IDEA BEHIND REDISCOVERING TAJIKS PERSIAN IDENTITY

Published in Tajikistanweb.com in English and Cyrillic Persian
Darius Rajabian contributed to this article

In another effort to revive Samanid Persian culture and language amongst Sovietised (Russified) Tajiks, the governments of Iran and Tajikistan have planned to jointly celebrate the 1150th birth anniversary of the Persian poet Abu Abdullah Jafar-ibn-Mohammad Rudaki (858-941) in 2008. Rudaki's birthplace is now located in Tajikistan and he is recognized as the founder of the Persian (Tajik) literature. He was one of the earliest exponents of modern literary Persian in Perso-Arabic script. Those who believe that Rudaki was a follower of the Ismaili branch of Islam usually cite Maruf Balkhi, a Samanid poet, as saying: "I have heard the king of poets, Rudaki as saying, "Do not give allegiance to anyone, save the Fatimids (the first Ismaili dynasty)."

Tajikistan and Iran plan to organize a series of comprehensive programmes, including seminars and literary festivals, to be held under the agreement signed between Iran's Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicraft Organization (CHTHO) and Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan (ASRT). The programs are scheduled in several Iranian cities and in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe. UNESCO also plans to commemorate Rudaki through holding projects with the support of Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan.

The Samanid royal dynasty is regarded as the founder of the modern Tajik national identity. It was during their reign that the word "Tajik" came into prominence ["Tajik" is derived from Tāzīk/g (Middle Persian) and Tāzī (New Persian) denote non-Turkic, Iranian]. Samanids revived Persian culture and language that was washed away after the conquest of Arabs. It is noteworthy that the changes which took place during this time, occupied every sphere of life: cultural, linguistic, social, art, economy, politics, and scientific.

American scholar Richard Frye observes that the process of Persian renaissance began in Central Asia rather than in Iran. It was due to the difference of the social groups in these two parts of the Muslim world. The mercantile, trade society of Central Asia was much more suitable for the development of an egalitarian Islamic society than a hierarchical caste society of Iran. Therefore, the Samanids, the real rulers of Transoxiana, who made Bukhara, Samarkand and Herat as centres for learning Persian culture throughout the eastern part of the Persian-speaking world, could be seen as pioneers of Iranian renaissance.

In the present times, Tajiks seek cultural guidance from Iran for the restoration of their Persian identity which they share with Iran and Afghanistan. It is because Iran was able to preserve the Persian identity while during the Soviet period Tajiks not only lost their cultural capitals to Uzbekistan, but also their distinctive identity was almost distorted by Russian ethno-national identity. At the same time, Soviet atheistic policy made Tajiks secular and religiously ignorant. Their cultural identity supersedes sectarian differences with Iran. Majority of Tajiks are Sunni whereas the majority of Iranians adhere to Shiite Islam.

In late 1980s, Gorbachev's policy of glasnost, a policy of openness in public discussions about current and historical problems, led to peoples' movement for cultural revival in some of the Soviet republics. Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic (TSSR) was the only former Soviet Central Asian republic where people organised a cultural movement that led to the passage of a language law in 1989. The language law officially renamed "Tajiki (Farsi)" as national language of TSSR and called for gradual reintroduction of the Perso-Arabic alphabet. The word in brackets (Farsi) was omitted later by Rahmon's government.

Presently, the 'cultural renaissance' is a movement initiated by the political elites where the local population remains apathetic towards such efforts. Schools, media and celebration of cultural festivals are used as mediums by the government to reinforce Tajik national identity.

In 1999, Tajik government celebrated 1100th anniversary of the Samanid Empire. The efforts to endorse cultural renaissance in Tajikistan is for nation-building, protecting cultural uniqueness amongst their Turkic Central Asian neighbours and maintaining secular beliefs in the country. In an effort to counterbalance Islam, Tajik government celebrated 2700th anniversary of Zoroastrian holly script Avesta in 2001.

Tajik leadership has shown more signs of being disinterested to promote ethno-religious identity and has undertaken measures to restrain Islam from taking roots in social and political structure of Tajikistan. In this regard, government has implemented some severe measures like closing and even bulldozing of "illegal" mosques, banning women from wearing hijaab (head scarves) and miniskirts in educational institutions, making it compulsory for male students at the Islamic University of Tajikistan to dress in suits and ties and shave their beards, introducing uniforms for teachers and bringing in a Tajik pattern of naming newborn children.

