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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181548Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
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RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 2014
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 ASHGABAT 001374 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL 
AID/W FOR EE/AA (BOB WALLIN) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN:  MIXED REPORTS AND CYNICISM FROM 
RELIGIOUS AND CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS 
 
¶1.  (U)  Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: During a December 8 roundtable discussion 
with minority registered and unregistered religious groups 
and a December 6 roundtable with community leaders and staff 
from USAID civil society implementing partner Counterpart 
International, representatives told a delegation led by DRL 
Deputy Assistant Secretary Erica Barks-Ruggles that there had 
been some sporadic improvements in their dealings with 
government agencies, but that many problems remain. 
Participants at Counterpart's democracy roundtable 
acknowledged that problems with registration exist but also 
stressed that there have been positive changes in people's 
attitudes as a result of participating in community-oriented 
projects.  Religious leaders focused on problems related to 
registration, finding places to worship, and access to 
religious literature.  Their conclusion:  while civil society 
and religious groups face difficulties operating in 
Turkmenistan, there remains the possibility for some 
activity.  However, the future is unclear - all are hoping 
for some improvement with registration, but also realize that 
it may take a long time to materialize, if at all.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
DEMOCRACY ROUNDTABLE:  A FOCUS ON WHAT CAN BE DONE 
 
¶3.  (U) On December 6, DAS Barks-Ruggles and her delegation 
met with a mix of NGO and community leaders and staff from 
USAID's civil society implementing partner, Counterpart 
International, to discuss civil society development in 
Turkmenistan.  In addition to Counterpart staff, attendees 
included community leaders from Dashoguz Province, Kaaka and 
Yangala villages in Ahal Province, a well-known civic 
activist and advanced trainer of Counterpart, and a community 
development consultant/trainer.  The focus was on these civic 
activists' activities and experiences. 
 
¶4.  (U) One participant, representing registered NGO Keik 
Okara, described the group's development from an NGO working 
on issues related to ethnic Turkmen refugees from Tajikistan. 
 Keik Okara now has a youth center and supports small and 
medium enterprise development through training programs.  The 
activist said that he had received most of his training from 
Counterpart.  In response to DAS Barks-Ruggles' question, he 
proudly acknowledged that he is now passing on this 
experience to others. 
 
¶5.  (U) A representative from NGO Bosfor, which offers legal 
information and services, discussed a challenge common to 
many NGOs -- sustainability.  This is complicated by the 
difficulties in obtaining licenses to provide services and 
the consequent inability to fundraise and own property.  In 
addition, this means that NGOs need to register individual 
grants in order to operate - a very time consuming process. 
The Bosfor representative highlighted the importance of 
raising awareness among the population on their rights and on 
international legal standards, including human rights. 
 
¶6.  (U) An activist from Dashoguz Province described her work 
with youth on civic education.  She asserted that today's 
youth do not understand the rights and responsibilities of 
citizens and government, in part because of the elimination 
of social studies from the school curriculum under former 
President Niyazov.  As a result, she suggested, more 
communities should focus on providing legal and social 
studies education for youth.  The activist then stated that 
her group trains local youth on civic education issues after 
first tailoring training materials to local conditions and 
then preparing a cadre of trainers.  Training youth on 
children's rights is her next priority. 
 
¶7.  (U) Two representatives from Kaaka reported that they had 
 
ASHGABAT 00001374  002 OF 005 
 
 
opened a small resource center to train local youth on 
business skills three years ago with support from 
USAID/Counterpart.  Today, these youths carry out small 
business initiatives, including computer repair and technical 
support.  Counterpart's support center director interjected 
the importance of persistence in local communities.  She 
explained that, when they started, the Kaaka resource 
center's request to use the local kindergarten as a base for 
training met with opposition from local authorities.  After 
numerous meetings, however, the local officials relented, and 
allowed the training programs to be held at the kindergarten. 
 
