Three Tajik presidential candidates appeal to public

Text of report by the Tajik news agency Khovar on 11th October

[Agency headline] Candidates for the post of president of the Republic of Tajikistan: Sulton Quvvatov, Davlat Usmon and Sayfiddin Turayev

Appeal to citizens of Tajikistan

Unfortunately, political officials in our country have not yet responded to any of our statements and official messages after we announced that we were boycotting the presidential elections of the Republic of Tajikistan on 7th October 1999 because of gross legal violations by various government officials. They also did not make any political assessment of the officials who impeded the collection of signatures in support of the presidential candidates, and did not make them answerable. The head of the Central Election and Referendum Commission [Mirzoali Boltuyev] is openly accusing us of exerting pressure on this state body and of being unable to collect the signatures that are needed, when in fact the chairmen of Districts and towns of the republic have not yet granted permission to collect signatures in support of the candidates.

That is why we are forced to appeal directly and with full responsibility to you, citizens. It is impossible to hold free and democratic presidential elections in Tajikistan under the conditions of pressure and legal violation which our society is experiencing.

Only by calling an extraordinary session of the Supreme Assembly to make a political assessment of the situation, and by moving the date for the presidetial elections, can we hope to recover from the deep political crisis which our society is facing today, and attempt to strengthen Tajikistan's international position.

If our demand is not met we will be forced to continue our boycott of the presidential elections in Tajikistan, which means that holding the elections is invalid and unlawful. We ask you to support this demand which aims to implement the requirements of the agreement on the establishment of peace and national accord in Tajikistan as soon as possible.

Candidate for the post of president of the Republic of Tajikistan from the Democratic Party of Tajikistan, Sulton Quvvatov

Candidate for the post of the president of the Republic of Tajikistan from the Islamic Rebirth Party of Tajikistan, Davlat Usmon

Candidate for the post of the president of the Republic of Tajikistan from the Party of Justice of Tajikistan, Sayfiddin Turayev

Source: Khovar news agency, Dushanbe, in Tajik 1147 gmt 11 Oct 99