DOCSLIB.ORG

Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan Presidential elections in Tajikistan will be held on October 11 this year. However, experts believe that their outcome is predetermined and the current President will retain his post. Follow us on LinkedIn What Are the Rules? The President of the Republic of Tajikistan is elected for seven-year term. Basic requirements for a candidate: to be at least 30 years old; to speak state (Tajik) language; to live in Tajikistan at least for the last 10 years at the time of nomination. One person cannot be a President for more than two terms. However, since 2016, this rule does not apply to the current President of the republic Emomali Rahmon, thanks to the amendments to the Constitution of Tajikistan. To register as a Presidential candidate at the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda, the applicant must submit the signatures of 5% (260 thousand) of the total number of voters. Five Candidates The Central Commission for Elections and Referenda of Tajikistan registered four candidates in addition to the incumbent President Emomali Rahmon. Emomali Rahmon, the People’s Democratic Party of Tajikistan, current President of the country, 67 years old Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan The frontrunner of the upcoming Presidential elections, the incumbent head of the republic Emomali Rahmon is running for a fifth term. As in 2013, he was nominated by the ruling People’s Democratic Party, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and the Youth Union of Tajikistan. Photo: Asia-Plus This became a traditional tool for the demonstration of support for the President and his popularity among the people. Moreover, these organizations have great capacity needed for Rahmon’s election campaign. In his election program, he uses the indicators of the successful socio-economic development of Tajikistan during the previous years. Emomali Rahmon is the only candidate who discusses in his program the infrastructure development and specific projects: Rogun HPP, CASA-1000 andothers . Rahmon demonstrates that during his Presidency, all key for Tajikistan projects were launched and he intends to complete them. Rustam Latifzoda, the Chairman of the Agrarian Party since 2014, 60 years old This is the first election for Latifzoda. The Agrarian Party regularly nominates its candidates; the election program is usually formulated in accordance with the Party’s activities. In the last elections in 2013, the Agrarian Party was represented by the academician of agriculture Tolibbek Bukhoriev, who proposed to establish an agricultural infrastructure and create enterprises for Photo: ozodi.org processing agricultural products. Thus, Bukhoriev hoped to reduce the outflow of labour force from Tajikistan to Russia. Rustam Latifzoda in his election program proposes ideas that are more ambitious. For example, he proposes to resolve the border conflicts via resettlement, to join the Customs Union and to legalize polygamy. It should be noted that currently, the polygamy is illegal in Tajikistan. Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan Abduhalim Gafforov, the Socialist Party, 68 years old For Gafforov, this will be the third attempt to run for the President. The Socialist Party, which he represents, forms the ‘moderate left’ wing alone. In the last election, Gafforov promised to distribute the resources in the country, to confiscate foreign bank accounts, to ease banking bureaucracy, to reform the tax system, and to provide social protection for children, mothers and public Photo: ozodi.org sector workers. In 2020, his election program is not much different and, in general, has a social orientation. Particular attention is drawn to the point of Gafforov’s program, where he promises to build a metro in Dushanbe. Rustam Rahmatzoda, the Party of Economic Reforms, 57 years old Rustam Rahmatzoda proposes to change the entire sphere of the economic legislation: tax system and administration, banking legislation. He also proposes to diversify migration flows, to switch to organized labour force export. Rahmatzoda is the only candidate who mentions the negative impact of climate change onagriculture , a key sector of the country’s economy. Photo: ittiloot.com Miroj Abdulloev, the Leader of the Communist Party, 72 years old Miroj Abdulloev in his election program focuses on state control over the economy and on strengthening the national unity. Unlike other “alternative” candidates, Abdulloev does not even try to attract any attention to himself. Elections Without Intrigue According to the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions Photo: Asia-Plus and Human Rights, the 2020 Parliamentary elections in Tajikistan were held in a tightly controlled environment without pluralistic political debate, and when voters had no Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan real political alternatives to choose from. Therefore, the observers believe that the incumbent President Emomali Rahmon will win in October 2020. Why Did Rustam Emomali Not Participate in the Elections? The only intrigue of the 2020 Presidential elections was the possible nomination of the incumbent President’s son Rustam Emomali as a candidate for the highest office in the country. These expectations were caused by the fact that the country’s Constitution was amended in 2016, which