Tajik President’s Purchase: ‘Discover This Man A Wife’

ZARGHAR, Tajikistan — Arranged marriages of partners who possess never met are normal in rural Tajikistan. Nevertheless the August 27 wedding of town schoolteacher Saidsho Asrorov’s to Marjona Hudoidodova is very uncommon.

Their marriage was arranged within just one on orders of the country’s autocratic ruler week.

President Emomali Rahmon ended up being visiting Tajikistan’s southwestern Khatlon region on August 16 whenever Asrorov, a 23-year-old history instructor slavic brides, offered a speech praising «the best choice for the nation and creator of comfort in Tajikistan.»

Asrorov indicated appreciation to Rahmon for their part in «supporting training while the upbringing associated with the young generation» and recited his or her own verses of Tajik poetry (see movie below) to honor Rahmon, an old Soviet apparatchik that has governed Tajikistan since 1992.

Duly impressed — and notwithstanding the kowtowing that regularly moves from their hang on energy — Rahmon asked Asrorov if he had been hitched.

Asrorov, that would struggle on their paltry teacher’s wage to cover a conventional «bride cost» to your moms and dads of the next spouse, reacted which he ended up being solitary.

«I happened to be concerned and excited inside my speech,» Asrorov told RFE/RL on August 22. «The president asked me personally about my entire life and family members. He asked if I happened to be hitched. We responded ‘no.’ he then instructed the region leadership to pick my wedding. Plus in only days, my wedding will occur.»

Rahmon additionally ordered region officials to pay for the expense regarding the wedding.

That tripped a instant search by the region federal federal government, which formed a committee of matchmakers led by Dilafruz Mahmadalieva, the deputy chairwoman associated with Bohtar District’s Department of Ideology.

When the matchmaking committee asked Asrorov he said he would like to marry Marjona Hudoidodova — a recent medical-school graduate and daughter of a physical-education teacher in Zarghar if he had a candidate for his spouse.

Asrorov told the matchmakers he previously seen Hudoidodova just once whenever she ended up being their studies at medical college in Khatlon’s local money, Qurghon-Teppa.

He stated he had been straight away drawn to the 22-year-old Hudoidodova, whom has not seen Asrorov.

On August 19, the matchmaking committee visited Hudoidodova’s home within the nearby town of Gulzor.

«The matchmakers communicated with my moms and dads,» Hudoidodova told RFE/RL’s Tajik provider. «My moms and dads consented to permit me to marry the person on the condition that I am permitted to continue steadily to work.»

«I would like to carry on being employed as a nursing assistant in a medical center,» Hudoidodova stated, including that she’s constantly wanted marrying a guy who does perhaps not interfere along with her expert profession.

The bride’s mom, Savlatbi Hudoidodova, told RFE/RL that lots of teenage boys have actually started to ask when it comes to young nursing assistant’s turn in wedding.

But she stated that whenever past suitors heard the problem that the nurse that is young be permitted to carry on working following the wedding, the guys «disappeared.»

The caretaker stated Asrorov may be the suitor that is first consent to allow her daughter continue working.

Mahmadalieva told RFE/RL that her matchmaking committee had been thrilled to have the ability to provide Asrorov «an experienced, educated, and girl that is worthy the village of Gulzor.»

«Asrorov is from a family that is low-income his moms and dads are resigned,» Mahmadalieva stated. «We arranged the standard matchmaking we purchased presents for the bride along with her family members. for him and»

«Our company is addressing all of the expenses for the wedding party, and we’ll assist the woman’s household, » Mahmadalieva stated, talking about the Tajik tradition where the groom’s household provides a «bride cost» to your moms and dads associated with the girl he could be planning to marry.

Mahmadalieva stated the region management has offered a lot more than 16,000 somonis — about $1,800 — to Hudoidodova’s family so that you can «purchase everything required for the bride.»

Hudoidodova told RFE/RL that this woman is sewing by herself a «national gown» for the marriage ceremony in Qurghon-Teppa, that will be the 1st time she sees Asrorov.

Prior to legislation from 2007 that the us government claims is targeted at discouraging extravagance, the marriage ceremony and celebration can last not any longer than three hours and certainly will have no more than 150 guests.

Though it may be the first known marriage arranged by presidential purchase in Tajikistan, brief encounters with Rahmon have already been life-altering for other Tajiks.

In a nation therefore steeped in poverty that numerous young Tajik men migrate to Russia to get jobs, Rahmon lords over a system that is fiercely nepotistic his extensive household and internal group take advantage of decades of entrenched corruption.

It really is a system in which a conversation that is short the ruler has generated instructions securing jobs at state organizations, giving admission to universities, or resolving housing issues.

Increasingly, Tajiks praise and glorify Rahmon at his general general public appearances when you look at the hope that, having a remark that is casual his henchmen, he can re re re solve their individual dilemmas. ?