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Deputy Minister Mammedova explained that one hour per week 
is sufficient because students end up reading the Ruhnama "of their 
own will" because it is such a "spiritual book" that leads to 
"purity," a standard formulation of the Niyazov era.  This 
commentary moved Commissioner Talal Eid, the Muslim imam of the 
delegation, to raise concerns that a "spiritual" book was part of 
the required curriculum.  He went on to express his concern for the 
use of Ruhnama quotes and the lack of Koranic verses that he 
observed at the Gypjak Mosque, a Niyazov-era, self-aggrandizing 
project and the largest mosque in Central Asia.  Stressing his 
respect for local culture and the Ruhnama, Eid made the point that 
 
ASHGABAT 00000860  002 OF 002 
 
 
the Gypjak mosque would be offensive to any practicing Muslim and 
could even contribute to Islamic extremism.  Mammedova qualified her 
use of "spiritual," saying that it was more of a "historical, 
cultural, and philosophical" book showing Turkmen their past and 
their future.  She subsequently avoided use of the word "spiritual." 
 (NOTE:  The curriculum lists the course as "Saparamurat 
Turkmenbashy's Sacred Ruhnama," and the word "Ruhnama" means "book 
of the soul" or "spirit."  END NOTE.) 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Minister Annaamanov and Bayramov attempted to defend the 
Ruhnama, while stressing that Turkmenistan practices complete 
"freedom of religion."  Annamanov advised that anyone who read the 
Ruhnama would see that it calls on the people to follow the 
principles of Islam.  (NOTE: He failed to address Eid's concern that 
elevating the Ruhnama's status in mosques was itself a violation of 
Islamic principles or that a required course would call on students 
to follow a particular religion.  END NOTE.)  In side comments with 
Bayramov, the minister also quipped that the Soviets had modified 
religion, so it was not so strange that "we would too," causing 
Bayramov to roll his eyes with a mixture of disgust and 
bewilderment.  Later the Minister noted that anyone can follow any 
faith.  He highlighted major religious organizations play a role in 
instilling values in youth, and help in anti-drug awareness 
campaigns.  Annaamanov also pointed to patterns of tolerance among 
different religious groups as evidence of religious freedom. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) In his turn, Bayramov tried to explain that religion was 
still in the process of "modernizing."  He stressed that no one was 
forced to worship in the Gypjak mosque, so the possible offense to 
Muslims was not so severe.  He ended with a comment about his own 
faith and hope that Allah accepts his prayers. 
 
¶8.  (U) The remainder of the discussion allowed MOE officials to 
talk about curriculum, class hours, and school conditions in 
general.  The deputy minister underlined that all education is free, 
including textbooks. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) COMMENT:  This meeting broke relatively new ground on 
education and religious freedom in Turkmenistan.  However, the 
subject of the Ruhnama -- once an irrefutable cornerstone of 
national and educational policy -- revealed much more.  The hurried 
discussion as well as defensive and sometimes inconsistent comments 
by the ministry's top representatives were an indicator that the 
future of the Ruhnama is uncertain.  While there is no clear policy 
to lead the ministry or the country away from Niyazov's Ruhnama, it 
is clear that there is no longer a single, unified position on this 
topic.  If we are patient, Ruhnama will likely fade quietly away 
until it becomes an historic curiosity. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED:  Unfortunately, the meeting also 
showed that the obstructionist Nury Bayramov continues to play an 
influential role in the Ministry of Education.  END COMMENT 
 
HOAGLAND