Tajikistan (1962: The Apocalypse)

Before editing, please read the Afghanistan's overview page to fully understand how it is involved in the complex, baffling, bazaar, oddball and weirdo ethnic, political, cultural and religious situation in the neighbouring country!

Stats
Tajikistan is a democratic nation in central Asia, that largly corisponds with the former Tadjik SSR.

Doomsday
3 1kt NATO free fall bombs hit Tajikistan, 1 1kt was dropped Dushanbe airfield, 1 1 kt hit Faknor, Shaka and Punj towns and 1 kt hit the passses near Faknor, Shaka and Punj.

The Dombarovskiy (Yasny) Air Force base in Orenburg Oblast was hit by a 70kt American ICBM. The gas processing facilities at Orenburg, Orenburg gas field and Orenburg town in Russia were hit by a 100 kt and 10kt ICBM.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome (Russian: Космодром Байконур, Kosmodrom Baykonur; Kazakh: Байқоңыр ғарыш айлағы, Bayqoñır ğarış aylağı), Zhanazhol oil Field, Ekibastuz and Atyrau (Kazakh: Атырау, Russian: Атырау) Kazakhstan were hit by a 70kt ICBM.

Other targets in Kazachstan and Russia included-


 * 1) The Dombarovskiy (Yasny) Air Force base ICBM silos- 1 x350kt.
 * 2) The Dombarovskiy (Yasny) Air Force base in Orenburg Oblast- 1 x70kt.
 * 3) Astana airfiled- 1x 1kt (did not go off)
 * 4) The north western Kazakhstan ICBM silos- 1x 350kt
 * 5) The central Kazakhstan ICBM silos- 1x 350kt
 * 6) 1st Army Corps (HQ Semipalatinsk)- 1x 10kt
 * 7) 68th Motor Rifle Division (Sary-Ozek)- 1x 10kt
 * 8) Sary-Ozek military range- 1x 1kt
 * 9) Uralsk- 1x 1kt

Due to being a Persian, Pakistani and UK allied, Afghanistan was not spared by Doomsday. The capital city of Kabul was hit by 3 1kt, Mazar-e Sharif was hit by 1x 1kt and Kandahar was hit by 1 Soviet 2.5kt Soviet free fall bomb.The Afghans and Tajiks were lucky a rather small nuclear attack compared to what places like Germany and Poland took.

Without the Malik/Pasher (King) to keep control Afghanistan plunged into chaos. Tajikistan would also struggle to servie.

Tajikistan would mostly have a problem with the radioactive fall-out from other regions of the USSR, that would cause much trouble over the early years.

After Doomsday
It would be a tough time during the nuclear winter and summer of 1962-64. Jabbor Rasulov was First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan between April 12,1961 and February 1at, 1982. He ruled in a heavyhanded, but fair way unlike some of his sucsessors. His predisesor Tursun Uljabayevich Uljabayev (Tajiki: Турсун Ӯлҷабоев), who was First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan between May 24, 1956 and April 12, 1961, helped him out. The Tajikistan, Kergysian, Uzbeck and Turkistani regional governments, plus some remaineing Kazach provinces declaird UDI and became an alliance of local communist states. The Tajik Supreme Soviet had replaced rule by the USSR in mid 1963.

A cholera outbreak hit Leninabad in mid-1962 and mid-1963. A severe famine and a cholera outbreak hit southern Tadjikistan, killing many people during 1963, 1965 and most of 1966. Martial law and heavy food rationing was declared in mid 1963 and would last until early 1972.

Snow fall was unusually heavy in the Toba Kakar Mountains, Hindu Kush, Safed Khirs and on Mount Khumbur Khule Ghar during 1962 and unusually light in 1964.

Shortages would be common up unilll 1969, due to a lack of a local heavy, energy production industry and oil.

First Contact
This was with Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan in 1967.

1967-1992
Localisum and culral identy had played a very important role in Tajikistan, almost more important than the official communist ideology.

After the fall of the USSR, Tajikistan had always reamined one of the less central Asian developed republics untill the mid 1980's. However, each 5-year plan brought to them some more industrial development, concentrated, unlike many parts of the former USSR, in light industry and food processing. A hydroelectric dam was biult in the Pimir Mountains in 1972, taking advantage of terrain features in the east of republic.

