DUSHANBE, April 1, 2014, Asia-Plus:

 

March 1                        - Tajik authorities eased electricity rationing introduced in the provinces.  The supply of electricity was increased in daylight.  We will recall that electricity rationing was introduced in rural areas of Tajikistan on October 26 and it resulted in the supply of daily electrical power in rural areas being reduced to eighteen hours – from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm.  Electricity rationing has not affected Dushanbe as well as the cities of Khujand, Qurghon Teppa, Kulob, Tursunzoda, and Chkalovsk as well as the majority of districts of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO). On November 1, Tajik authorities toughened electricity rationing that resulted in the supply of daily electrical power in rural areas being reduced to nine hours;  

- According to the Social-Democratic Party (SDP) deputy head Shokirjon Hakimov, some ten men burst into the party’s office in Dushanbe accusing the party leaders and activists of seeking to destabilize the country.  We will recall that some two dozen female protesters in early December noisily disrupted a press conference of the Social-Democratic Party (SDP) to criticize its leader Rahmatillo Zoyirov and heap praise on President Emomali Rahmon.

 

March 3                        - The Tajik-Kyrgyz intergovernmental commission for demarcation and delimitation of disputed segments of mutual border met in Dushanbe.  Co-chaired by Tajik Deputy Prime Minister Murodali Alimardon and Kyrgyz Deputy Minister Tokon Mamytov, the meeting ended with signing of a protocol on continuation of work of relevant commissions for settlement of the situation in the disputed areas of the border;

                                    - The Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan issued a statement, in which it expressed concern about the decision of the Firdausi District Court in Dushanbe against the Asia-Plus newspaper and its editor which might hamper the freedom of media in the country.  The EU Delegation called on the Tajik authorities to respect and promote the freedom of expression, in line with Tajikistan''s international commitments and obligations.

 

March 4                        - Ms. Oynihol Bobonazarova, a pioneer of the human rights movement in Tajikistan, was among 10 women awarded as "International Women of Courage" by the U.S. Department of State.  A lawyer by profession, Ms. Bobonazarova is best known for her advocacy of human rights and her work with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Open Society Institute/Assistance Foundation.  Ms. Oynihol Bobonazarova is the head of the “Perspektiva” social movement and since 1990 has been known for her work with democratic parties in Tajikistan.  The U.S. Secretary of State''s “International Women of Courage Award” began in 2007 to recognize women around the world who show “exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.”

 

March 4-5                     - The Embassy of Japan in Dushanbe and the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, supported by the EU-funded UNDP-implemented BOMCA and BOMNAF Programs, hosted a conference on ways to enhance border management and cross-border co-operation between Tajikistan and Afghanistan.

 

March 8                        - Tajikistan celebrated the Day of the Mother.  International Women’s Day has been known in Tajikistan as the Day of the Mother since March 2009.  Congratulating women on March 8, 2009, President Emomali Rahmon said that International Women''s Day has only been celebrated on March 8 for about 100 years, but that ancient Aryan women -- the ancestors of the Tajiks -- had special days both for mothers, specifically, and for women in general.

 

March 11                      - Tajikistan celebrated the Tajik Press Day.  On this occasion, a ceremonial meeting is taking place at the Tajik Academic Drama Theatre named after Abulqasem Lohouti.  The award ceremony for the winners of the Abulqasem Lohouti Award was held on the sidelines of the meeting.  By president’s decree the Tajik Press Day has been marked on March 11 since 1993.  The Tajik Press Day is marked on March 11 in honor of the first Tajik-language newspaper, Bukhoroi Sharif (The Glorious Bukhara), the first edition of which was issued on March 11, 1912;

- A special operation carried out by police officers near the village of Hushyori in the Varzob district led to the seizure of 97.2 kilograms of hashish.     

 

March 12-13                  - Ms. Valentina Matviyenko, speaker of Russia’s upper house (Federation Council) of parliament, paid an official visit to Tajikistan.  She held talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and speakers of both houses of Tajik parliament to discuss cooperation issues.  While in Dushanbe, she also Russian Embassy and headquarters of Russian military base in Dushanbe, the source added.

 

March 13                      - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon received Afghan Minister of Economy Abdul Hadi Arghandiwal, who is also co-chairman of the Tajik-Afghan intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation.  The sides discussed a wide range of issues related to economic, transportation and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

 

March 15                      - Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov met with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran.  The two reportedly discussed issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran;

                                    - Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov met with Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian in Tehran. The two reportedly discussed issues related to completion of the Istiqlol Tunnel and the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Tajikistan.     

