Clampdown on Opposition Party Could Win it Popularity
Clampdown on Opposition Party Could Win it Popularity
An attempt by the Tajik justice ministry to silence the opposition Social Democratic Party could inadvertently raise the group’s profile and make it more popular, say NBCentralAsia observers.
In early April, the justice ministry brought an action in the Supreme Court seeking a six-month suspension in its activities. As justification, the ministry said the SDPT was in breach of several clauses of the political party law. For example, it had failed to let the authorities know it wanted to carry on being politically active in the next year, it did not reveal its funding sources, and it did not submit a copy of its financial report to the ministry or publish the document in the press.
SDPT officials insist they have followed all the correct procedures, and say the justice ministry’s actions are not in accordance with the law.
“Our financial report was published in the Aziya Plus newspaper, and reports were submitted to the justice ministry. These accusations are groundless,” said Rahmatullo Zoirov, the head of the party.
The SDPT has become more politically active lately and NBCentralAsia analysts say the justice ministry has intervened to curb this trend, but they say its actions may work in the opposition party’s favour.
Political scientist Parviz Mullojanov says it its not in the government’s interests to instigate public cases like this because they serve as free advertising for its opponents and make them more popular.
“At a time when the public are growing even more discontent with electricity supply problems, inflation, stagnation in the agricultural sector, and some actions taken by the mayor of Dushanbe, a party can attract new supporters with a shift in tactics and an uncompromising position,” he said.
The SDPT is one of a handful of opposition parties in Tajikistan, and won less than three per cent of the vote during the 2005 parliamentary election.
The party has become more vocal in the past few months, pledging to defend the interests of Dushanbe resident who are to be evicted from the centre of the capital to make way for an urban development scheme. The SDPT has also produced a national development strategy as an alternative to the government’s.
Abdugani Mamadazimov, head of the National Association of Political Scientists, said whatever the government says, the SDPT is in fact a constructive party. The authorities would do better to foster a multi-party system, he said.
“The authorities have taken the wrong approach. They should start a dialogue with this constructive opposition…. In some countries, opposition parties are funded to produce alternative social programmes,” he said.
Analysts say the court case is unlikely to end in the SDPT’s suspension. One reason is that the core of te party leadership are in fact leading lawyers. Zoirov is one of the most eminent, and has served as a senior legal advisor to the Tajik president. He went over to the opposition after a 2003 referendum amending the constitution approved a change which allowed the current president, Imomali Rahmon, to be re-elected for two more seven-year terms.
One expert, who asked to remain anonymous, said that despite the court action, the authorities do not really intend to suspend the party. “These violations are not serious enough to stop it operating altogether,” he said. “But if it suits the authorities, they will find some other pretext.”
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
In early April, the justice ministry brought an action in the Supreme Court seeking a six-month suspension in its activities. As justification, the ministry said the SDPT was in breach of several clauses of the political party law. For example, it had failed to let the authorities know it wanted to carry on being politically active in the next year, it did not reveal its funding sources, and it did not submit a copy of its financial report to the ministry or publish the document in the press.
SDPT officials insist they have followed all the correct procedures, and say the justice ministry’s actions are not in accordance with the law.
“Our financial report was published in the Aziya Plus newspaper, and reports were submitted to the justice ministry. These accusations are groundless,” said Rahmatullo Zoirov, the head of the party.
The SDPT has become more politically active lately and NBCentralAsia analysts say the justice ministry has intervened to curb this trend, but they say its actions may work in the opposition party’s favour.
Political scientist Parviz Mullojanov says it its not in the government’s interests to instigate public cases like this because they serve as free advertising for its opponents and make them more popular.
“At a time when the public are growing even more discontent with electricity supply problems, inflation, stagnation in the agricultural sector, and some actions taken by the mayor of Dushanbe, a party can attract new supporters with a shift in tactics and an uncompromising position,” he said.
The SDPT is one of a handful of opposition parties in Tajikistan, and won less than three per cent of the vote during the 2005 parliamentary election.
The party has become more vocal in the past few months, pledging to defend the interests of Dushanbe resident who are to be evicted from the centre of the capital to make way for an urban development scheme. The SDPT has also produced a national development strategy as an alternative to the government’s.
Abdugani Mamadazimov, head of the National Association of Political Scientists, said whatever the government says, the SDPT is in fact a constructive party. The authorities would do better to foster a multi-party system, he said.
“The authorities have taken the wrong approach. They should start a dialogue with this constructive opposition…. In some countries, opposition parties are funded to produce alternative social programmes,” he said.
Analysts say the court case is unlikely to end in the SDPT’s suspension. One reason is that the core of te party leadership are in fact leading lawyers. Zoirov is one of the most eminent, and has served as a senior legal advisor to the Tajik president. He went over to the opposition after a 2003 referendum amending the constitution approved a change which allowed the current president, Imomali Rahmon, to be re-elected for two more seven-year terms.
One expert, who asked to remain anonymous, said that despite the court action, the authorities do not really intend to suspend the party. “These violations are not serious enough to stop it operating altogether,” he said. “But if it suits the authorities, they will find some other pretext.”
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