allowed 32-year-old Rustam Emomali to run for the President. However, these predictions were disproved. Photo: press service of the Dushanbe Mayor’s It is possible that the President Rahmon decided thatOffice Rustam Emomali was not yet ready to take the position, especially given the problems that the country cannot cope with. They are the lack of funds for the Rogun HPP construction, budget deficit and border conflicts with neighboring Kyrgyzstan. The coronavirus pandemic has only aggravated the problems. It is also possible that Tajikistan’s partners in the CIS, mainly, Moscow, did not approve this transit of power. In this April, Rustam Emomali became the speaker of the Majlisi Milli, the upper chamber of the Parliament. According to the Constitution of Tajikistan (Article 71), this position is the second most important. The head of Majlisi Milli acts as President in case of his death, resignation or incapacity. Who Are Rahmon’s Opponents? None of the President’s registered opponents has ever publicly criticized him. Therefore, the observers believe that all these Rahmon’s opponents are controlled and were appointed by the authorities to imitate the political competition in the elections. In 2013, each candidate had to collect 210,000 signatures for registration (5% of the total number of voters). As a result, in those elections, five competitors of Emomali Rahmon from the Communist Party, Agrarian Party, the Party of Economic Reforms, Socialist Party and Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan Democratic Party received about 16% of the vote on Election Day. The number of their voters did not reach 200 thousand, and of some of them, even 100 thousand. Thus, it turns out that those who signed for their nomination changed their minds on Election Day and voted for the incumbent President. Despite this, all the candidates agreed with the election results and did not try to dispute them. It can be assumed that the situation will repeat during these elections. Infographics on 2013 Elections Boycott of the Elections Rahmatillo Zoirov, the Leader of the Social Democratic Party, 63 years old The Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan, the only real opposition party in the country according to experts, declared a boycott of the elections. In 2013, the Party together with the Islamic Renaissance Party still legal then, also boycotted the elections. This happened after the candidate of these two parties Oynihol Bobonazarova Photo: payom.net did not manage to collect the required number of signatures, and was not registered at the country’s Central Commission for Elections. This time, the social democrats decided not to nominate their candidates at all. The leader of the Party Rahmatillo Zoirov emphasize in his addresses that the elections will be held ahead of schedule (the elections were planned to be held inNovember originally), and it is impossible to collect 250 thousand signatures in such a period. He also disagrees with the fact that election commissions at all levels are formed at the expense of the executive authorities and the ruling People’s Democratic Party. Irgashev’s Nomination As the Only Surprise of the Electoral Campaign Everything You Need to Know About 2020 Presidential Elections in Tajikistan Faromuz Irgashev, 30, a lawyer from GBAO, in fact, became the first self-nominated candidate in the Presidential elections in Tajikistan during the past twenty years. Irgashev is a member of the Majlis of GBAO since 2015 and is known for his human rights activities. Photo from personal Facebook page Irgashev’s electoral program was aimed at combating corruption in state structures, ensuring the legal principles and respect for human rights, and concerned almost all spheres of the country’s administration. Irgashev’s self-nomination caused an ambiguous reaction: many openly supported his initiative, especially in GBAO. Pro-government agencies criticized this decision. Critics spoke of Irgashev’s lack of experience and accused him of ignoring the legal requirements. On September 14, Irgashev announced that he refused to participate
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Elections in Tajikistan November 6 Presidential Elections
    Elections in Tajikistan November 6 Presidential Elections Frequently Asked Questions Europe and Asia International Foundation for Electoral Systems 1850 K Street, NW | Fifth Floor | Washington, DC 20006 | www.IFES.org November 1, 2013 Frequently Asked Questions Who will Tajikistani voters elect on November 6, 2013? ............................................................................. 1 What is the current political situation in Tajikistan? .................................................................................... 1 Why is the presidential election important? What is at stake?.................................................................... 2 Who are the candidates for President? ........................................................................................................ 2 Who can run for President of Tajikistan? ..................................................................................................... 3 Who is eligible to vote?................................................................................................................................. 4 How is the voter registry managed and maintained?................................................................................... 4 What laws regulate the presidential elections in Tajikistan? ....................................................................... 4 How many registered voters are there? ....................................................................................................... 4 What is the structure of the
