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

ZARGHAR, Tajikistan -- Arranged marriages of partners who possess never ever met are normal in rural Tajikistan. However the 27 wedding of village schoolteacher Saidsho Asrorov's to Marjona Hudoidodova is highly unusual august.

Their wedding ended up being arranged within just one week on sales regarding the nation's autocratic ruler.

President Emomali Rahmon had been visiting Tajikistan's southwestern Khatlon area on August 16 whenever Asrorov, a history that is 23-year-old, offered a speech praising "the top associated with the country and founder of comfort in Tajikistan."

Asrorov indicated appreciation to Rahmon for their part in "supporting training while the upbringing associated with young generation" and recited their 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 power -- Rahmon asked Asrorov if he had been hitched.

Asrorov, that would struggle on their paltry teacher's income to cover a old-fashioned "bride cost" into the moms and dads of the next partner, reacted he had been solitary.

"I happened to be worried and excited inside my message," Asrorov told RFE/RL on 22 august. "The president asked me personally about my entire life and family members. He asked if I became hitched. We responded 'no.' he then instructed the region leadership to select my wedding. As well as in only days, my wedding will occur."

Rahmon additionally ordered region officials to cover the expenses associated with wedding.

That tripped a search that is immediate the district federal government, which formed a committee of matchmakers led by Dilafruz Mahmadalieva, the deputy chairwoman associated with Bohtar District's Department of Ideology.

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Asrorov told the matchmakers he previously seen Hudoidodova only one time when she had been their studies at medical college in Khatlon's local money, Qurghon-Teppa.

He stated he had been straight away interested in the Hudoidodova that is 22-year-old has not seen Asrorov.

On August 19, the matchmaking committee visited Hudoidodova's house within the nearby village of Gulzor.

"The matchmakers communicated with my moms and dads," Hudoidodova told RFE/RL's Tajik provider. "My moms and dads decided to permit me to marry the person in the condition that i will be allowed 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 that would maybe perhaps not interfere along with her expert job.

The bride's mother, Savlatbi Hudoidodova, told RFE/RL that numerous teenagers have actually started to ask for the young nursing assistant's turn in wedding.

But she stated that after past suitors heard the illness that the young nurse must be permitted to carry on working following the wedding, the guys "disappeared."

The caretaker stated Asrorov may be the very first suitor to consent to allow her child continue working.

Mahmadalieva told RFE/RL that her matchmaking committee had been very happy to have the ability to offer Asrorov "a tuned, educated, and girl that is worthy the town of Gulzor."

"Asrorov is from a family that is low-income his moms and dads are resigned," Mahmadalieva stated. "We arranged the standard matchmaking for him and thenwe purchased presents for the bride and her household."

"Our company is addressing most of the expenses for the wedding party, and we'll assist the woman's family members, " Mahmadalieva stated, talking about the Tajik tradition where the groom's family members provides a "bride cost" to your moms and dads chinese women for marriage regarding the girl he's planning to marry.

Mahmadalieva stated the region management has provided significantly more than 16,000 somonis -- about $1,800 -- to Hudoidodova's family members to be able to "purchase every thing essential for the bride."

Hudoidodova told RFE/RL that she actually is sewing herself a "national gown" when it comes to marriage ceremony in Qurghon-Teppa, that will be the 1st time she views Asrorov.

Relative to legislation from 2007 that the us government claims is geared towards discouraging extravagance, the marriage ceremony and celebration can last no further than three hours and certainly will have no more than 150 visitors.

Though it could be the first known marriage arranged by presidential purchase in Tajikistan, quick 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 locate jobs, Rahmon lords over a fiercely nepotistic system while their extended family members and internal group reap the benefits of decades of entrenched corruption.

It really is a method in which a quick discussion with the ruler has resulted in requests securing jobs at state organizations, giving admission to universities, or resolving housing problems.

Increasingly, Tajiks praise and glorify Rahmon at his general general general public appearances into the hope that, having a casual remark to their henchmen, he can re solve their individual issues. ?