Tajik Elections Debate: Either Rahmon or “Cannibalism” · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

Prior to Tajikistan's presidential elections, the website of the opposition Islamic Revival Party (IRPT) published a story titled “Will Emomali Rahmon Remain President or Not?” [tj]. The story drew hundreds of comments, triggering a heated debate between those who thought it was time for the incumbent president to step down and those who believed he should continue running the country. The website has now published all comments [tj] posted by readers, providing a rare perspective on how some Tajikistanis imagine a future without Rahmon:
Агар Ҷаноб интихоб нашавад, донед ки шумо хуб 1 ё 2 соли дигар катагӣ мекунеду баъд одамхурӣ мешавад…
Ҷаноби мо дар вақташ деҳқон буд, бинед Худои меҳрубон, ки хост, ӯ Ҷаноби Олӣ шуд.
Ватани мо танҳо бо Эмомалӣ Ш. Р. Зебост…
If [Emomali Rahmon] is not re-elected, you will have fun for another year or two before cannibalism begins…
[Rahmon] used to be a farmer. Don't you see that God wanted him to become [president]?
Our Motherland is beautiful only with Emomali [Rahmon]…