The benefits and drawbacks of Rahmon’s trips to the regions of the country

For many years, we have heard and observed on state television that during each trip of Emomali Rahmon to cities and districts, dozens of private enterprises and facilities are opened, and hundreds of people are provided with jobs.

Photo: Internet

But after Emomali Rahmon leaves, these enterprises and facilities close down. The reality is not at all what state television claims. Perhaps the officials themselves understand perfectly well that no one believes in these ridiculous setups, but they are obliged to tell this lie to the population.

In reality, the president is required to make working trips to all cities and districts of the country and get acquainted with the lives of the residents. He should familiarize himself with the progress of work and learn how well his instructions are being carried out.

However, from young to old, everyone in Tajikistan knows that Emomali Rahmon’s trips to cities and districts are not made to solve the problems of the population; rather, they create more problems and difficulties. About a month before his trip to cities or districts, people begin to face hardships. This starts with collecting money in neighborhoods and villages to organize a meeting and ends with regulating the clothing of schoolchildren and employees of state and private organizations. In short, everyone faces difficulties until he arrives and completes his trip.

Even if he wants to look at agricultural lands, local authorities, the district chairman, and employees of the State National Security Committee and the prosecutor’s office begin to extort from the owners of these gardens or agricultural lands. They rob them day and night. Poor farmers have to fill the insatiable appetites of local authorities, police officers, the GKNB, and the prosecutor’s office for several days before Emomali Rahmon’s departure. Moreover, by the time of his arrival, they must buy expensive carpets of a certain color at their own expense, clear half of their land of crops, and lay these carpets under Emomali’s feet so that his shoes do not get dusty.

Photo: Internet

If we calculate the expenses of gardeners or farmers, it is possible that he has never spent as much in his life as he has before Emomali’s arrival.

Another problem is that today there is a competition among city and district chairmen to build huge pyramids of potatoes and onions to greet Emomali. If it was once “fashionable” to bring 3-4-year-old children in light clothing to meet the president in cold winter weather, today it is “fashionable” to draw mountains or various designs using vegetables and fruits.

Where does all this agricultural produce come from? Do the district chairmen or other officials buy them? No, I am even sure that the district chairman does not spend a single somoni from his pocket. On the contrary, they even profit from such dealings. This produce is purchased with the funds of several entrepreneurs who have come to these wolves with some need.

Photo: Internet

Ordinary residents gain nothing from these trips except harm and loss. When Emomali arrives, the authorities force them to incur large expenses, but when a poor farmer wants to hold a wedding or event and prepares two cauldrons of pilaf, those who forced him to pay for the arrival of their leader take the cauldrons of pilaf from him, and moreover, they can even fine him.

Ordinary residents cannot talk to Emomali about their problems or share their difficulties. In fact, Emomali Rahmon himself does not want to hear the voice of his oppressed people. He himself has created these difficulties. If he truly wanted to meet with his people and listen to them, there would be no obstacles to this. We always think that only the employees of the GKNB and the authorities are to blame for not allowing residents to see their president to tell him about their problems. No, that is not the case. Emomali himself is mortally afraid of hearing about problems, afraid of hearing new thoughts and ideas.

Therefore, if such staged trips are carried out every month, or even every day, they will not solve any problems. If they did, the opening of so many industrial enterprises and facilities that supposedly provided thousands of jobs would have at least reduced the number of our labor migrants by now. As we all know, recently the population of Tajikistan has been leaving for Russia with entire families. People even take their elderly parents with them into emigration so that they can find a piece of bread and live together.

Muhammadali Yusuf

Articles in the “Your Blog” section are the personal opinion of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Azda TV editorial team.