Recently the Turkmen government has been increasing its hold on its citizens by severely restricting travel outside the country, especially travel to the U.S. There are several programs put on by the U.S. government and a few NGOs that aim to allow Turkmen (and other people) to travel to America in order to study or participate in programs that encourage cross-cultural exchange. One of these programs is the Benjamin Franklin Fellows program that brings students over. Last month, seven students were all set to leave, tickets in hand, when five of them were stopped at the airport and not allowed on the plane. This is because those students spent “too much time” with Americans and one was told by officials that they think she’s a spy.
Another program for students that is run by a U.S. NGO but was going to take place in Turkey, was also shut down just a couple days before the students expected to leave. They were only going to be gone for about a month and were supposed to be getting professional development help and a chance to take the TOEFL for free (the fee is about $150).
In the past, some students who had been studying abroad in Russia or Kazakhstan have come home for breaks and then not been allowed to leave to return to school. Plus, there’s the situation with Peace Corps. We are now only expecting six new volunteers to come in August, if they even get into this country at all. In the fall of 2009, a group of volunteers had already met in Washington, set to fly out the next day when Turkmenistan canceled their approval at the last minute. I’ve talked to people who think that within the next couple years, there won’t be anything left for students here, no Peace Corps, no ACCELS, no FLEX program, nothing.
This makes me very angry and sad for the kids I know who are good and dedicated students. And it will, of course, have a lasting negative impact on Turkmen society. The government seems to insist on shoddy education for all its people and this will catch up with them soon. If things continue the way they are going, within a generation or two, Turkmenistan will implode.
This 4th of July, I am especially grateful that in America I have the independence to come and go as I please. That we have a leader I can respect even if I don’t always agree with him. That people are honest about our country’s shortcomings as well as our positive aspects. I used to complain about all the stupid things that are covered in the news in America, but I can handle coverage of the latest Kardashian escapades if it means I don’t have to hear grossly false propaganda all day long.