RIP Turkmenbashi

[Turkmenbashi 0]

That's right ... the man who gave us the Turkmen Melon Address,  His Excellency Saparmurat Niyazov "Turkmenbashi" President of Turkmenistan and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers has died.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saparmurat_Niyazov

Quote[/b] ]

Turkmenistan's 'iron ruler' dies

Turkmenistan's authoritarian president Saparmurat Niyazov, who ruled the Central Asian country for 21 years, has died aged 66, state TV has reported.

Mr Niyazov, who named cities and airports after himself in a personality cult, left no designated successor.

Turkmenistan, which has large gas reserves, now faces an uncertain future with rival groups and outside powers scrambling for influence, analysts say.

Mr Niyazov died at 0110 local time (2010 GMT Wednesday) of a heart attack.

Last month, the president publicly acknowledged he had heart disease.

His funeral is set to take place on 24 December in the capital, Ashgabat.

Deputy Prime Minister Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has been named head of the commission handling the funeral, state television said.

SAPARMURAT NIYAZOV

Became head of Communist Party in Turkmenistan in 1985

Styled himself Turkmenbashi, Father of the Turkmen

Built up a cult of personality, with cities, airports and months named after him

Introduced bizarre laws, banning young men from wearing beards and listening to car radios

Poverty remained rife in the energy-rich country

According to Turkmen law, the president is succeeded by the head of the legislative body, the People's Assembly. But this post was held by Mr Niyazov himself.

Turkmenistan has called an emergency meeting of its highest representative body for 26 December to decide on Mr Niyazov's succession, the government said.

Mr Berdymukhamedov has also been named acting head of state until then, according to government sources.

The cabinet of ministers and the National Security Council in Turkmenistan have held emergency sessions to discuss the situation.

Uncertainty

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called for power in Turkmenistan to be transferred "in the framework of the law" to ensure stability in the region.

"We hope that a new leadership will act to benefit co-operation with Russia and to benefit the region as a whole," he said.

Many in the region fear it is less the bizarre style of his rule and more the lack of political institutions that could prove to be the real legacy of Mr Niyazov, says the BBC's Natalia Antelava in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Education, healthcare, society generally have crumbled under his rule.

"President Niyazov was in effect the state and what he decreed on any subject, from politics, to culture to science, was absolute law," says Michael Hall, Central Asia project director for the International Crisis Group.

A mostly Muslim nation, Turkmenistan boasts the world's fifth largest natural gas reserves as well as substantial oil resources.

Cult of personality

Mr Niyazov became Communist Party chief of what was then a Soviet republic in 1985 and was elected first president of independent Turkmenistan in 1991.

In 1999, he was made president-for-life by the country's rubber-stamp parliament.

During his reign, Mr Niyazov established a cult of personality in which he was styled as Turkmenbashi, or Leader of all Turkmens.

He renamed months and days in the calendar after himself and his family, and ordered statues of himself to be erected throughout the desert nation.

Cities, an airport and a meteorite were given his name.

Mr Niyazov was intolerant of criticism and allowed no political opposition or free media in the nation of five million people.

His laws became increasingly personal. It was forbidden to listen to car radios or smoke in public, or for young men to wear beards.

An alleged assassination attempt in 2002 was used to crush his few remaining opponents.

All candidates in the December 2004 parliamentary elections, at which there were no foreign observers, were his supporters.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6198983.stm

[EiZei 0]

So, Pinochet, Uncle Slobo, Stroessner and Turkmenbashi kicked the bucket this year. Castro and Saddam are also reaching their end as well. Not a bad year at all.

[-ZG-BUZZARD 0]

So, Pinochet, Uncle Slobo, Stroessner and Turkmenbashi kicked the bucket this year. Castro and Saddam are also reaching their end as well. Not a bad year at all.

Soon to be followed by Ahmadinejad, Bin Laden, Mr Kim, Putin, Blair and Bush?

Then the world could breathe a bit easier...

[Ares1978 0]

BUZZARD @ Dec. 21 2006,15:28)]Soon to be followed by Ahmadinejad, Bin Laden, Mr Kim, Putin, Blair and Bush?

Then the world could breathe a bit easier...

That's a bit optimistic, don't you think? I know I won't feel one bit safer when the next generation of nutjobs takes over. I don't think I could enjoy having to wait another 40 years for the next batch to die from natural causes.