¶8.  (U) The director of the Union of Accountants of 
Turkmenistan said that, due to problems with re-registering 
at the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), the union was unable to 
accept grants from international organizations, preventing it 
from reaching its full potential.  She was excited that 
Turkmenistan's leading state-owned Russian-language daily 
newspaper, Neutralnyy Turkmenistan, had published just the 
day before an article she had authored on the importance of 
focusing on international standards.  She said this article 
was the result of a month of advocacy with the Ministry of 
Economy and Finance and the newspaper, but added that its 
publication was a sign that the government takes both the 
subject and the Union of Accountants seriously.  She noted 
that while civic associations should not abandon the NGO 
cause, they could register as commercial entities to enable 
continued operation.  Finally, she said, recent trips to 
Turkmenistan's provinces had opened her eyes to the positive 
contributions being made by various USAID projects that have 
supported resource centers.  She now considers these centers 
an asset for her future work in expanding her network of 
associates at the provincial level. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Two activists from Yangala community in Ahal 
province spoke about the impact of a variety of U.S. 
government programs on their work.  One activist, focused on 
economic activities, while his colleague concentrated on 
civic development.  After receiving technical assistance from 
USAID/Winrock's Farmer-to-Farmer program, the productivity of 
his 50 hectares of land increased.  Two trips to the United 
States via USDA Cochran Fellowship program and, more 
recently, USAID's Community connections program on 
microcredit highlighted the potential benefits of 
microfinance to his community.  Although Turkmenistan's 
farmers are capable, they have limited access to credit, and 
the activist said Turkmenistan needs a microfinance law to 
help stimulate its development.  The other Yangala activist 
said that participation in USAID/Counterpart training 
sessions for local residents, including youth, have helped 
them to develop this capacity in their own community.  He 
said residents need more Turkmen-language materials, which 
will help to further activate the community.  The activists' 
good cooperation with their village's elders has been 
critical to the successful implementation of their programs 
in their village. 
 
RELIGIOUS ROUNDTABLE:  SOME IMPROVEMENT, BUT DIFFICULTIES 
REMAIN 
 
¶10.  (SBU) During the December 8 religious roundtable with 
minority religious leaders, a number of religious groups 
present reported the registration process as a Kafkaesque 
maze of constant minute grammatical revision and correction 
to their registration applications, stretching the 
registration process out from 6 months to as much as 10 
years.  Several also held the view that the government drags 
its feet more when considering applications from groups in 
which the majority of members are ethnic Turkmen.  While many 
of the religious leaders reported that they had been allowed 
-- or told that they would be allowed -- to travel abroad for 
the first time, several leaders said they continued to be 
 
ASHGABAT 00001374  003 OF 005 
 
 
prevented from traveling - especially to Ukraine where 
several had received training earlier in their careers. 
Several also reported that officials from the Council on 
Religious Affairs and from MOJ intimidate new members and 
their families to try and prevent them from adding their 
names to formal registration applications.  Many thought it a 
disadvantage that no minority religious adherent belonged to 
the Council on Religious Affairs, as that person may be able 
to provide much-needed advocacy and perspective.  Other than 
registration, the biggest issues continue to be restrictions 
on leasing premises for regular church operations, 
registration of branch churches with local government 
authorities outside of Ashgabat, freedom to travel, and 
freedom to give, receive, and purchase books and literature. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Representatives from the minority groups reported 
a variety of problems that continue to vex their operations. 
The Roman Catholic Church, for example, has about 100 
members, after just a few years here.  It started its 
registration process 10 years ago.  The Vatican, however, has 
been grappling with the Turkmen government's requirement that 
the head of a religious group be a Turkmen citizen -- its 
most significant registration problem. (COMMENT: The 
representative noted the issue was because he as the local 
head of the Church did not have Turkmen citizenship, rather 
than the Pope, as is commonly believed to be the problem. 
END COMMENT.) 
 
¶12.  (SBU) The Krishna Consciousness representative reported 
that problems with the government had somewhat diminished 
recently - though serious harassment and inability to worship 
openly remain problems.  He suggested that visits by 
delegations like DRL play a significant role in improving 
conditions in Turkmenistan for minority religious groups.  A 
representative from the Source of Life Evangelical Church 
said that his group had been registered in September 2007, 
but reported that he still has problems with authorities when 
he wants to hold church events in his home as well as with 
registration with local government authorities of branches in 
the provinces.  The Light of East Church was registered in 
2005 and has been struggling unsuccessfully for three years 
to procure registration for a branch in Dashoguz.  Branch 
registration procedures vary from province to province and 
are still unclear and unwritten, he said. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Ilmurat Nurlyyev, the pastor of the Evangelist 
Church in Mary, discussed his removal from an aircraft 
heading for a conference in Ukraine in November 2007. 
Letters he subsequently wrote to the Procurator General, the 
national security service and the presidential apparat 
yielded only one response: the procurator's letter back to 
him simply said that his removal from the airplane had not 
been confirmed.  He offered the opinion that conditions will 
continue to be difficult and noted that government 
authorities discourage ethnic Turkmen from participating in 
church activities. 
 