Agriculture was modernized somewhat, except for the mass cultivation of cotton, which as elsewhere in Central Asia led to major ecological damage due to poor planning.

Tajik P.S.B.R. experienced some economic and social progress. However, by 1980, iving standards in the republic were still among the lowest in Central Asia out side of Afghanistan and Baltistan. Most still lived in rural qishlaqs townships, that were settlements that were composed of 200 to 700 one-family houses built along a major local waterway. This lead to the 1981 Istaravshan food riots, in which 6 protesters and 1 cop died, and the 1982 Leninabad and Istaravshan pro-democray protests.

The communist party hardliner Rahmon Nabiyev was in 1985 as party secretary of the Communist Party after succeeded by his kindred spirit Qahhor Makhanov.

The discontent among the population about the communist policies had already, by the the eighties led to the creation of secular, nationalist, liberal and Islamist parties, including the Party of Islamic Rebirth.

In November 1990 Qahhor Makhanov was also chairman of the Tajik Supreme Soviet which had replaced rule by the USSR in 1963.

Because the of the failed coup by Communist by party hardliners, the Tajik government's in August 1991, that lasted for three days, occered after reformist communists and moderate Islamists formed a majority in the Tajik Supream Soviet. As the coup took place riots broke out, in which 16 rioters, 3 policemen, 1 solder and a Uzbek tourist all died.

On 12 September 1991 Tajikistan declared its self a democracy.The Tajik government changed the name of the Tajik Communist Party of Tajikistan Socialist Party (TSP) and allowed opposition parties. The first free elcetion was held on December 8, 1995. They then made a major atempt at improving the sewers and water mains in Dushanbe, Istaravshan, Vahdat and Garm, but with only limited results.

Civil War


The Civil War in Tajikistan (Tajik: Ҷанги шаҳрвандии Тоҷикистон, Jangi shahrvandii Tojikiston,  جنگ شهروندی تاجیکستان ) began in December 1992 when local tribes from the Garm and Gorno-Badakhshan regions, which were under-represented in the (Leninabad and Kulyab Oblast's) Tadjik dominated ruling elite, rose up against the national government of President Rahmon Nabiyev.

The equily fed up Kipchaks and Karakalpak rebels in Karakalpakstan helped the local tribes from the Garm and Gorno-Badakhshan regions. Republic of Karakalpakstan became independent after the rebellion of 1993-94.

Politically, the discontented groups were represented by liberal democratic reformists and Islamists, who fought together and later organized under the banner of the United Tajik Opposition.

By mid 1997 50,000-1000,000 people had been killed. There was evidence that rape was used by both sides during this In Afghanistan the opposition reorganized and rearmed with the aid of the Jamiat-i-Islami. The group's leader Ahmad Shah Masoud became a benefactor of the Tajik opposition, since he hated the authoritarian and fascist regime. Later in the war the opposition organized under an umbrella group called the United Tajik Opposition, or UTO. Elements of the UTO, especially in the Tavildara region, became the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, while the leadership of the UTO was opposed to the formation of the organization. Iran did not involve itself militarily, but provided ideological support and humaniterian aid for Muslims who had long been denied the right to freely exercise their faith in the former U.S.S.R. The Taliband were also active in southern Tajikistan.

Several ethnic clashes in Tadjikistan’s Sughd Province and a pipe bombing in the Tadjik town of Khujand. almost lead it war between Uzbekistan and Tadjikistan in the may of 1997, but the chose to resolve it earthier than leave the way open to a possible Taliban takeover.

The enlightened, but irritating (and what we would call a 'Blairite') president Chingi 'Visual' Mahruth helped reconcile the veriouse waring factions between 1998 to 2002. He was of mixed blood, being 50% Tadjik, 25% Kirgiz and 25% Russian. He also facilitated a literacy campaing and the inprovement both Dushanbe's and Garm's sewers in 1998 vand 2001.

Afghan war
The Slavic dominated ex-Soviet regime in Tadjikistan was in trouble to, but communist zeal would hold out against the Islamists until the late 1970's. Badakhshan Province was annexed in 1967. They then invaded and annexed parts of northern Afghanistan in 1977 and 1982.

