For a while Turkmenistan has been a country of fun and a source of jokes for writers everywhere.
For example here are a couple of mentions in The West Wing:-
BARTLET: Well the President of Turkmenistan just officially extended the date of adolescence to twenty-five.
(Swiss Diplomacy)
WILL: What about Turkmenistan?
JOSH: It’s a nation of Labradors run by Zeppo Marx. Can we please stop talking about Turkmenistan?
(Third Day Story)
However, this article in last Saturday’s Guardian makes you realise that Saparmurat Niyazov, the country’s president ‘for life’ is not really a figure of fun if you have the misfortune to live there.
A follow up letter a couple of days later highlighted more of the problems the country’s facing following the leader’s ‘eccentric’ behaviour.
It’s a real shame that I can’t listen again to this programme made by two BBC journalists at the end of last year.