First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan
Encyclopedia
The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was the head of the Communist Party of Tajikistan
and the highest Executive power
in the republic of Tajikistan
from 1924 until November 1990.
was formed in 1922 a position of First Secretary of the Communist Party
was created in each Soviet Republic
. The Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created in 1924 as a subunit of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic and the first Acting Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was appointed that year. In 1929 Tajikistan received full republic status separate from Uzbekistan and in 1930 the position of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was created. The position changed hands numerous times during the 1920s and 1930s due to Stalin
's fear of keeping leaders in power for long periods of time. A number of the former leaders of the Communist Party of Tajikistan perished in the Great Purge
of the 1930s. The leaders of Tajikistan were usually ethnic Tajiks with the exceptions of Mirzo Dovud Guseinov, Dmitri Protopopov and Grigory Broydo
: the first one was an ethnic Azerbaijani
while the last two were ethnic Russians
who were appointed during the height of Stalin’s paranoia. While the symbolic value of a Tajik First Secretary was apparent, the leadership of Tajikistan was wholly subservient to Moscow
and the second in power of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was always an ethnic Russian. After World War II every appointed First Secretary was a Tajik from the region of Leninabad
, now named Sughd
. This was a reflection of the fact that the leadership of Uzbekistan
highly influenced the appointment of leaders in Tajikistan and chose leaders from Leninabad because of its historic ties to Uzbekistan's urban centers in the Fergana Valley
. There have even been accusations that some of the Leninabadi leaders of Tajikistan were actually Uzbek because their dialect of Tajik had a number of loan words from Uzbek
. The Leninabai monopoly on power was a key factor in igniting the civil unrest that followed Tajikistan's independence in 1991 and led to the Tajikistan Civil War
.
The longest serving First Secretary was Jabor Rasulov, who came to power in 1961 and died in office in 1982. Rasulov’s successor was Rahmon Nabiyev, who was ousted in a corruption
scandal
in 1985. The position First Secreatry was downgraded in November 1991 when then First Secretary Qahhor Mahkamov
was appointed to the newly created executive position of President of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic. Mahkamov was the last First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan to also serve as head of state
of Tajikistan when he resigned his office on August 31, 1991 following his support of the August Coup in Moscow
. One of the most celebrated First Secretaries was Bobojon Ghafurov
, a renowned scholar who wrote numerous works on the history of Tajikistan
.
Communist Party of Tajikistan
The Communist Party of Tajikistan is a political party in Tajikistan.At the last legislative elections, 27 February and 13 March 2005, the party won 13.97% of the popular vote and 4 out of 63 seats....
and the highest Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
in the republic of Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
from 1924 until November 1990.
History
Shortly after the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
was formed in 1922 a position of First Secretary of the Communist Party
General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the title given to the leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. With some exceptions, the office was synonymous with leader of the Soviet Union...
was created in each Soviet Republic
Republics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
. The Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created in 1924 as a subunit of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic and the first Acting Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was appointed that year. In 1929 Tajikistan received full republic status separate from Uzbekistan and in 1930 the position of First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was created. The position changed hands numerous times during the 1920s and 1930s due to Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's fear of keeping leaders in power for long periods of time. A number of the former leaders of the Communist Party of Tajikistan perished in the Great Purge
Great Purge
The Great Purge was a series of campaigns of political repression and persecution in the Soviet Union orchestrated by Joseph Stalin from 1936 to 1938...
of the 1930s. The leaders of Tajikistan were usually ethnic Tajiks with the exceptions of Mirzo Dovud Guseinov, Dmitri Protopopov and Grigory Broydo
Grigory Broydo
Grigory Isaakovich Broydo served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan from November 3, 1933 to 1934.-References:...
: the first one was an ethnic Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani people
The Azerbaijanis are a Turkic-speaking people living mainly in northwestern Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in the neighbourhood states, Georgia, Russia and formerly Armenia. Commonly referred to as Azeris or Azerbaijani Turks , they also live in a wider area from the Caucasus to...
while the last two were ethnic Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
who were appointed during the height of Stalin’s paranoia. While the symbolic value of a Tajik First Secretary was apparent, the leadership of Tajikistan was wholly subservient to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and the second in power of the Communist Party of Tajikistan was always an ethnic Russian. After World War II every appointed First Secretary was a Tajik from the region of Leninabad
Leninabad
- Azerbaijan :*Leninabad, Nakhchivan*Leninabad, Shamkir*Sanqalan*Təklə, Gobustan...