The PDRA was formed when Paktia and Logar Provinces joined forces with the Communist Tajik invasion in 1977 and 1982. The bulk of the Tajik people also wanted to be united and the rulers wanted to promote Communism. Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Islamists took over Kunduz province between 1993 and 2003. They helped Taliban operations in southern Tajikistan. 2006 saw heavy fighting in around the river Helmanbd and in both Panjshir and Parvan provinces Iran reduced its forces stationed in Nimruz heavily and put them under the command of Peshtunesan’s government. Baghlan local militia’s was reinforced by Tajik troops in late 2006.

Uzbekistan also helped crush the Taliban and Waziri forces in the nearby ex-Pakistani province of Waziristan between 2006 and 2007. Paktia, Khost and Paktika provinces still have some Uzbeck peacekeepers in it so as to supress local Waziri tribal radicals. Azerbaijan's co-operation with the Uzbek military's humaiterian efforts also help save lives in the Khost Province after several flood induced landslide in mid 2006.

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan helped defeat most of them by mid-2007. Tajikistan temporally occupied a section of Baltistan bounded by Mt Nowshak and the towns of Mastuj, Chitral and Drosh, but give it to Nuristan after it had been pacified in 2008. Nuristan gave it back to the Council of Tribal Elders of the Baltistan in 2009.

The Taliban last members surrendered to Hamid Karzai ’s forces iin 2009,after a heavy assault by Tajik forces.

Present day
Gorno-Badakhshan was given limited autonamy on May 1st, 2005.

In February 2009 and 2011, long range radio signals from several parts of the former UK, Lower Saxony, Brittany and Ireland were picked up by LW/SW radios in Dushanbe and Khorugh.

Interior Ministry spokesman Makhmadullo Asadulloyev announced on Radio Tajikistan that the 3 month Khorugh. The weapons being surrendered by the Khorugh and Gorno-Badakhshan rebels included Indian and Chinese made assault rifles, handguns, grenades and sniper rifles.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Revival Party, the largest opposition force in the country demanded an investigation into the suspiciose death of Gorno-Badakhshan regional leader, Sabzali Mamadrizoyev, 6 moths earlier.

Defence


Tajikistan's armed forces consist of a total of 6,000 volentears and 2,000 conscripts formed in to-


 * 1) Land Forces,
 * 2) Mobile Forces, including the (325th Motor Rifle Division).
 * 3) Air Defense Forces,
 * 4) Presidential National Guard,
 * 5) Security Forces (internal and border troops).
 * 6) There is also the remnants of the ethicly Russian and Ukranian border forces in the country (325th Motor Rifle Division).

Weapons

 * 1) Makarov pistol*
 * 2) RPG-7 rocket launcher
 * 3) M1938 mortar
 * 4) The TT-30 (Russian: 7,62-мм самозарядный пистолет Токарева образца 1930 года, 7,62 mm Samozaryadnyj Pistolet Tokareva obraztsa 1930 goda, "7.62 mm Tokarev self-loading pistol model 1930")*
 * 5) The DShK 1938 machine gun
 * 6) AK-47 assault rifle
 * 7) 82-PM 41 Medium Mortar
 * 8) PPSh-41


 * * =It is also used for the unofficial pistol-whipping of army cadets at there collage passing-out parade.

The small armoured unit has-

 * 1) 1x Mil Mi-8 helicopter
 * 2) 2x T-55 tanks
 * 3) 1x T-62 tank
 * 4) 4x S-75 Dvina AA missile units

Politics and government
Also see- List of Presidents of Tajikistan (World War 3, 1962)

The regonal goverment took over national functions after Doomsday and continued as a communist state untill 1995. The first free elcetion was held on December 8, 1995.

The communist hardliner Rahmon Nabiyev was in 1985 as party secretary of the Communist Party after succeeded by his kindred spirit Qahhor (Kakhan) Makhanov.

Chingi 'Visual' Mahruth was the enlightened, but irritating (and what we would call 'Blairite') leader of 1998 to 2002.

The incubant leader is Emomalii Rahmon.

Legal system
The Death Penalty is issued for Murderers, eastern rebels, Sex predators (like rapists, and child molesters), traitors and enemy spies. Hanging was replaced by shooting in 1998.