    [Show full text]
  • BTI 2008 | Tajikistan Country Report
    BTI 2008 | Tajikistan Country Report Status Index 1-10 3.80 # 106 of 125 Democracy 1-10 3.73 # 100 of 125 Market Economy 1-10 3.86 # 104 of 125 Management Index 1-10 4.48 # 87 of 125 scale: 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest) score rank trend This report is part of the Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) 2008. The BTI is a global ranking of transition processes in which the state of democracy and market economic systems as well as the quality of political management in 125 transformation and developing countries are evaluated. The BTI is a joint project of the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the Center for Applied Policy Research (C•A•P) at Munich University. More on the BTI at http://www.bertelsmann-transformation-index.de/ Please cite as follows: Bertelsmann Stiftung, BTI 2008 — Tajikistan Country Report. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2007. © 2007 Bertelsmann Stiftung, Gütersloh BTI 2008 | Tajikistan 2 Key Indicators Population mn. 6.5 HDI 0.65 GDP p.c. $ 1,206 Pop. growth1 % p.a. 1.2 HDI rank of 177 122 Gini Index 32.6 Life expectancy years 64 UN Education Index 0.90 Poverty3 % 42.8 Urban population % 24.7 Gender equality2 - Aid per capita $ 38.8 Sources: UNDP, Human Development Report 2006 | The World Bank, World Development Indicators 2007 | OECD Development Assistance Committee 2006. Footnotes: (1) Average annual growth rate 1990-2005. (2) Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM). (3) Percentage of population living on less than $2 a day. Executive Summary Tajikistan is among the few post-conflict countries that have moved quickly from war to internal stability and have formed a functioning government.
    [Show full text]
  • Elections in Tajikistan 2016 Constitutional Referendum
    Elections in Tajikistan 2016 Constitutional Referendum Frequently Asked Questions Europe and Eurasia International Foundation for Electoral Systems 1850 K Street, NW | Fifth Floor | Washington, DC 20006 | www.IFES.org May 18, 2016 Frequently Asked Questions What will Tajik citizens be voting on in the May 22 referendum? ............................................................... 1 What is the current political situation in Tajikistan? .................................................................................... 2 Why is the referendum important? What is at stake? ................................................................................. 2 Who is eligible to vote?................................................................................................................................. 3 How is the voter registry managed and maintained?................................................................................... 3 What laws regulate the holding of constitutional referenda in Tajikistan? ................................................. 3 How many registered voters are there? ....................................................................................................... 4 What is the structure of the government? ................................................................................................... 4 What kind of voter education has been conducted for the referendum? ................................................... 4 What is the election management body? What are its powers? ................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • English French a Number of Publications May Be Released in Another Languages Than the DEC — Decision German Italian Six OSCE Working Languages
    OSCE Quarterly Selections 1/2015 January – March 2015 The six following groups have been designed with view to help readers to navigate among the “official document” collections available on the web. Each group is chronologically organized and provides links to individual documents as well as their language variations (when available): I. OSCE PERIODICALS AND PUBLICATIONS. II. DECISIONS, CONSENSUS DOCUMENTS AND JOURNALS OF THE DAY yielded by regular OSCE negotiating and decision making bodies (such as plenary meetings of the Permanent Council and the Forum for Security Co-operation). III. SELECTED STATEMENTS, INTERVENTIONS, REGULAR REPORTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS made by the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and High Officials representing OSCE structures, institutions and field activities. Statements and contributions made by national delegations during regular plenary meetings are grouped according to the negotiating body they were delivered at. These groups are available on the web accordingly: PC at www.osce.org/pc/109624 and FSC at www.osce.org/fsc/109625 IV. CONSOLIDATED SUMMARIES, REPORTS AND AGENDAS (non-consensus) released by/at various OSCE meetings, events, conferences, seminars and workshops. V. ELECTION OBSERVATION REPORTS prepared by various types of election missions, as well as statements or invitations concerning election observation in participating States. VI. SELECTED INTEREST AND REFERENCE DOCUMENTS relating to events or activities within the three OSCE dimensions (some of which may have taken place in the past few months or last
