· March, 2007

Stories about Tajikistan from March, 2007

Tajikistan: Implications of -ov

  27 March 2007

Bonnie Boyd says that the Tajik president's decisions to drop Russian endings from surnames potentially has foreign policy implications for Tajikistan. She says that the decision does nothing for Tajikistan but satisfy a presidential whim.

Tajikistan: Chopping -ov

  22 March 2007

Vadim reports that Tajikistan's president wants to remove the Russian -ov from his last name, changing it to Rakhmon. Further, he wants a general return in Tajikistan to traditional national toponymy.

Central Asia: Celebrating Navruz

  22 March 2007

Sue Sypko says that celebrating a holiday like Navruz is tough to do for a group because everyone disagrees on how to spell the holiday's name, how to decorate, and what food to serve.

Tajikistan: Energy Conservation

  19 March 2007

Gulru says that something needs to be done about Tajikistan's energy problems and suggests looking at how other countries, such as Thailand, have tackled their electricity shortages.

Central Asia: Local Democracy

  16 March 2007

Tolkun Umaraliev agrees with the new Turkmen president's views on democracy — namely that it cannot simply be imported ready-made, but that it instead has to be adapted to local traditions and culture.

Tajikistan: The President vs. Islamization

  16 March 2007

At neweurasia, Vadim discusses the Tajik president's opposition to the construction of new mosques. Vadim agrees with the president that the money could be better spent on new businesses and education.