[Ironsight 1]

BUZZARD @ Dec. 21 2006,14:28)]

So, Pinochet, Uncle Slobo, Stroessner and Turkmenbashi kicked the bucket this year. Castro and Saddam are also reaching their end as well. Not a bad year at all.

Soon to be followed by Ahmadinejad, Bin Laden, Mr Kim, Putin, Blair and Bush?

You're a left wing extremist?

[Guest Ti0n3r]

I never liked president-for-life people. Good riddance

[j w 0]

I never liked president-for-life people. Good riddance

Right there with you.

Dunno who the guy is, but I think we'll manage without him.

[quicksand 0]

Quote[/b] ]That's right ... the man who gave us the Turkmen Melon Address,  His Excellency Saparmurat Niyazov "Turkmenbashi" President of Turkmenistan and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers has died.

His excelency,the President whos accomplishments range from such honourable mentions as:

-Crippling Turkmenistans education system by lowering the number of classes mandatory

-Banishing the intelectuals from the country

-Succeding in keeping a nation that has the worlds 5th natural reserves and a population of just 5 million citizens in poverty for a whooping mandate of 21 years.

-Pulling your average dictator's crackdown on the vocal opposition,making hundreads dissapear.

And my personal favourites:

-Putting his ugly mug on every newspaper,book of literature,poster,wall or anything remotely printable inside Turkmenistans borders.

-Helping Turkmenistanis understand by various strictly controled incetives(media) he is The Mighty Father of All Turkmenistanâ„¢.

Indeed,may the man who gave the Turkmen Melon Adress R.I.P ..or not  

[JdB 151]

BUZZARD @ Dec. 21 2006,14:28)]

So, Pinochet, Uncle Slobo, Stroessner and Turkmenbashi kicked the bucket this year. Castro and Saddam are also reaching their end as well. Not a bad year at all.

Soon to be followed by Ahmadinejad, Bin Laden, Mr Kim, Putin, Blair and Bush?

Then the world could breathe a bit easier...

God willing...

Although I don't dislike Tony Blair.

On a sidenote, that Ahmadinejad also got his ass kicked in regional elections. Go democracy

"Turkmenbashi" started to believe in his own myth that he was a god. Luckily God kicked his ass. Sadly he is survived by 2 sons and a military dictatorship that will probably take over. I didn't hear he was sick. Anyone up for a bet whether or not the Russian secret service whacked him?

Of course even if all the dictators in the world would die, it wouldn't solve anything, as there would just be another group waiting to take their place

[Redkid Joker 0]

"Turkmenbashi" started to believe in his own myth that he was a god.

Caligula?

[karantan 0]

"Turkmenbashi" started to believe in his own myth that he was a god.

Caligula?

No, Turkmenbashi (The Father of all The Turkmens).

[JdB 151]

"Turkmenbashi" started to believe in his own myth that he was a god.

Caligula?

No, Turkmenbashi (The Father of all The Turkmens).

Maybe [this] will give you some understanding on what Redkid Joker meant

[karantan 0]

"Turkmenbashi" started to believe in his own myth that he was a god.

Caligula?

No, Turkmenbashi (The Father of all The Turkmens).

Maybe [this] will give you some understanding on what Redkid Joker meant

I know what he meant. With this -maybe to sarcastic to be understandable- 'denieing' comment I draw some sort of the 'equality' between them.

[Baff1 0]

This bloke mad some damned funny laws.

Sad to see Pinochet go mind. He was a good friend to us.

[Necromancer- 0]

According to Borat...

"This man... is a Jew.. Our clandestine operations did wonderful work for glorious nation of Kazachstan"

[Garcia 0]

BUZZARD @ Dec. 21 2006,14:28)]

So, Pinochet, Uncle Slobo, Stroessner and Turkmenbashi kicked the bucket this year. Castro and Saddam are also reaching their end as well. Not a bad year at all.  

Soon to be followed by Ahmadinejad, Bin Laden, Mr Kim, Putin, Blair and Bush?

You're a left wing extremist?

Bush and Blair isn't exactly nice...if Bush points and sends in his army, Blair follows...and Bush is a nutjob.

[ralphwiggum 6]

ok, why is it that it has to go OT?

[baddo 0]

May His soul rest in peace.

I hope the people get to choose a new President themselfs, in a free election.