The idea to contain Islamic identity has manifold objectives. First, it would weaken the social and political position of the Islamists, the only substantial political opposition in Tajikistan. Secondly, Islamic revolution will be antagonistic to Iranian religious identity, which might deter Tajik-Iran multi-faceted relations and is likely to bring strong reactions from their Central Asian neighbours and western countries. Finally, encouraging religious identity might push the country into dark ages particularly due to the absence of strong political ideology and dearth in economic opportunities in Tajikistan.

Interview in Radio Zamaneh

Following link to my brief conversation with Dariush Rajabian of Radio Zamaneh on the streets of London on India and Tajikistan : Mirror Image
http://radiozamaaneh.com/dariush/2007/11/post_107.html

India and Ayni : Idealism verses Realism

Published in Tajikistanweb.com in English and Cyrillic Persian
http://tajikistanweb.com/120208_indiataj.html

Recently the Indian media has highlighted strategic importance of Ayni air base renovated by Indian assistance in Tajikistan. To begin with, India has signed a trilateral agreement with the Government of Tajikistan and Russia to refurbish the Ayni base. In this regard India has been providing technical help and construction of the runway, aircraft hangars and air-control tower. India has maintained its presence at the Ayni base since 2002, spending an estimated $ 1.7 million. In 2003, India conducted its first-ever overseas military exercise with Tajikistan. This included two IAF Antonov 32 transport aircraft that demonstrated their lift capability and a platoon-strength of Special Forces that carried out parachute jumps and other commando exercises. Presently, there are over 150 Indian military personnel stationed at Ayni, which includes an IAF detachment of pilots and support staff for Mi-17 helicopters.

There is a difference between having rights to refurbish an air base and enjoying right to use the air base for military or civilian purpose. In September 2007, when there were reports and discussion on Ayni Air base, Tajik defense ministry clarified that "There are too many rumors around the Ayni aerodrome. At the beginning they claimed that Indian military contingent would be deployed there, and now they say French ones. This aerodrome is a property of Tajikistan, and it is up to the Tajik government and the Defence Ministry to decide who will be deployed there after the reconstruction."

Ayni air base definitely provides strategic depth to India in the sub-continent particularly against its traditional rivals- China and Pakistan. As for Tajikistan, giving India right to have military base will mean straining its relations with China and Pakistan.

Tajikistan and China
Tajikistan-China relation started with contentious border issues that were to be resolved under Shangai Five [now called Shangahi Cooperation Organisation (SCO)]. The most difficult section of border sharing in the Pamirs remained unresolved due to Chinese claim on a considerable part of the Badakshon region. Recently, China has been successful in developing significant relations with Tajikistan. At present, China is one of the biggest investor in Tajikistan. China's interest in Tajikistan arises from its desire to revive ancient Silk Route and both countries share the same apprehensions on the Islamists design. The leadership of Tajikistan has often recognized Chinese as their big brothers (big brothers for Tajiks does not mean that Chinese would dictate their terms) and great neighbors.

China objective to revive the ancient Silk Route and connecting Tajikistan with the Karakoram highway is aimed at seeking an easy access to Central Asian market. During the Chinese Premier's visit to Dushanbe in June 2006, various bilateral cooperation agreements were signed between the two countries. The most important of them all was the reconstruction of the Dushanbe-Chanak highway that forms part of the old Silk Route running from Kulma (south-east Tajikistan and at Chinese border) to Khorog-Darvaz-Kulyab-Dushanbe and the Dushanbe-Khujand-Buston-Chanak highway. This highway would then connect to Uzbekistan. China has also agreed to finance LEP-500 North-South high-voltage power line; its viability study was conducted during the Soviet times. The plan is likely to supply electricity from Uzbekistan to Tajikistan and 220 kv power line Lolazor-Obimazor-Khatlon that would extend to Faizabad area in the Badakshan province of Afghanistan. It is also likely that China wants to develop its western Xinjiang province in order to marginalize the Ughars rebels of western Chinese province bordering Tajikistan's eastern GBAO.

China is actively and aggressively involved in diverse projects in Tajikistan including construction and exporting commodities. The International Monitory Fund report of March 2007 noted that the total loans provided by China are "Although concessional in nature (with grant of 40 percent), the disbursement of these loans will lead to a rapid reaccumulation of debt." A large number of Chinese offices have recently opened in Tajikistan. Consequently, Tajiks have been showing interests in sending their children to China for learning Chinese language. The knowledge of Chinese language may provide them better job opportunities.