    [Show full text]
  • Aspects and Basic Choices of the CFSP (Part II, Point E, Paragraph 25
    Council of the European Union Brussels, 23 July 2014 (OR. en) 12094/14 PESC 793 COPS 191 FIN 503 PE 309 OUTCOME OF PROCEEDINGS From: General Secretariat of the Council On: 22 July 2014 To: Delegations No. prev. doc.: 11221/14 PESC 672 COPS 159 Subject: Main aspects and basic choices of the CFSP (Part II, point E, paragraph 25 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013) – 2013 – Annual report from the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the European Parliament Delegations will find enclosed "Main aspects and basic choices of the CFSP (Part II, point E, paragraph 25 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013) – 2013 – Annual report from the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to the European Parliament", as endorsed by the Council on 22 July 2014. 12094/14 MF/fh 1 DG C 1 EN MAIN ASPECTS AND BASIC CHOICES OF THE CFSP (PART II, POINT E, PARAGRAPH 25 OF THE INTERINSTITUTIONAL AGREEMENT OF 2 DECEMBER 2013) - 2013 PART I: LOOKING BACK AT 2013 ............................................................................. 6 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 6 1. Examples ............................................................................................. 8 2. Global issues ..................................................................................... 13 3. Strategic partners ..............................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • 27 TW English 20161121 141
    Тurkic Weekly 2016 19 (27) (9-15 May) Тurkic Weekly aims to keep you regularly informed on the latest news of the Turkic World. Turkic Weekly provides you with reliable information and timely analysis on key political, socio-economic and scientific events across Turkic-speaking states. This Newsletter is diligently prepared by the International Union of Turkic Academy. VICTORY DAY CELEBRATION The 71st anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War was celebrated on May 9. On this occasion the President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Russia, where he took part in a military parade on the Red Square in Moscow. Current issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as a number of topical issues of regional and international agenda were discussed on a separate meeting of Nursultan Nazarbayev and Vladimir Putin. President of Kazakhstan congratulated V. Putin with the 71st anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, also with the first launch of the rocket from the cosmodrome Vostochny. In addition, Nursultan Nazarbayev reminded about the upcoming session of the High Eurasian Economic Council, the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Council of CIS Heads of States in the current year. In his turn, the President of Russia thanked Nursultan Nazarbayev for his visit to Moscow to participate in the parade in honor of the 71st anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. "I am confident that our relations will develop positively and multifaceted as it has been up to now. Your attitude that you have expressed today and tomorrow will certainly strengthen our trust and create good conditions for further development of our friendly relations", - said Vladimir Putin.
    [Show full text]
  • Tajikistan: Recent Developments and U.S
    Tajikistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests Jim Nichol Specialist in Russian and Eurasian Affairs August 31, 2012 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov 98-594 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Tajikistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests Summary Tajikistan is a significant country in Central Asia by virtue of its geographic location bordering China and Afghanistan and its ample water and other resources, but it faces ethnic and clan schisms, deep poverty, poor governance, and other severe challenges. Tajikistan was one of the poorest of the new states that gained independence at the end of 1991 after the break-up of the former Soviet Union. The new country was soon plunged into a devastating civil conflict between competing regional and other interests that lasted until a peace settlement in 1997. Former state farm chairman Imomaliy Rahmon rose to power during this period and was reelected president after the peace settlement as part of a power-sharing arrangement. He was reelected in 2006. His rule has been increasingly authoritarian and has been marked by ongoing human rights abuses, according to many observers. The civil war had further set back economic development in the country. The economy recovered to its Soviet-era level by the early 2000s, and GDP had expanded several times by the late 2000s, despite setbacks associated with the global economic downturn. Poverty remains widespread, however, and the infrastructure for healthcare, education, transportation, and energy faces steep developmental needs, according to some observers. The country continues to face problems of political integration, perhaps evidenced in part by recent violence in eastern Tajikistan.
