A commission made up of 14 people, including representatives of the Dashoguz velayat khyakimlik’s office (regional administration), police, public prosecutor’s office, the Union of Veterans, Women’s Union and the clergy is fighting for public morals. For the second consecutive week the commission has been visiting organizations, agencies and educational establishments in Turkmenistan’s northern province.
Members of the commission hold general staff meetings which open with stories devoted to great accomplishments and achievements of the country implemented under the wise guidance of the nation’s leader – Arkadag, this is how Turkmenistan’s President G. Berdymukhamedov is referred to.
The commission members assume that “strictly adhering to Turkmen moral and ethical standards by all (!) the country’s residents and primarily, by the young, will contribute to further prosperity of the country and its growing credibility worldwide!”
This is followed by an explanation of what is implied under “morals and ethics”. It transpires that this applies primarily to dress code! Women, regardless of ethnic identity, are obliged to wear a head scarf at work (see photo), whereas girls have to wear either skull caps or triangle scarves. Both are obliged to wear the Turkmen dress with a national ornament on the collar fastened with a brooch, and long pants worn under the dress. Scarves should not be worn Uzbek-style despite the fact that half the residents in the province are Uzbeks. Men are obliged to wear a skull cap, a white shirt and a dark suit.
These requirements were voiced at the meetings held at Turkmenbank office in Dashoguz, in the municipal hospital, outpatient clinics №1 and №3, in the association “Dashoguzvodstroi” and some other organizations as well as at the Teacher Training College and Arts College.
At velayat schools the commission addressed student’s parents. First of all, parents were requested to make sure their children are not too absorbed by the Internet.
- “Line is an evil! There are indecent photos and videos as well as newspapers which discredit our country! – a member of the commission, who has a poor idea of what the internet is, said, – this corrupts children and youths! Don’t forget this!”
As regards dress code, in addition to the “Turkmen uniform”, for some reason boys were forbidden to wear white socks. Parents of schoolgirls were recommended not to allow their daughters to wear pants and short skirts outside school: – “They should always wear long dresses!”
Such fighting for morals and ethics has been held in Turkmenistan for many years, but only negative results have been achieved so far.
Educators from school №7 have been discreetly informed that 46 pregnant students were identified among senior graders in schools of Ak-depe etrap (formerly, Lenin district). A 9th grade female student is still in the intensive care unit of the municipal hospital after a failed abortion attempt. A police officer, who serves on the commission, says that many schoolgirls are detained during police raids in brothels.
In those schools where similar meetings were held, teachers were obliged to submit lists of married senior graders as well as prevent students from using mobile telephones.
According to unconfirmed reports, in Dashoguz females are again being detained in cafes and restaurants by police patrols. In particular, according to our sources, on 12 April 15 females celebrating their friend’s birthday were detained in café “Gunesh”.
Regular inspections, commissions and meetings are reminiscent of campaigning rather than a carefully planned and well-designed government program. As is common with campaigning, some people manage to make cash.
For instance, the velayat khyakimlilk’s office handed over head scarves to many organizations with the request to sell them to female employees at 40 manats ($11) per piece. Balaks, which have become a mandatory feature of the business dress code, are now sold at bazaars at 150 manats ($43).
Complying with moral values and ethical standards will hit hard in the pockets of Turkmen residents.