Tajikistan and Pakistan
Pakistan was fervently involved in Tajik civil war of 1990s. Pakistan gave refuge and provided support to the Tajik Islamist opposition for continuation of Tajik civil war. In February 1993, in an interview with Interfax in Moscow, Tajik president Imomali Rahmon stated that "Pakistani transport planes were making daily flights to northern Afghanistan to deliver food and arms to refugee camps in the area where Tajik militants were said to be undergoing training by Afghan mojahideen." Earlier, in a Summary of World Broadcast report of August 1991, Anatoliya Belousov, Tajik KGB Deputy Chairman mentioned that "The armed Afghan opposition was being manipulated and schools had been set up in Afghan settlement near the border to give 'military and religious training to young Tajiks, Uzbeks and Turkmens so that they can subsequently be used to carry out hostilities against the USSR'." Pakistan's intervention in Tajikistan was in continuation with Zia-ul Haq's policy of creating a 'zone of strategic depth' in Central Asia, Afghanistan and Kashmir. These policies were aimed to bring the region under Islamabad's command and to find a gateway to Central Asia for economic, strategic and religious purposes.

In the post-civil war, Tajikistan and Pakistan has been developing its relations. The first Tajik Ambassador to Pakistan Saidbeg Saidov was appointed three months before Tajikistan President Imomali Rahmon's visit to India in August 2006. Pakistan and Tajikistan have also signed about twenty agreements, protocols and memorandums of understanding (MoU's) to extend cooperation in diverse fields on the basis of mutual equality and increase the level of trade. Both countries have been working on the energy transmission line project from Tajikistan to Pakistan via Phule-Khumri and Kabul areas. They have also agreed to cooperate in field of explorations, extraction and processing of gas and oil products. Pakistan has constructed a land route from Totkhum-Jalalabad in Afghanistan to Tajikistan. Tajikistan being landlocked nation traditionally depends on Uzbekistan for imports and exports but certain irritants have caused economic hardship in Tajikistan. The Karakoram highway connecting China and Pakistan to Gwadar port in Pakistan provides alternate trade-route to land locked Tajikistan.

Tajikistan and India
As for Tajikistan-India relations, they shares historical ties. For a common Tajik, India is known as Hindustan. Every Tajik dreams of visiting India to see Taj Mahal, which they reflect on as their ancestors' monument and till date Taj Mahal rates above any other foreign tourist destination. Indian cinema is very popular and most young men felt sad hearing the news about Aishwarya Rai's wedding. Despite of having immense fondness for India, Tajiks don't hesitate to show their concern over Indo-US nuclear collaboration at the cost of Iran and Russia's friendship.

India's efforts to develop bilateral relations with Tajikistan are constrained by the psychological distance between the two countries. According to the Foreign Aid Report of 2005, India is one of the few countries providing huge grants to Tajikistan and is involved in the export of important commodities (at the same time it is observed that the Indian products are not visible in Tajik market that is completely taken over by Chinese goods). In addition, India is involved in a few construction projects, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, providing scholarship to Tajik students for higher education in India, and there are more than 200 Indian students studying in the Medical College in Dushanbe. Most of these projects remained at inter-governmental level. The private organizations remain inactive in Tajikistan due to connectivity problem, unfriendly environment for investment, endemic corruption and limited market.

Although India shares good relations with Central Asian countries, Tajiks believe that having India's military base might disturb geo-strategic relations in the region. Boasting about India's airbase in Tajikistan that is still not a reality may act against India's future interest in the region as it would present India as a nation aiming to militarize the region.

At the same time, Russia plays an important role in Tajikistan's strategic decision making. In the post-disintegration of Soviet Union, Russia became an important player in Tajik civil war, peace resolution, and nation building. Even when Tajikistan was facing crisis during the internal war, Russia never showed its direct intention to colonize the region. It was also because during that time Russia itself was trying to cope with its own economic and security crisis and Tajikistan has always been an economic encumber due to it tough terrains and limited resources. Despite disappointment by Tajiks over Russia's pro-Uzbekistan policy and more or less abandonment of Tajikistan after Andijon, Tajiks still consider Russians as their traditional mentors. Although, Russia remains the biggest supplier of arms to India, there has been souring relations between India and Russia on Indo-US budding relations. The recent developments in international politics is likely to negatively affect India's desire to have its first overseas defence establishment.

In the recent past, joint military and anti-terrorist exercises under the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and SCO, respectively have been a success. In addition, the military exercises and the prospective military presence under the regional organizations do not disturb or threaten regional peace.