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Tajik Leader Rails Against the Veil

September 2, 2010 - 6:20am, by David Trilling

Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon is famous for regulating the personal behavior of his citizens. Sometimes locals applaud his directives, such as limiting attendance at weddings (which can be prohibitively expensive) and banning cell phones in schools (they’re distracting, it’s true).

Now Rakhmon is telling young women to adopt national dress rather than foreign styles. No, he’s not talking stilettos and fishnets, but the increasing preponderance of headscarves and hijab.

The president made his critique at the Tajik National University’s first day of classes on September 1 (Tajik state television via BBC monitoring):

"I see certain youngsters, particularly girls, and Tajik women on streets and avenues of the capital. You are copying ways of dressing in other countries. Be grateful to this country. If you are grateful for the civilization and culture of this ancient nation you will be satisfied. If any of you like the way of dressing of any other country I will send you [presumably there].”

Rakhmon often uses the podium to rail against the spread of Islam and his officials regularly arrest alleged members of banned Islamic groups. In an August 25 speech, he urged parents not to send their children to religious schools abroad.

No doubt, some will say the president is right again with his new dress code. But if he were so intent on cracking down on radical Islam, wouldn’t it be more convenient to let the suspects dress the part and be easy to identify?

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