Rivalry between Saymumin Yatimov and Emomali Rahmon
Emomali Rahmon has gone against Saymumin Yatimov regarding the participation of Tajik athletes in the Winter Olympic Games, and it seems that a new game has begun in the corridors of power between the president and his subordinate. Photo: Internet On January 12, just 12 days before the statement from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, […]
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Emomali Rahmon has gone against Saymumin Yatimov regarding the participation of Tajik athletes in the Winter Olympic Games, and it seems that a new game has begun in the corridors of power between the president and his subordinate.
Photo: Internet
On January 12, just 12 days before the statement from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister, or the President of the National Olympic Committee Emomali Rahmon, the Chairman of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) Saymumin Yatimov stated: “The Tajik side firmly supports Beijing in hosting the Olympic Games safely and successfully.”
On January 12, the national news agency of Tajikistan “Khovar” reported, citing the press center of the State Committee for National Security, that “the current situation in the region is unstable, and terrorist threats emanating from relevant centers continuously threaten the security of Central Asian states and the western region of China, which poses a current threat to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.”
At that time, instead of the President of the National Olympic Committee of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, the Chairman of the SCNS of Tajikistan announced the participation of Tajik athletes in the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing. “On the other hand, at the appointed time, Tajik athletes and our delegation will participate in the Olympics,” Yatimov stated then.
On January 24, the agency “Asia-Plus” reported, citing its source in the National Olympic Committee of Tajikistan, that “Tajik athletes will not participate in the Olympics in Beijing, which starts on February 4.”
The National Olympic Committee reported that the reason is the coronavirus pandemic. According to a representative of the NOC, “due to the coronavirus pandemic, Tajik athletes were unable to participate in international competitions and training camps worldwide.”
It has now become clear that when the Chairman of the SCNS of Tajikistan Saymumin Yatimov spoke on behalf of the President of the National Olympic Committee, he did not possess sufficient information, or Yatimov’s statement enraged Emomali Rahmon, and as the President of the NOC, he ordered that no one participate in the Winter Olympic Games.
Recent events in Khorog and the subsequent unrest and instability in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, which were backed by Chairman of the SCNS Saymumin Yatimov, and the fact that the authorities have not achieved the desired results even after two months, greatly upset Rahmon.
After the events in Badakhshan, unrest began in Kazakhstan, where the statue of the former president and “leader of the nation” of the Kazakhs was toppled, and later he was stripped of many titles and privileges, which also had a significant impact on Emomali Rahmon. Since Emomali Rahmon copied the policies of his power from Nursultan Nazarbayev, they both saw with their own eyes that they made a big mistake in this regard.
After the 2016 referendum, Emomali Rahmon intended to transfer power to one of his children, son Rustam or daughter Ozoda, however, on one hand, the situation in the region, and on the other hand, the presence of figures like Saymumin Yatimov, Ramazon Rahimzoda, Yusuf Rahmon, and others at the head of the security agencies prevented him from achieving this goal, and even after more than five years, he still cannot do anything.
However, this time, when the Chairman of the SCNS overstepped his authority and stated that “the Tajik side firmly supports Beijing in hosting the Olympic Games safely and successfully” and added that “at the appointed time, Tajik athletes and our delegation will participate in the Olympics,” these statements not only upset Rahmon but also seemed to make him feel threatened.
Throughout nearly three decades of his rule in Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon has always treated his opponents and those seeking power from his circle with maximum cruelty, harshly suppressing their actions and distancing them from himself and his power.
The next Winter Olympic Games will take place in Beijing from February 4 to 20, 2022. A total of 109 sets of medals will be contested in 7 sports (15 disciplines).
Whose favor the dangerous game between the Chairman of the SCNS and the President of the National Olympic Committee and simultaneously the President of Tajikistan will end in remains to be seen.
Photo: Internet