    [Show full text]
  • Presidential Elections Were Held in Tajikistan
    “As in the Soviet Union”. Presidential Elections were Held in Tajikistan The incumbent President, Emomali Rahmon, as expected, won the election with triumph. According to the Central Election Commission, over 90 percent of voters voted for him. Follow us on LinkedIn Voter turnout, according to preliminary data from the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CCER), was 85.39% or 4.221 million voters. The total number of voters was 4,900,545 citizens. On October 12, CCER chairman Bakhtiyor Khudoyorzoda said that 3,837,927 people or 90.92% of voters voted for Rahmon’s candidacy. A total of 3,375 polling stations were opened in Tajikistan and 39 in foreign countries. Emomali Rahmon has been re-elected for the next seven years. He has served as President since 1994. The Law on the Leader of the Nation allows him to run for the president an unlimited number of times. CABAR.asia journalists observed the voting process, which began at 6 am and lasted until 8 pm. The observation showed that the necessary precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic were observed at the sites. Voters were provided with masks and given the opportunity to disinfect their hands. However, the rest of the voting was marked by additions and violations. For instance, at a polling station located at school No. 78 in the Rudaki district, one of the voters threw two ballots into the ballot box, while the other threw four at once. Although according to the law, each voter has only one vote and, accordingly, can only cast one ballot in the ballot box.
    [Show full text]
  • Tajikistan Country Strategy 2020-2025 Approved by the Board of Directors on 26 February 2020
    Tajikistan Country Strategy 2020-2025 Approved by the Board of Directors on 26 February 2020 PUBLIC Table of Contents and Glossary Table of Contents Glossary of Key Terms Executive Summary 3 ABI Annual Business Investment ICA Industry, Commerce & ASB Advice for Small Businesses Agribusiness Tajikistan – EBRD Snapshot 4 BEEPS Business Environment and IFI International Financial Institution Enterprise Performance Survey IPPF Infrastructure Project Preparation I. Implementation of Previous Strategy (2015-2019) 5 BOT Build-Operate-Transfer Facility Key Transition Results 5 CoO Country of Operations LCY Local Currency CPI Consumer Price Index LSE London Stock Exchange Implementation Challenges and Key Lessons 7 CSR Corporate Social Responsibility M&A Mergers and Acquisitions II. Economic Context 8 EBRD European Bank for M&S Manufacturing & Services Macroeconomic Context and Outlook 8 Reconstruction and Development MSME Micro, Small and Medium EE Energy Efficiency Enterprise Key Transition Challenges 9 E5P Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency NBFI Non-Bank Financial Institution and Environment Partnership NDC Nationally Determined III. Government Priorities and Stakeholder Engagement 11 EIB European Investment Bank Contribution ETI Expected Transition Impact NPL Non-Performing Loans IV. Defining EBRD Tajikistan Country Strategy Priorities 12 EU European Union PFI Private Financial Institution V. Activities and Results Framework 13 E&S Environmental & Social PPA Power Purchase Agreement FDI Foreign Direct Investment PPP Public-Private Partnership VI. Mapping of International Partners’ Complementarity in 16 FI Financial Institution PSP Private Sector Participation EBRD Business Areas GCAP Green City Action Plan PTI Portfolio Transition Impact GEFF Green Economy Financing Facility RSF Risk Sharing Facility VII. Implementation Risks and Environmental and Social 17 GET Green Economy Transition SEFF Sustainable Energy Financing Implications GHG Green House Gas Framework GNI Gross National Income SOB State-Owned Bank VIII.