Healthcare
Because the health care system has deteriorated badly since the civil war and receives insufficient funding and also because war damage sanitation and water supply systems are in steady declining condition, Tajikistan has a high risk of epidemic disease. Several minor typhoid and dysentry epidemics have occurred since 1963. Many Russian doctors left Tajikistan after atomic war.

life expectancy has been divested by poor nutrition, polluted water supplies leading to an increase in outbreaks of cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, and typhoid. The leading causes of death are cardiovascular diseases, respiratory disorders, and infectious and parasitic diseases like bilharzia. Thyroid cancer stopped being a problem in 1972.

Education
The government 2010-2011 public spending on education was set at 3.4% of the nation's GDP. A Europa Alliance, survey stated that about 25% of girls in Tajikistan fail to complete compulsory primary school education, but literacy is generally high in Tajikistan, like in the rest of the former Soviet central Asian nations.

Religon
Tajikistan, like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan considers itself a secular state with a Constitution providing for freedom of religion.

Transportation
Mangystau's capital is Aktau serves as the region’s major port. Many ships (about 60% are sail craft) Syr Darya river flows through it.

Camel trains and horses are common in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Petrol vehicles are present in the other republics (especially in Mangystau Province).

Tajikistan has a few petrol tractors. Steam trains are comom in in Uzbekistan, Almaty and Mangystau, but less are found in the other central Asian republics. A low capacity network conects Aktau with Tashkent, Almaty, Samakand, Kiva,  Ashkabat, Furgana, Khorugh, Qurghonteppa and Dushanbe. Petrole diven trains (mostly shunters) do occre in the oilfields of Turkemenistan, Ashkabat, the Bogatyr Komir coal mine, Almaty and Aktau. A high capacity line liks thes 5 places.

Economy


Stone, bauxite, apricots and cotton are the main exports. Turkmen Oil, Uzbek food, Mangystau Oil, Almaty coal and Iranian food are the main imports.

Agriculture
Agriculture was modernized somewhat, except for the mass cultivation of cotton, which as elsewhere in Central Asia led to major ecological damage due to poor planning.

Mines
Mineral exports contribute substantially to the national economy of Tajikistan and are traded with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Mangystau Province for other goods, mostly oil.

No copper, molybdenum or tungsten has been occered since Doomsday. Aluminium and zinc mining decreaced slightly since the 1990s and was been severely disrupted due to civil war and regonal political conflicts. 65 miners died in the 1997 Darwaz mineral ore mine cave in, which was caused by poor mantinance and a local Richter scale 3.5 eathquake.

According to the 2010 statistics of the E.A., aluminium ingots contributed about 50% to the national exchequer, with aluminium and cotton accounting for 19% of the country's GDP.

Energy
Some hydroelectric power is made local and a minor coal mine is located near Dushanbe.

Kazakhstan's Bogatyr Komir (Russian: Богатырь Комир; kazakh Богатырь Көмір) is the largest coal mining group in Kazakhstan reopened in 1969 and 4.6 million tonnes of coal was produced, 10,000tn went to Tajikistan and 4,000tn to Kyrgyzstan.

Oil was discovered in (Arystan Oil Field and Borankol oil field) Mangystau Province (Kazakh: Маңғыстау облысы, Mañğıstaw oblısı) during 2005 and some is exported to Tajikistan, Almaty and Kirgizia.

Turkmenistan had discoverer oil in the mid 1950's and was not badly nuked. Most is exported to the othe central asian republics, the Democratic republic of Afghanistan aand the Democratic republic of Northern Aghanistan in exstange for minerals, pumped water, animal hides and food.

Sport
Hill climbing, biking, rock climbing, skiing, cricket, snowboarding, hiking, mountain climbing, football and archery are common sports.

Media
The leading newspapers are&nbsp Jumhuriyat and Khalk ovozi(some are also sold in noryhern Afghanistan). There are other lesser papers printed in Russia, Uzbek, Turkmenistani, Kergyz, Persia, Kazakh and Afghan. Radio Dushanbe broadcast in Persian, Russian, Tajik, and Uzbek for 3 hours a day on AM and 4 Hours a day on FM in Dushanbe, Garm, Khorugh and Qurghonteppa.

Although the law requires registration of independent broadcast outlets, some unlicensed snd thus illigal stations have operated in the east of the country.

During the civil war the government severely repressed both broadcast and print media; since that time, neither has recovered independent operations and journalists are regularly beaten up by government heavies.