President Saparmurat Niyazov, the dictator of Turkmenistan, died on Thursday. The 66-year-old, who had ruled the Central Asian Republic for over 20 years, succumbed to heart failure. With no designated successor there are fears that the autocratic state could descend into chaos, which could threaten to disrupt vital gas exports to Europe via Russia.
State television announced that "Turkmenbashi -- the father of all Turkmen -- is dead." Flags are flying at halfmast in the capital Ashgabat, and the 23 government newspapers did not publish. The State Security Council also announced a seven-day period of national mourning.
Niyazov had been head of the Turkmen Communist Party since 1985, and after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 he managed to retain control. He then began to develop an elaborate personality cult and to rule with an iron fist. The country was dotted with thousands of his portraits and statues. Some of his more bizarre edicts including the banning of ballet, gold teeth and recorded music. Months of the year were named after himself and members of his family, and ports, military bases, even meteors also bore his name. Niyazov was head of state, commander-in-chief of the army, leader of the only party, as well as the country's pre-eminent philosopher and poet, all rolled into one. His writings were taught in school and people were even quizzed on them when taking a driving test.
Turkmenistan has the fifth-largest natural gas reserves in the world and by all rights its 5 million people should be enjoying great prosperity. But Niyazov and the small ruling elite that surrounded him held most of their vast wealth in offshore bank accounts and the majority of Turkmen live in abject poverty. In fact, 90 percent of income from gas exports sat in a fund that only the president could access. While the Turkmen leader was busy building outlandish projects, such as a huge man-made lake in the Kara Kum desert, an ice palace and a 40-meter (130-foot) pyramid, his people were suffering unemployment that ran at 50 percent in the cities and up to 70 percent in rural areas.
Despite the fact that Turkmenistan was notorious for human rights abuses and corruption, Western governments and businesses continued to woo the despot. Its vast gas resources and strategic location on the border of Iran and Afghanistan made it prudent to do business with Ashgabat. Although Niyazov adopted a policy of neutrality, he supported the United States-led war on terror, and allowed coalition aircraft to pass through Turkmen airspace.
Niyasov had done nothing to groom a successor -- who had long suffered from heart problems and even received treatment in Germany -- and now there are concerns about whether the country will remain stable. Those countries with vital interests in Turkmenistan will be waiting to see how things play out over the coming days and weeks. "I expect there will be a massive fight for power now in Turkmenistan," a Russian gas industry source told Reuters. "And it's likely to take place between pro-U.S. and pro-Russian forces."
smd/reuters/ap/spiegel
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