    [Show full text]
  • Tajikistan Tajikistan
    TAJIKISTAN TAJIKISTAN Key Findings Russian Orthodox, but there are also Protestants and The government of Tajikistan suppresses and pun- Roman Catholics. In addition, there are small numbers ishes all religious activity independent of state control, of Baha’is, Hare Krishnas, and Jehovah’s Witnesses, particularly the activities of Muslims, Protestants, and and fewer than 300 Jews. Jehovah’s Witnesses. Since 2009, numerous laws that Tajikistan’s legal environment for religious freedom severely restrict religious freedom have been imple- has seen a sharp decline since the passage of several mented in the country. The government also impris- highly restrictive laws in 2009. The 2009 religion law ons individuals on unfounded criminal allegations sets onerous registration requirements for religious linked to Islamic religious activity and affiliation. In groups; criminalizes unregistered religious activity and 2015, a Tajik court banned as “extremist” the Islamic private religious education and proselytism; sets strict Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, an opposition polit- limits on the number and size of mosques; allows state ical party that had been legal for 15 years, and 200 of interference with the appointment of imams; requires its leaders and members reportedly were imprisoned. official permission for religious organizations to provide Jehovah’s Witnesses have been banned since 2007. religious instruction and communicate with foreign Based on these concerns, as it has since 2012, USCIRF co-religionists; imposes state controls on the content, again recommends in 2016 that the U.S. government publication and importation of religious materials; and designate Tajikistan a “country of particular concern,” restricts Muslim prayer to mosques, cemeteries, homes, or CPC, under the International Religious Freedom Act and shrines.
    [Show full text]
  • The Revival of Islam in Post-Soviet Independent Tajikistan
    Dr. Zubaidullo UBAIDULLOEV Senior Research Fellow, Rudaki Institute of Language, Literature, Oriental Studies and Written Heritage, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan The revival of Islam in post-Soviet independent Tajikistan Abstract: Islam has been present in Tajikistan for many centuries. Islam is regarded not only as a religion for most of the population of Tajikistan, but as a substantial and organic part of the history and culture of Tajik people. Therefore, despite the historical events and the situation in the country, Islam has always been present in the life of the population since its arrival in the seventh century. Islam survived in Tajikistan during the Soviet period in widely varied forms, because of the strength of an indigenous popular Islam quite apart from the Soviet-sanctioned Islamic administration. This paper analyses the revival of Islam in Tajikistan since its independence from the former USSR in 1991. It will focus on the following themes: a). Islam and politics in Tajikistan since independence; b). External influence in the country’s religious life; and c). Challenges and changes in religious life of the society; d). Resurgence of Ismailia (a branch of Shi’a sect) in Mountainous Badakhshan Autonomous Province. The role of Islamic thinking and the role of Islam itself are increasing in the modern political processes of Tajikistan since the independence. The emergence of an independent Tajikistan and other Central Asian nations after about 150 years of Russian and Soviet colonialism and rule has brought a whole region back into the world of Islam. The population of over sixty million people is part of a rich Muslim Central Asian tradition of high Islamic civilization in the Middle Ages are now discovering their roots, which the Soviet regime had been determined to eradicate.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fault Lines of Violent Conflict in Tajikistan
    The Fault Lines of Violent Conflict in Tajikistan A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The Australian National University. August 2011 Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (The Middle East and Central Asia) College of Arts and Social Sciences The Australian National University Christian Mark Bleuer 2 Declaration Except where otherwise acknowledged in the text, this thesis is based upon my own original research. The work contained in this thesis has not been submitted for a higher degree to any other university or institute. _________________________ 12 August 2011 3 Acknowledgements First of all I would like to thank my dissertation committee: Professor Amin Saikal, Dr. Kirill Nourzhanov and Dr. Robert L. Canfield. I am extremely grateful to have had the benefit of this high level of expertise on Central Asia while a PhD candidate at The Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (The Middle East and Central Asia). Professor Saikal provided the firm guidance that kept me on track and reasonably on time with my work. His knowledge of Central Asian culture, history and politics was invaluable. Dr. Nourzhanov’s deep understanding of Tajikistan and Central Asia is what allowed me to produce this dissertation. He never failed to guide me towards the best sources, and the feedback he provided on my numerous drafts enabled me to vastly improve on the work that I had produced. I am also very grateful to Dr. Canfield who, despite being far away at Washington University in St. Louis, graciously agreed to be on my dissertation committee. His comments and criticism were valuable in refining my dissertation into the state that it is now in.
    [Show full text]