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“Fetishization of Somoni” Continues in Tajikistan

Categories: Central Asia & Caucasus, Tajikistan, Citizen Media, History

As Tajikistan's president unveils yet another statue of national icon Ismoil Somoni [1], blogger Tomiris criticizes [2] [ru] monument monoculture in the country:

Don't we have other historical figures to erect statues to? Was Somoni really the only one of its kind? I understand that this fetishization of Somoni is a political phenomenon, [part of] nation building, so to say. But why are the representatives of our intelligentsia <…> silent about this? Do they also worship Somoni?

Tomiris has previously argued [3] against the ‘Somonization’ of Tajikistan.