dumbfoundry

Turkmen ruler coins lasting memento for 66th birthday [Turkmenistan]:

The despotic president of Turkmenistan, known as Turkmenbashi, has celebrated his 66th birthday by creating a new set of gold and silver coins in honour of poetry he has written.

Last year, to celebrate his 65th birthday, Saparmurat Niyazov issued coins featuring his family tree. This year, it was the turn of four collections of poetry and two volumes of his Book of the Soul, known as the Rukhnama. [...]

Penned by Mr Niyazov in 2001, the Rukhnama gives spiritual guidance to Turkmen citizens, of whom he sees himself as the figurative father, the literal translation of "Turkmenbashi". The book, which is studied in schools and to which convicts must swear their allegiance upon release from jail, provides moral guidance, including respecting your elders, and giving lots of jewellery to women. Last year, a copy was blasted into space on a Russian rocket, inside a container bedecked with the national flag. It is hoped that it will return to earth in 150 years. [...]

To earth? Or should we say, return to Planet Turkmenbashi?

This entry was posted by eeksypeeksy on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 at 12:27 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.