 

March 16                      - Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov held talks with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said in Tehran.  The sides discussed inter-parliamentary cooperation between Tajikistan and Iran;  

                                    - Co-chaired by Sherali Khairulloyev, the Aide to the President of Tajikistan for National Security and Tokon Mamytov, Deputy Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, a round of talks between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan on demarcation and delimitation of disputed segments of mutual border took place in Batken, Kyrgyzstan.  The sides reportedly exchanged materials prepared by members of the working groups for settlement of border issues;

                                    - A multi-stage operation by officers from the Drug Control Agency under the President of Tajikistan (DCA) led to the seizure of 96 kilograms of hashish in the Bobojonghafourov district of Sughd province.  Two local residents were arrested on suspicion of having been involved in drug trafficking.

 

March 17                      - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani received Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov.  Aslov reportedly conveyed an official message of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to President Rouhani and extended his formal invitation to his Iranian counterpart to pay an official visit to Tajikistan in the near future.  The invitation was accepted with gratitude;

                                    - Two Afghan drug traffickers were killed in crossfire on the Tajik-Afghan border in the southern Khatlon province.  Tajik border guards on a routine patrol spotted four armed Afghan drug traffickers who were illegally crossing the border river in the Hamadoni district.  As a result of skirmish, two trespassers were killed and two others managed to escape.

 

March18                       - Newspaper Asia-Plus appealed against the judgment filed by a court in Dushanbe’s Firdavsi district against the newspaper and its editor.  The Firdavsi district court that considered a case pitting five Tajik creating unions and three separate individuals (D. Abdiyeva, A. Rajabov and H. Rahmatov) against the Asia-Plus newspaper and its editor, Ms. Olga Tutubalina, ruled on February 25 that the newspaper and its editor must publish a disclaimer and pay 30,000 somoni to D. Abdiyeva, A. Rajabov and H. Rahmatov.

 

March 20                      - The Supreme Court of Tajikistan sentenced Alimurod Makhanov, leader of a terrorist group, to 21 years in prison on March 20.  Other members of this organized crime group were sentenced to different jail terms.  Amirali Davlatov was sentenced to 19 years in prison, Kenja Abdulhaqov got a jail term of 15 years, Siroj Qarayev was sentenced to 11 years in jail, and Sorbon Komilov was sentenced to 2 years in prison.  The Interior Ministry’s press service released a statement on September 21, 2013 saying that six terrorists who were preparing to carry out attacks in Dushanbe have been captured.  The leader of the group has been identified as Alimurod Makhanov, who underwent training in terrorist camps in Pakistan.

 

March 21-26                 - Tajikistan celebrated Navrouz holiday

 

March 22                      - An abrupt spell of cold weather led to a decrease in the water level of rivers feeding into the Norak hydropower station, causing a reduction in the daily supply of electricity from nine to four hours.

 

March 24                      - Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan reportedly discussed possible land exchanges to resolve long-festering border disputes.  Radio Liberty’s Kyrgyz Service quoted Ms. Raziya Osorova, the head of the village of Kok-Tash, as saying that Kyrgyz villagers living along the border may be relocated into Kyrgyzstan''s Batken region if the land they are currently living on is exchanged with Tajikistan for other disputed territory.  A joint Kyrgyz-Tajik commission reportedly discussed the possible relocation of residents in the Kyrgyz villages of Maseit, Aryk-Asty, and Tash-Tumshuk.

 

 

March 26-27                  - Tajik President Emomali Rahmon visited Kabul to participate in an international festival on the occasion of Navrouz.  On March 26, President Emomali Rahmon met with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai.  The sides discussed a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between their countries.  A trilateral meeting of presidents of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran took place in Kabul on March 27.  Tajik leader reportedly offered establishment of an economic, investment and cultural cooperation council by three Persian-speaking countries.  President Rahmon also proposed to hold the next trilateral summit in Dushanbe in summer of 2015 along with a trade exhibition.  On the same day, a quadrilateral summit of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan took place in Kabul.  Regional issues of peace, security, trade and economic cooperation figured at the summit.  Speaking at the meeting, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon offered the establishment of a forum for economic and cultural cooperation and invited presidents of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan to visit Dushanbe in September when a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member nations will take place in the Tajik capital.   

 

March 27-28                  - Organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the National Association of Business Women of Tajikistan and the Government of Tajikistan, a symposium of women entrepreneurs from Central Asia and Afghanistan was held in Dushanbe.  The event created a platform for high-level dialogue between the public and private sectors.

 

March 29-31                  - China’s Minister of Defense Chang Wanquan paid an official visit to Tajikistan to discuss with high-ranking Tajik state officials issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral military and technical cooperation between Tajikistan and China.

 

March 31                      - Some border crossing points (BCPs) along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border opened for the first time since mid-January.  The Karamyk and Bordobo border crossings reportedly started functioning fully.  Meanwhile, checkpoints at Kulundu and Kairagach are allowing residents who live close to the border to cross as pedestrians.  Other checkpoints still remain closed.