| The Worlds most bizarre dictator |
| Thursday, March 22, 2007 |
The title of the worlds most bizarre dictator goes to Saparmurat Niyazov - ex president of Turkmenia.
"His Excellency Saparmurat Niyazov  Türkmenbaşy(Turkmenbashi), President of Turkmenistan and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers" ruled as an authoritarian leader and he was a President-for-Life of Turkmenistan.
He renamed the town of Krasnovodsk, on the Caspian Sea, Türkmenbaşy, in addition to renaming several schools, airports and even a meteorite after himself and his immediate family. He even renamed the months, and days of the week after his family; January becoming Turkmenbashi, April become Gurbansoltanedzhe(name of his mother).
Turkmenia word "čorek" that means bread or baker also become Gurbansoltanedzhe.
Niyazov's portrait is on Manat banknotes and large portraits of the late President hang all over the country, especially on major public buildings and avenues. Statues of himself and his mother are located throughout Turkmenistan, including one in the Karakum Desert as well as a gold-plated statue atop Aşgabat's largest building, the Neutrality Arch. The statue rotates so that it will always face into the sun and shine light onto the capital city.
In 2004, the dictator ordered the closure of all rural libraries on the grounds that he thought that village Turkmen do not read.
President-for-Life issued many controversial and unusual decrees:
In March 2004, 15,000 public health workers were dismissed including nurses, midwives, school health visitors and orderlies and replaced with military conscripts
It was forbidden for young men to grow long hair or beards
Ballet and opera were banned after Niyazov felt they were "unnecessary ... not a part of Turkmen culture"
The youth of Turkmenistan were encouraged to chew on bones to preserve their teeth rather than be fitted with gold tooth caps or gold teeth
All licensed drivers were required to pass a morality test
In April 2004 it was ordered that an ice palace be constructed in desert near the capital
It was prohibited for news readers to wear make-up
In February 2005 all hospitals outside Aşgabat were ordered shut, with the reasoning that the sick should come to the capital for treatment
Physicians were ordered to swear an oath to the President, replacing the Hippocratic Oath
Video games were banned as being too violent for young Turkmen to play
In October 2006 Turkmenistan claimed to have set free 10,056 prisoners, including 253 foreign nationals from 11 countries on the Night of Omnipotence. Niyazov said, "Let this humane act on the part of the state serve strengthening truly moral values of the Turkmen society. Let the entire world know that there has never been a place for evil and violence on the blessed Turkmen soil"
Car radios, lip-syncing, and recorded music are all prohibited
Video monitors are required in all public places
Dogs are restricted from the capital city due to unappealing odour
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posted by linkz @ 6:10 PM   |
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