President Niyazov of Turkmenistan, better known as “Turkmenbashi, Leader of all Turkmen”, ranks high on anyone’s list of crazy dictators. Famous for commissioning a gold statue of himself that rotates to track the path of the sun across the sky (some argue that the sun follows Niyazov instead…), Turkmenistan is always good for outrageous headlines that are funny right up until the moment that you realize that real people live in this horrifically repressive dictatorship.

The BBC reports that Niyazov has just ordered the closure of all hospitals outside of the capital, Ashgabat. In explaining his decision, Niyazov explained that such hospitals are unnecessary:

“Why do we need such hospitals?” he said. “If people are ill, they can come to Ashgabat.”

The logic of this statement closely parallels that behind Turkmenbashi’s decision to close all libraries outside Ashgabat: he declared that village libraries were useless since rural Turkmen do not read.

This isn’t the first step in Niyazov’s radical steps in reforming Turkmen healthcare – last year, he fired 15,000 health workers and replaced them with army conscripts. Even with conscripts staffing the hospitals, they were the only health facilities for rural Turkmen in need of care – their closure will likely mean the death of thousands of ill Turkmen unable to pay to travel to Ashgabat… or obtain permits to travel to the capital.

Perhaps former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrtien could have a word with Turkmenbashi. As a lobbyist for a Calgary-based energy law firm, he visited Ashgabat last fall to advocate for a client interested in the vast oil and gas fields under the republic. As an editorial writer for Canada’s Globe and Mail points out, it’s unlikely that Chrtien would have dignified Turkmenistan with an official visit while he represented the Canadian government, and unfortunate that he would choose to do as a retired world leader.

Amin Tarzi and Daniel Kimmage, writing for Radio Free Europe/Radio Libery, have an excellent article answering the question, “Who’s willing to do business with a bastard like Niyazov?” The answer: India, Russia, the Ukraine, and other powers scrambling to provide fossil fuels to growing populations. India is planning a natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan, through Afghanistan and Pakistan, a project that – needless to say – is fraught with security concerns.

For those interested in keeping up with Turkmenbashi:

The EurasiaNet, operated by the Central Eurasia Project of the Open Society Institute (disclosure – I consult for Open Society Institute), watches Turkmenistan closely, as does

Human Rights Watch. “The Blogmenbashi” is a Turkmenbashi-focused weblog, inactive for the last few months, but filled with scary Turkmenistan stories. I’ve yet to find anyone actively blogging from Turkmenistan – please let me know if you find any Turkmenistan-focused blogs.

President Niyazov of Turkmenistan, better known as “Turkmenbashi, Leader of all Turkmen”, ranks high on anyone’s list of crazy dictators. Famous for commissioning a gold statue of himself that rotates to track the path of the sun across the sky (some argue that the sun follows Niyazov instead…), Turkmenistan is always good for outrageous headlines that are funny right up until the moment that you realize that real people live in this horrifically repressive dictatorship.

The BBC reports that Niyazov has just ordered the closure of all hospitals outside of the capital, Ashgabat. In explaining his decision, Niyazov explained that such hospitals are unnecessary:

“Why do we need such hospitals?” he said. “If people are ill, they can come to Ashgabat.”

The logic of this statement closely parallels that behind Turkmenbashi’s decision to close all libraries outside Ashgabat: he declared that village libraries were useless since rural Turkmen do not read.

This isn’t the first step in Niyazov’s radical steps in reforming Turkmen healthcare – last year, he fired 15,000 health workers and replaced them with army conscripts. Even with conscripts staffing the hospitals, they were the only health facilities for rural Turkmen in need of care – their closure will likely mean the death of thousands of ill Turkmen unable to pay to travel to Ashgabat… or obtain permits to travel to the capital.

Perhaps former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien could have a word with Turkmenbashi. As a lobbyist for a Calgary-based energy law firm, he visited Ashgabat last fall to advocate for a client interested in the vast oil and gas fields under the republic. As an editorial writer for Canada’s Globe and Mail points out, it’s unlikely that Chrétien would have dignified Turkmenistan with an official visit while he represented the Canadian government, and unfortunate that he would choose to do as a retired world leader.

Amin Tarzi and Daniel Kimmage, writing for Radio Free Europe/Radio Libery, have an excellent article answering the question, “Who’s willing to do business with a bastard like Niyazov?” The answer: India, Russia, the Ukraine, and other powers scrambling to provide fossil fuels to growing populations. India is planning a natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan, through Afghanistan and Pakistan, a project that – needless to say – is fraught with security concerns.

For those interested in keeping up with Turkmenbashi:
The EurasiaNet, operated by the Central Eurasia Project of the Open Society Institute (disclosure – I consult for Open Society Institute), watches Turkmenistan closely, as does
Human Rights Watch. “The Blogmenbashi” is a Turkmenbashi-focused weblog, inactive for the last few months, but filled with scary Turkmenistan stories. I’ve yet to find anyone actively blogging from Turkmenistan – please let me know if you find any Turkmenistan-focused blogs.