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PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
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DE RUEHAH #0405/01 0900950
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 310950Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2570
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
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RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3258
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000405 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, INL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KCRM SOCI TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN:  BIG BROTHER ON THE STREETS 
 
¶1.  (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  The presence of undercover security agents on 
the streets is nothing new in Turkmenistan.  People have grown 
accustomed to seeing them standing on nearly every street corner of 
the capital, purportedly to ensure "public order."  Recently, 
Turkmen authorities installed security cameras on many streets in 
Ashgabat, eliciting reactions ranging from confusion to dismay to 
skepticism.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Since January, rows of metal frames equipped with Russian 
VOCORD traffic monitoring systems, have been installed over major 
thoroughfares throughout Ashgabat.  The devices consist of a 
high-resolution digital camera, speed-detecting radar, a PAL-video 
camera, infrared pulse floodlights, and a specialized server and 
software for data collection and analysis.  The system allows for 
round-the-clock automated street monitoring, and is able to 
recognize and photograph license plates, traffic violations, 
accidents and traffic jams, as well as collect traffic flow 
statistics.  Once collected, the data is broadcast to the 
observation center of the Interior Ministry's Traffic Police 
Department. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The system is reportedly undergoing testing now, and is 
expected to become fully operational next September.  An Embassy 
driver heard recently from a police officer friend, however, that 
contractors have encountered problems switching on the system, even 
though all of the cameras and radar have been installed and 
connected to the main server.  There are also rumors that people 
have already begun receiving notifications mailed to their home 
address containing a photograph of their vehicle, license plate 
number, a description of their alleged traffic violation and the 
fine imposed.  Still others, including some Embassy local staff, 
report that they although they have violated traffic rules on the 
video monitored streets, they have received no notifications. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The presence of street cameras have raised a lot of 
questions among Ashgabat's residents.  One taxi driver, whose views 
mirror that of many others, commented, "It is very hard to drive in 
Ashgabat without breaking the rules.  If they (traffic police) start 
taking pictures of every traffic violation, they will have nothing 
to do all day but label envelopes."  He predicted that the new 
system will be a "huge mess," and went on to note that he, like most 
taxi drivers, rents his car from someone else, in which case the 
traffic violation and fine would end up going to the wrong person. 
"Besides," he said, "drivers from provinces like Ahal and Mary don't 
even have proper mailing addresses.  How will they notify them by 
mail?" 
 
¶6. (SBU) The Traffic Police have yet to explain publicly how the new 
system will work.  People are afraid that they will (as usual) put 
it off until after it is in operation and people have started 
receiving fines.  The same taxi driver opined, somewhat cynically, 
"Of course they (the government) never notify anyone in advance. 
It's not in their interest to do so.  If they did so, people would 
be more cautions and the police would collect fewer fines, which 
would mean less money into their pockets."  According to another 
source, the system may be launched as early as April 1st, but there 
has been no official announcement to this effect in the state-run 
media. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  While most of the drivers are not happy with what is 
being referred to as "Dom Dva" (the Russian name for the television 
series "Big Brother") on the streets, pedestrians, by contrast, are 
very positive.  They say that with so many unruly drivers in 
Ashgabat, having cameras on the streets will lower the number of 
accidents and deaths.  Another noted skeptically, "This is not 
Europe.  This system will never work here:  It might for a month or 
two, and then their server will break down or something else will 
stop working.  Nothing runs properly here." 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  The value of the installation contract is not known, nor 
 
ASHGABAT 00000405  002 OF 002 
 
 
the exact identity of the contractor.  Representatives of "BIOST," 
the only company that is registered locally and licensed to install 
security systems, confirmed that they did not install this one, nor 
do they know who did.  Many believe a Russian firm was engaged for 
the job. 
 
¶9. (SBU) COMMENT:  The presence of cameras on the streets is 
problematic for Ashgabat's residents, who are uncertain whether they 
will be used for "observation and analysis" or for imposing fines on 
violators.  The latter would likely cause discontent among many, but 
could also have the effect of imposing some order in a city where, 
when it comes to driving, most anything goes - unless, of course, 
someone is watching.  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES