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12/06/2006 Laws, studies and army
Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights
#288, 1.06.2006
Students from Turkmenistan who study in Russian, Kazakh and other universities are at the parting of the ways: while summer school break arrives soon, it is unsafe to come home to Turkmenistan as the young men might be not allowed to go back until they serve in the military.
The substantial grounds for the fears were created by inquiries made by Turkmenistan’s Embassies requiring all foreign universities where students from Turkmenistan study to confirm the academic attendance of male Turkmen students. The staff of the schools was also required to inform each student to visit draft boards in the places of their permanent residence in Turkmenistan from 1 April to 16 June.
The students were called to the dean’s office and informed about the inquiries. As the dean of a Moscow university says, they already regret «having got mixed up with Turkmen students: there is no end to the inquiries: one time confirmation of their academic attendance is needed, another time we are required to inform each student about their duty to serve in the Turkmen army and then to complete their studies…». According to the dean, the students from Turkmenistan should leave their homeland for the full five years of study and not return home until the studies are completed, otherwise the fears of not being allowed out of the country will haunt them until the day that they receive their diploma, thereby negatively affecting their academic achievement.
When the parents of the students referred to the draft boards, they were answered: your son wasn’t sent to study upon referral of Turkmenistan, so he first has to serve in the military and then he can study where he likes. The mother of a fourth-year student of a St.Petersburg university says with indignation: «My son has only one year ahead of him and now he has to give up his studies and go to the military?! Who will give him academic leave for two years?»
There are also obstacles created for those young people who after graduation from Turkmen-Turkish schools try to go to Turkey in order to continue their education in Turkish universities: they are simply not allowed on the plane. The reason is always the same: «You are allowed to leave the country only after you serve in the military». And it is really so according to the law «On Migration».
In Turkmenistan there are «liberal» laws adopted to demonstrate on-going democratic changes to the international community which are unfortunately not being observed. Yet, there are laws «for internal use», i.e. repressive acts which violate human rights. These laws are being strictly followed and the law «On Migration» certainly belongs to the latter.
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Copyright 2004 Republican Party of Turkmenistan |
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