No, we have not forgotten about Tajikstan. There’s just not nearly as much to report. Kyrgyzstan is fairly unique in Central Asia for the energy of its people and their involvement in politics. Here are a couple stories though:
And Reuters reports that President Rakhmonov is considering another term.
“Will I run again in 2006?” the 52-year-old former state farm boss, who has been in power since 1992, told reporters and a large group of supporters after casting his ballot.
“I will not conceal the fact that I am still young and energetic and in a good form,” he said to applause. “Right now, I have no intention whatsoever to leave politics … Or are you going to write me off as a pensioner?”
…
Rakhmonov oversaw a referendum in 2003 to install constitutional amendments to allow Tajik presidents to stand for two consecutive seven-year terms.The opposition says Rakhmonov cannot make use of this amendment, because it does not come into force until a new president is elected, and he should step down next year.
President Rakhmonov, when discussing faster democratic change, trotted out a favorite of Central Asian leaders:
“One should remember that we are Asians and that Muslims make up over 94 percent of Tajikistan’s population,” he said.
“To speed up change is very dangerous. One should first change the mentality of our nation.”
It might be hard to change the mentality of a nation when the leader ostensibly overseeing the change thinks that Asians and Muslims can’t really handle democracy.
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