¶14.  (SBU) A representative form the Baptist Church in 
Dashoguz noted that the churchhad been applying for 
registration since late 2005 and that they have no rights to 
gather and worship.  While they have not received a direct 
refusal, they have been asked to revise and corrct 
grammatical mistakes numerous times.  He noted that "we have 
been refused over a comma."  They also have experienced the 
prosecutor's office.  He remarked that every time the church 
applies, officials put pressure on the members and their 
relatives not to sign the registration forms.  He concluded 
by stating that there is a general unwillingness at the MOJ 
to speak to his group about these issues. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) A representative from the Light of Life Church 
noted that they also have been told to revise their 
 
ASHGABAT 00001374  004 OF 005 
 
 
application several times for grammatical reasons.  He noted 
many continuing issues including, harassment of members who 
sign registration papers, problems obtaining literature, and 
restrictions on external freedom of movement.  A 
representative from the International Church of Christ, which 
has been registered for three years, noted that while the 
church can proceed with worship, they face difficulties 
lesing or buying premises for their services - something that 
has not changed under the new president.  The Evangelical 
Baptist church noted that the authorities asked them to 
register in 2005, and after registration they faced fewer 
problems with outside pressure on their worship.  He stated 
that the large amounts of required accounting and budgeting 
documentation has, however, increased greatly and this 
constrained their activities.  he remarked on the trouble 
faced by the church branches because the authorities would 
not recognize hem.  He also noted authorities came to monitor 
and question the worshippers and occasionally brought church 
members in for questioning.  he commented on the problems of 
entry to Turkmenistan for visiting religious scholars and 
teachers as well as the inability to obtain religious 
literature. 
 
¶16.  (SBU)  A representative from Greater Grace Church in 
Ashgabat (a relatively large church, with about 100 members 
that just celebrated its twelfth anniversary) indicated that, 
although the church is registered and is a well-known 
quantity in Ashgabat, it is still prohibited from leasing 
larger premises in the center of the city.  he noted that 
they are normally allowed to function, but generally 
encounter problems if they ask the government for assistance. 
 Their proposals for activities are frequently denied by 
authorities, who compare them with Islamic practices and 
state "we do not do this in Islam so why would you?"  He too 
thought it was important to have minority representation 
would in the government, including the Council on Religious 
Affairs.  A representative form the Baha'i Faith noted that 
they had similar difficulties, but also had problems with 
private ownership.  Before registration they were allowed to 
own the house where they worshipped. However, afterwards they 
received a verbal notice form the MOJ that all premises 
belonged to the government.  They are registered in Ashgabat. 
 However, provincial branches only have verbal recognition 
and every time they meet to worship they are questioned by 
local authorities.  A call to the MOJ is necessary each time 
to resolve the issue. 
 
¶17.  (SBU) A representative from the (unregistered) Jehovah's 
Witness congregation in Turkmenistan stated that the group's 
1,500 members around the country would face difficult 
conditions that exist here even if the group were to 
register.  He noted that none of the groups should have to 
register, freedom of worship and belief means that no 
government can prevent people of faith from practicing.  In a 
radical departure from earlier conversations, however, he 
indicated that Jehovah's Witness leaders had decided in any 
case to apply for registration in January.  (COMMENT: 
Previously, Jehovah's Witness leaders have stated that they 
have no interest in fighting for registration when it seemed 
clear there was no benefit to it. Indeed, the representative 
had reported that security officials told him they would 
never allow the group to register because "it was too big and 
well-organized."  U.S.-based Jehovah's Witness leaders, who 
have largely directed this decision, seem to have had a 
change of heart.  END COMMENT) 
 
¶18.  (SBU) COMMENT:  Although religious and NGO groups 
continue to face numerous difficulties in Turkmenistan, there 
nonetheless remains some room for groups -- whether based 
around civic activism or belief -- to exist and even expand, 
if leaders have enough determination and as long as the 
groups' activities do not directly challenge the government. 
 
ASHGABAT 00001374  005 OF 005 
 
 
In the case of NGO groups, while NGO registration remains a 
key metric for civil society development in Turkmenistan, it 
is increasingly difficult to rely upon subjective measures of 
"independent" organizations.  The community activists' 
comments suggest positive changes in people's attitudes as a 
result of participating in community-oriented projects and 
indicate that a focus on a broader definition of civil 
society can achieve real progress in civic and community 
activism in Turkmenistan.  Ensuring that groups have the 
resources necessary and are able to operate safely will 
continue to pose hurdles to our assistance efforts.  Minority 
religious groups face a higher hurdle.  Registration means a 
different form of bureaucratic harassment and paperwork, but 
an end to physical and direct harassment.  All indicated that 
they can meet and function, albeit still in only a limited 
way.  END COMMENT. 
 
 
HOAGLAND