http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/0612 ... enistan_dc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights from Nyazov's reign:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In April 2004, urging young people not to get gold tooth caps or gold teeth, suggesting instead that they chew on bones to preserve their teeth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In February 2005, ordering the closure of all hospitals outside Ashgabat, saying that if people were ill, they could come to the capital; also ordering the closure of all rural libraries of Turkmenistan, saying that ordinary Turkmen do not read books anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In November 2005, ordering that physicians swear an oath to him instead of the Hippocratic Oath.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In December 2005, banning video games, stating that they were too violent for young Turkmen to play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In January 2006, Russian media reported that he had ordered to stop paying pensions to 1/3 (more than 100,000) of the country's elderly people, cutting pensions to another 200,000, and ordering to pay the pensions received in the past two years back to the State. This has supposedly resulted in a huge number of deaths of old people, who may have had their pension (ranging from US$10 to US$90) as the only source of money. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan strongly denied these allegations, accusing the media outlets of spreading "deliberately perverted" information on the issue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In September 2006, the Telegraph reported that Turkmenbashi had issued a new pay scale for Turkmen teachers, which was to come into effect in October of that year. Until then, teachers who wished to avoid being put on the lowest grade of pay or even sacked, would have to write a newspaper article praising Turkmenbashi and have it published in one of the two newspapers of the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In October 2006 Turkmenistan will set free 10056 prisoners, including 253 foreign nationals from 11 countries on Night of Omnipotence. Niyazov said: "Let this humane act on the part of the state serve strengthening truly moral values of the Turkmen society. Let the entire world know that there has never been a place for evil and violence on the blessed Turkmen soil".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm personally against seeing my pictures and statues in the streets - but it's what the people want.

Was he the one who banned all recorded music and renamed the months after his family members?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a tragedy... :roll:

In February 2005, ordering the closure of all hospitals outside Ashgabat, saying that if people were ill, they could come to the capital; also ordering the closure of all rural libraries of Turkmenistan, saying that ordinary Turkmen do not read books anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does he not realize how large Turkmenistan is, and how poor it is? :?

Almost sounds like one of those fake countrys the put in those post USSR shooter spy games.

Almost sounds like one of those fake countrys the put in those post USSR shooter spy games.

 

 

 

Sounds like Borat's Kazakhstan.

Sounds like some sort of totalitarian society. Like something out of V For Vendetta.

Sounds like some sort of totalitarian society. Like something out of V For Vendetta.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The society of V resembles more our own imo.

This could lead to world war III it probably won't be world war III.

 

 

 

But this could be a problem in the next couple of months.

This could lead to world war III it probably won't be world war III.

 

 

 

But this could be a problem in the next couple of months.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The War in Turkmenistan? :lol:

This could lead to world war III it probably won't be world war III.

 

 

 

But this could be a problem in the next couple of months.

 

 

 

What are you talking about? The guy died. And even alive I don't see who he'd declare war on.

No, but Turkmenistan has large natural gas reserves. There could be conflict over who takes control of the country, especially since no 'heir' was prepared. Russia especially could become quite interested in Turkmenistan :-w

Here's some more higlights of his reign:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In April, 2001, banning ballet and opera, describing them as "Not a part of Turkmen culture"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2004, forbidding young men to wear long hair or beards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In April 2004, ordering the construction of an ice palace near the capital in spite of Turkmenistan's climate and more pressing social needs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2004, insisting that all licensed drivers pass a morality test.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2004, banning news readers from wearing make-up as Niyazov had difficulty telling male and female readers apart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In February 2005, the closure of all rural libraries of Turkmenistan, saying that ordinary Turkmen do not read books anyway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In December 2005, banning video games, stating that they were too violent for young Turkmen to play

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In October 2006 Turkmenistan claimed to have set free 10,056 prisoners, including 253 foreign nationals from 11 countries on Night of Omnipotence. Niyazov said: "Let this humane act on the part of the state serve strengthening truly moral values of the Turkmen society. Let the entire world know that there has never been a place for evil and violence on the blessed Turkmen soil"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the more hilarious ones, anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russia especially could become quite interested in Turkmenistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are. :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should go on Wikipedia and look at the monument he built for himself. It's 300 feet high and has a solid gold statue of him on top that rotates 360 degrees every day so that it always faces the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for heirs, I would be worried that his kids are even more messed up than he was. :uhh:

 

Russia especially could become quite interested in Turkmenistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are. :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should go on Wikipedia and look at the monument he built for himself. It's 300 feet high and has a solid gold statue of him on top that rotates 360 degrees every day so that it always faces the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for heirs, I would be worried that his kids are even more messed up than he was. :uhh:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oooh, I didn't know you lived in Siberia. :) Yea, but hasn't Russia always been interested in the 'stan countries, as I call them?

Oooh, I didn't know you lived in Siberia. :) Yea, but hasn't Russia always been interested in the 'stan countries, as I call them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You'd figure so, they all used to be the same country.

 

Oooh, I didn't know you lived in Siberia. :) Yea, but hasn't Russia always been interested in the 'stan countries, as I call them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You'd figure so, they all used to be the same country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's been talk for years about uniting Russia and Kazakhstan, and Belarus too for that matter, but nothing's really happened at all.