, now named Sughd
Sughd
Sughd Province is one of the four administrative divisions and one of the three provinces that make up Tajikistan. Centered in the historical Sogdiana, it is located in the northwest of the country, with an area of some 25,400 square kilometers and a population of 2,132,100 , up from 1,870,000...
. This was a reflection of the fact that the leadership of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
highly influenced the appointment of leaders in Tajikistan and chose leaders from Leninabad because of its historic ties to Uzbekistan's urban centers in the Fergana Valley
Fergana Valley
The Fergana Valley or Farghana Valley is a region in Central Asia spreading across eastern Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Divided across three subdivisions of the former Soviet Union, the valley is ethnically diverse, and in the early 21st century was the scene of ethnic conflict...
. There have even been accusations that some of the Leninabadi leaders of Tajikistan were actually Uzbek because their dialect of Tajik had a number of loan words from Uzbek
Uzbek language
Uzbek is a Turkic language and the official language of Uzbekistan. It has about 25.5 million native speakers, and it is spoken by the Uzbeks in Uzbekistan and elsewhere in Central Asia...
. The Leninabai monopoly on power was a key factor in igniting the civil unrest that followed Tajikistan's independence in 1991 and led to the Tajikistan Civil War
Tajikistan Civil War
The Civil War in Tajikistan began in May 1992 when ethnic groups from the Garm and Gorno-Badakhshan regions, which were underrepresented in the ruling elite, rose up against the national government of President Rahmon Nabiyev, in which people from the Leninabad and Kulyab regions dominated...
.
The longest serving First Secretary was Jabor Rasulov, who came to power in 1961 and died in office in 1982. Rasulov’s successor was Rahmon Nabiyev, who was ousted in a corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
in 1985. The position First Secreatry was downgraded in November 1991 when then First Secretary Qahhor Mahkamov
Qahhor Mahkamov
Qahhor Mahkamov served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan and was the first President of Tajikistan.-Early life and career:...
was appointed to the newly created executive position of President of the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic. Mahkamov was the last First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan to also serve as head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of Tajikistan when he resigned his office on August 31, 1991 following his support of the August Coup in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. One of the most celebrated First Secretaries was Bobojon Ghafurov
Bobojon Ghafurov
Bobojon Ghafurovich Ghafurov was a Tajik historian, academician, and the author of several books published in Russian and Tajik, including History of Tajikistan and The Tajiks. He was born in the village of Isfisar near Khujand in Tajikistan...
, a renowned scholar who wrote numerous works on the history of Tajikistan
History of Tajikistan
The current Tajik Republic harkens to the Samanid Empire . The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s. The Basmachi revolt that broke out in the wake of the Russian Revolution of 1917 was quelled in the early 1920s and Tajikistan became an autonomous Soviet socialist republic within...
.
List of Secretaries
- Chinor Emomov (1924-1927); Acting secretary.
- Mumin Khojaev (1927-1928); Acting secretary.
- Ali Shervoni (1928-1929); Acting secretary.
- Shirinsho ShotemurShirinsho ShotemurShirinsho Shotemur is a prominent Tajik politician of the twentieth century, who has made a major contribution to the early history of the Soviet Tajikistan.-Life and political activity:...
(1929-1930); Acting secretary. - Mirzo Dovud Guseinov (1930-1933); First secretary.
- Grigory BroydoGrigory BroydoGrigory Isaakovich Broydo served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan from November 3, 1933 to 1934.-References:...
(1933-1934); First secretary. - Suren Shadunts (1934-1936); First secretary.
- Urunboi UshturovUrunboi UshturovUrumbay Ashurovich Ashurov was First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan between September 1937 and March 1938....
(1936-1937); First secretary. - Dmitri Protopopov (1937-1946); First secretary.
- Bobojon GhafurovBobojon GhafurovBobojon Ghafurovich Ghafurov was a Tajik historian, academician, and the author of several books published in Russian and Tajik, including History of Tajikistan and The Tajiks. He was born in the village of Isfisar near Khujand in Tajikistan...
(1946-1956); First secretary. - Tursun Uljabaev (1956-1961); First secretary.
- Jabor Rasulov (1961-1982); First secretary.
- Rahmon Nabiyev (1982-1985); First secretary. President of Tajikistan (1991-1992).
- Qahhor MahkamovQahhor MahkamovQahhor Mahkamov served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan and was the first President of Tajikistan.-Early life and career:...
(1985-August 31, 1991); First secretary. President of Tajik SSR (November 1990-August 31, 1991).