Thread by @dildorbekova

This statement tends to be taken out of context which is dangerous. Rahmon is NOT standing up to Putin in this speech & will not. There is NO desire of him to claim autonomy of the region from Imperialist Russia. His demand to be respected has been misinterpreted. Rather, he🧵1/9

https://twitter.com/Peter__Leonard/status/1581017812264398848

attempts to not only reassert his [political] loyalty to Russia as the only “viable strategic partner”but to assert centrality of TJK in CA as strategic economic partner. This assertion follows his attempt to assert political dominance through Tajik aggression in Kyrgyzstan. He

challenged the Soviet legacy on the premises that Russia used to until now to engage with CA countries as a region at large. He calls on Russia to differentiate between the CA peoples who have distinct “cultures and traditions” & adopt a tailored approach to Tajikistan (should

respect “small people” not large in numbers).This is not only because the latter deserves it through loyalty it has shown to Russia continuously (presence of military bases, studying Russian from kindergartens,etc).He is not talking for CA here but TJK only(!) He is calling on RU

to divert attention from “oil/gas-rich CA countries”, to making larger investments into TJK that is “equally rich” with natural resources incl those used in military manufacturing (he refers to uranium/lithium here supposedly). He is patronising those around the room when making

a remark of him & Putin’s being in power for 30 years (an old “friendship” & perhaps less trustworthy others). He openly disregards any other than Russian collaboration with CA as viable or genuine (показуха). He reminds that, given the historical ties, people of Tajikistan are

naturally drawn to Russia as labour migrants, for medical treatment, education, etc (“no one is awaiting Tajiks in Saudi Arabia,…”) One should assume this speech, just like any other actions in the region (incl offensive in GBAO, aggression in Kyrgyzstan, etc) could NOT happen

without the approval of Putin. It’s naïve to believe that Rahmon will challenge the very patron who kept him in power & on whom the longevity of his rule relies. Misreading this statement can be dangerous for the country & CA at large, as it may lead to perpetuation of the

oppressive regime by the West who’ll continue to invest in the regime by militarising TJK in the hope to shift the balance of power/geopolitics in favour of the West (just like in response to TJK being the only country in the region that did not recognise Taliban government).

It’s important that one listens to the whole speech - what proceeds & follows this address - not the most coherent but telling address